


Swept Away

by hoshifeels



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: 69 (Sex Position), Aftercare, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Sugar Daddy, Anal Sex, Birthday Sex, Blow Jobs, Body Worship, Crossdressing Kink, Cuddling & Snuggling, Dirty Talk, Domestic Fluff, Drug Use, Drunk Sex, Face-Fucking, Face-Sitting, Fingerfucking, Flashbacks, Food Sex, Frottage, Hand Jobs, Heavy Petting, Lapdance, Light BDSM, M/M, Manga Spoilers, Masturbation, Nipple Play, Orgasm Delay/Denial, Phone Sex, Physical Abuse, Praise Kink, Prostate Milking, Public Hand Jobs, Public Sex, Rape, Rimming, Roleplay, Rough Sex, Sex Toys, Spanking, Spit Kink, Top Eren Yeager, Top Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Trauma, Underage Drinking, Violence, Weapons
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-08
Updated: 2018-05-12
Packaged: 2018-05-31 23:22:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 94
Words: 453,152
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6491575
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hoshifeels/pseuds/hoshifeels
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eren meets the rich and handsome Levi, and nothing was ever the same.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue: Choco Choco Voice

**Author's Note:**

> I'm trying to get out of my writing shell, so here goes nothing! I love reading them, so I thought I'd write one: A sugardaddy AU. Let's see how my style and storytelling technique evolves over time!

It's not everyday that your life is turned upside down.

  
\--

  
It was summer, and Eren was working his usual shift at the Trost coffee shop. It wasn’t the most glamorous job, even though his coworkers were interesting and free coffee was nothing to complain about. But living a monotonous paycheck-to-paycheck life during summer was, well, boring.

  
Eren has his fun here and there. He hangs out with Armin and Mikasa, and he’s been on a few dates, none of which were worth noting. He’s even had a few one-night stands, but they really meant nothing. Eren just wished there was something more.

  
Something… exciting.

  
\--

  
“A small mocha frappe for Annie!” Eren flashed a bright smile to his friend and shop regular. “With extra whipped cream, just how you like it!”

  
Annie was secretly impressed that Eren remembered that little fact from the first time she told Eren her order, which was a month ago. “…Thanks.” She tried to hide the ghost of a smile that was pulling at the corners of her lips, but Eren saw it and laughed.

  
Eren prided himself on remembering the little things about people. He turned around to wipe his hands near the sink when he walked head on into Jean.  
“Watch where you’re going, idiot,” Jean instinctively put a hand over the cap of the cup of coffee he was holding.

  
“Maybe if you weren’t such a clumsy sack of shit this wouldn’t be a problem,” Eren replied smoothly.

  
“Whatever. I’m taking my break,” Jean handed the coffee to his waiting customer and then immediately took his apron off. “Have fun holding down the fort.”

  
Eren and Jean were the only ones working today and it was a rather busy morning. Eren watched as Jean made his way out of the shop, barely at the door before lighting the cigarette in his mouth. Jean bumped into a short man as he blew his first puff. “’Scuse me,” Jean said gruffly as he pushed past and walked away.

  
Eren shook his head and prepared to take the incoming customer’s order.

  
"Hi, what can I get y-"

  
_Oh…_

  
The short man was fucking hot.

  
Eren realized he was staring when the man said “Medium black coffee, please.”

  
_Get it together, dumbass!_ “R-right away.”

  
Eren got to work grinding the beans and hoped his heart would stop pounding in his chest. He looked over his shoulder while the coffee machine was running and tried to have another glimpse at the man.

  
The man was scrolling through his phone and Eren couldn’t see much of his face. He was wearing a suit and the first few buttons of his shirt were undone. Eren could see a little flash of skin from the man’s chest and… _wow._

  
That suit fit his body like a glove.

  
Eren snapped out of it once more when the coffee machine beeped, which signaled completion. He whipped his head back around and put a cap on the cup.

  
“One medium black, sir.” Eren realized his stupid ass forgot to ask for the man’s name to write on the cup. But he was the only customer waiting at the moment so it wasn’t a big deal.

  
“Thank you…” the man glanced at Eren’s chest and he felt his face turn hot again. “…Eren.”

  
_He was just looking at your nametag, dumbass!_ “Oh… ah… no problem.” Eren laughed nervously.

  
The man smirked and Eren felt his heart pause. It was his first full look at the man’s face.

  
A sharp jaw. Full, rosy lips. A strong nose. Steel-gray eyes that bore into him. Milky white complexion. Glossy black hair with not a hair out of place.  
And Eren couldn’t see much of the man’s body but that suit was complimenting whatever he had working underneath.

  
_Damn._

  
The man had picked up the cup and walked away. Eren noticed the man had an undercut.

  
Time stood still for a minute. _Thank you… Eren._ The man’s smooth, deep, confident voice echoed in his head like a chocolatey dream. It wrapped him in a comfort that made his heart flutter.

  
“Excuse me, I’m ready to order!” A girl’s voice called.

  
And for the third time in the past five minutes, Eren snapped out of a trance. “Sorry, I’ll be right there!”

  
\--

  
That night, Eren lay in his bed staring at the ceiling. He thought about the mysterious man with the chocolatey voice saying his name and his hand slowly found its way into his pants. He didn’t have much material to work with… not even a name. But that voice, filling his mind’s ear like a dangerous song, heated Eren’s body and made him forget himself.


	2. Cockcaptor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our mystery man haunts Eren's [wet] dreams

Eren woke up a mess.

  
He groaned as he hoisted himself upright, trying to defog his mind. The clutches of sleep held onto him tightly.

  
_…What even happened last night?_

  
Oh. Eren remembered that voice. The voice of the man from the coffee shop. The voice he jacked off to last night.

  
He rubbed his eyes. He had to work today. The clock read 8:22, and he had to be in the shop by 9.

  
The rest of the morning was still a bit of a blur. Eren just tried to get back into his routine. He sees attractive people in the shop all the time. Why was this man any different?

  
\--

  
Eren found himself absentmindedly staring at the coffee machine pouring the liquid. The face of the man from yesterday sat in his memory, although a bit unclear.

  
Suddenly, sounds surrounded Eren and he felt himself being dragged back to Earth.

  
“Yeah, good morning, Jaeger,” Jean said sarcastically, “We’re balls-deep in orders so if you could kindly kick that ass into gear, I would love you forever.”

  
Eren took the cup from the machine and forcefully pushed past Jean. “Fuck off.”

  
_Balls-deep._ Eren thought as he poured creamer into the cup.

  
“Flat white for Historia!” Eren smiled at another one his regulars. “No Ymir today? You two always come in together.”

  
The tiny girl took the cup with both hands and shook her head. “Just me today. Thank you, Eren!” She left in a hurry.

  
That girl always looked like she had a secret.

  
The rest of the day wasn’t much different. As per Jean’s request, Eren did in fact kick that ass into gear. There was no better distraction than work. By the end of the day, the man with the chocolatey voice was nothing more than a sweet memory.

  
At the end of the shift, around 6 pm, Eren decided to take a walk down the pier. The coffee shop was a short walk to the beach and had a great view of the city.

  
Eren clocked out and made sure Marco was tagged in for the night shift before parting ways with Jean.

  
He walked down the beach with his shoes in hand, curling his toes in the sand. The sun was beginning to set, and the sky was a dusty orange. Eren usually came to this spot alone; it was his favorite place to reflect and wind down after a busy serving coffee.

  
And lying down on a beach chair, listening to the ebb and flow of the waves and the distant laughter of children, Eren would sometimes doze off…

  
And let himself get lost in his daydreams.

  
\--

  
Eren was in… he didn’t know. He couldn’t see. Was he blindfolded? He tried to touch his face to figure it out, but he couldn’t move his arms. They were tightly bound behind his back. He was sitting on his heels.

  
The only sound he could hear was a running shower behind doors. There was no use calling out, since it felt like he was the only one in the room at the moment. He squirmed against his arm restraints. Luckily, his legs weren’t tied, so he got on his knees and tried to move off what felt like a bed.

  
Right as Eren started moving, the shower stopped running and he heard a click of a door. Eren stopped moving. He heard footsteps, and a familiar voice.

  
“Trying to escape, Eren?” A rich, smooth voice questioned.

  
Eren’s heart stopped. Was he being kidnapped?

  
_Why is his voice turning me on?_

  
The footsteps got closer. Eren could feel the bed shift and the body heat of his captor in front of him. The captor gently pushed on Eren’s chest, causing him to sit back on his heels again.

  
“Eren, relax. I’ll take care of you.”

  
Eren could hear the man say his name all day. Suddenly, he felt a warm, welcome pressure on his crotch.

  
Eren gasped. The man was rubbing circles into the front of his pants and he felt himself growing hard. He threw his head back and bit his lip to stifle a groan. This felt so comfortable and familiar, like he got this treatment every day. He almost forgot he was being kidnapped.

  
Eren involuntarily angled his hips upward to get some more friction against his straining erection.

  
“So responsive, look at you, Eren. I’ve hardly touched you and you’re already this hard.” That voice saying his name was almost enough to take him over the edge.

  
“P-please…” Eren was bucking his hips now. He felt the rubbing increase and warm breath near his ear.

  
“You like it when I say your name, Eren? Eren, my sweet boy.”

  
And with that, Eren felt himself leak into his underwear. His head dropped as he rode out his orgasm and felt the shame of being pleasured by a kidnapper.

  
“Good boy, Eren. You were wonderful.” Eren felt the man’s fingers lifting his chin. And then those fingers started loosening his blindfold. The man slowly tugged it down his face and-

  
\--

  
Eren gasped as he bolted upright. Two girls walking past raised their eyebrows in shock.

  
_What the hell?_

  
Right. Eren was at the beach. He must have accidentally fell asleep. The sun has now disappeared into the horizon, the sky taking on a periwinkle hue.

  
And he had a fucking dream about that man from before. In public. Just that thought alone made him feel vulnerable.

  
Eren shook it off and put on his shoes. He had to go home and get his bearings.

  
That night, he stood in the shower wondering how he could’ve let one encounter with a customer weigh this heavily on his mind. He could barely remember that man’s face anymore.

  
But that voice. That voice that still rings like a lovely bell in his head; saying his name like it was something to be held with care and caution.

  
What he wouldn’t give to hear his name from that voice again.


	3. Things Go Not So South

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren has a HARD ;) day at the coffee shop

"Listen, I'm gonna need you to cover my shift."

"Jean, you ass," Eren held the phone between his shoulder and ear as he fixed breakfast. "You can't leave me for dead on a Saturday. It's even busier than Monday mornings."

Jean hacked up a nasty, phlegm-charged cough on the other end. Eren pursed his lips. "I-I know. But listen, man. I feel like shit. I can't feel my body. Can you help a guy out?"

Eren released a drawn-out sigh. Jean was annoying. But he did cover Eren a few times when Eren was hungover or sick. It was going to be an exhausting day.

"...Fine. I'll do it." Jean laughed weakly. "I love you so much, babe!"

Eren chuckled mockingly. "Fuck off, Jean."

\--

Saturdays were no joke.

Just when Eren finished with one customer, there were two more coming in the door. There was a line of empty cups with names and abbreviated orders building up on his station and he felt like he was shoveling a driveway during a blizzard.

"Ahhh... small iced coffee, medium frap'... macchiato... Earl Grey..." Eren paced back and forth the station mumbling orders to himself. "Fuck, shit..."

It seemed lacing profanities into the orders was the only sense of control he seemed to have right now. With no time to process his thoughts, he swirled little mountains of whipped cream into a row of cups, one after another. The whipped cream dispenser sputtered its last breath halfway through the third cup, and when Eren squeezed the tip aggressively to get a few more drops, it made its point by exploding some wet droplets into his face and apron.

"Ugh, fuck me..." Eren wiped some cream off his chest using his middle finger and licked it.

"Orders up for Mina, Franz, Hannah, and Rod!" Eren didn't even have time to personally hand the customers their items. He just placed them on the "ready" counter and got to work on his next batch of orders. He couldn't even afford to take a lunch; he's been nibbling on a croissant while waiting for the coffee machine to finishing pouring. Why did Jean have to get sick today of all days?

"Ah, Eren!" a familiar voice greeted.

"Reiner. Hey," Eren said with a sharpie between his teeth. "The usual? With extra protein shots?"

"You got it, bud. Busy day, huh?"

Eren snorted. "Yeah. And I'm the only one working."

"You can do it!" Reiner flashed a wide grin.

"Here's hopin'," Eren called out over his shoulder while pumping mocha into a cup.

He had worked up a sweat running around his station serving orders for a few hours, and slowly, orders started to slow down. He could finally catch his breath and he felt himself fill with pride that he worked the Saturday shift all alone.

Eren surveyed the shop. With a few people seated and no one having come into the door for a few minutes, he thought he could take a quick break. He answered a few texts while he scarfed down another croissant.

In the distance, he could hear the shop's door bell jingle. He finished his last text to Armin before wiping his mouth and preparing himself for the new customer.

"Welcome to Trost Coffee!" Eren called before turning around from washing his hands, and then his heart stopped.

It was him. The man with the chocolatey voice from a few days ago. The one that made him cum in his dream.

"Hello, Eren."

_He remembers my name!_

"Wh-what can I getcha?"

"One medium black coffee, please." Eren hoped he wasn't blushing like an idiot.

"Right away," Eren said. "Your name, sir?"

"Levi."

_Levi..._

Eren sharpied Levi's name onto a cup and was grateful for the opportunity to turn around and hide his red-hot face. He got to work grinding the beans and prayed he didn't look like he's been running around all the shop all day.

And in that moment, he noticed the stains from the whipped cream from earlier as well as mocha shots on his apron and hoped that Levi didn't notice them. And speaking of clothes, Eren looked around and noticed that once again, Levi was dressed impeccably. He wore a crisp white shirt with a collar so sharp it could probably cut through butter (the top few buttons were undone again, Eren happily noticed), and black slacks that hugged his muscular thighs juuust right...

The coffee machine beeped. _Eren, get a hold of yourself!_

"One medium black for Levi. Enjoy!" Eren handed the drink over to Levi with shaky hands and once again, hoped Levi didn't judge his sloppiness.

And because it was perfectly convenient, Eren's stomach decided to let out a loud, whiny growl. Eren's eyes widened in embarrassment and he put a hand to his stomach.

"'Scuse me! I'm sorry about that. I haven't eaten since breakfast. Unless you count two croissants."

_Stop rambling, idiot!_

"Eren. May I take you out to dinner?" Levi asked.

Eren couldn't believe his ears. "Oh, umm... you really don't have to. I was going to eat after my shift. I don't want to bother you. Levi." He made sure to say his name for effect.

_Although dinner with this hot piece of ass sounds amazing after this hellish day..._

"It would be no bother at all. I can tell you're starving. My treat." Eren could feel the blush coming on again. "O-oh. Well in that case, okay. W-we should exchange numbers."

Levi took out a sleek, up-to-date phone and Eren gave him his. They input each of their contacts. _This is happening, Eren. You're having dinner with Levi!_

"I will text you the address of the restaurant. Let's say 8?" Levi asked gently.

"Y-yes! 8 is good!" Eren hoped he didn't sound too eager.

"I'm looking forward to it." Levi took his coffee and smiled from the corner of his lips.

And Eren was left in his spot in complete disbelief of the events of the last five minutes.

The sexy kidnapper from his dreams is now his date for the evening. Today turned out for the better.

Eren glanced at the clock. 5:45. He had 15 more minutes of his shift. He got to work wiping down tables and tidying up the station for the night shift, which will be held down by Marco and Sasha.

Eren went to the break room and looked at the mirror. He looked a mess. His hair was disheveled, his apron was covered in stains, he had pit stains (which luckily no one could see because his shirt was black), and his face was flushed from running back and forth all day. Now he felt doubly embarrassed that Levi had to see him in this state.

He heard the shop's door bell jingle and exited the break room to take care of the next customer. Oh, it was just Marco coming in for his shift.

"Marco. You'll never guess the day I've had."

Marco laughed. "I heard about Jean. You poor thing. Saturdays are the absolute worst."

"Tell me about it. I didn't think I could go through with it."

"Well, hey, you pulled through, champ! Look at you!" Marco was ever-encouraging.

"Yeah, and now I can die a fulfilled man." Eren turned his head to the ceiling with closed eyes and smiled peacefully, mocking death.

Marco chuckled and patted Eren on the back. "Go home, you. You deserve it."

The door bell jingled and Sasha walked in briskly, eating fries out of a fast food bag.

"Hey guys!"

"Hey Sash," Eren clocked himself out in the machine and took his apron off. The smell of Sasha's fries hit Eren's nose and he felt a bit lightheaded.

Sasha extended the bag slowly. "Want some?" she asked hesitantly. "You look like you haven't eaten in a minute."

Eren shook his head. "Well, you're right about that. But I'm saving my appetite for dinner." _With Levi..._ he reminded himself.

Sasha looked relieved. She wiped her fingers on her pants and washed her hands.

"See you guys later!" Eren waved on his way out the door. _Now comes the real highlight of the day,_  he thought as he unlocked his car.


	4. All Blissed Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren and Levi's first date! :3 Chapters are getting longer now!

Eren’s leg couldn’t stop shaking the whole ride home.

He took a thorough shower, and put on his best cologne. He was trying to look as clean and put together for the date tonight. Although, he thought, there’s no way he’ll ever look as immaculate as Levi. Going through his closet, he sadly didn’t have many fancy clothes. He never really needed them. He had one suit that he wore to weddings and such, but that would be too excessive for a first date.

He decided to go with his leather jacket and black jeans. Looking at himself in the mirror, Eren thought that this was as good as it was going to get. Making sure his wallet had some cash, he started to head out the door. Actually… he was a bit early. Eren reached into the fridge and found some leftover soup to take to Jean’s house. He had to make sure that jerk felt a little better to get back to work.

\--

Eren knocked on Jean’s apartment door and waited. Hopefully Jean was well enough to get out of bed.

A few moments later, Jean slowly opened the door. He had a blanket wrapped around him, and he had on superhero pajama pants. His nose was red and his face was flushed, but he didn’t seem too bad.

“I brought you some leftover soup. Today was hell, by the way,” Eren pushed past Jean and went to the microwave to heat up the soup.

Jean laughed and it turned into a small coughing fit. “Thanks, man.”

Eren punched in some numbers into the microwave. “Feeling any better?”

Jean shuffled into the living room and collapsed onto the couch. “Lots, actually. I’ll be back to work tomorrow.”

“Good.” Eren took the bowl out of the microwave and jerked his hand away. “Ah, hot. Where do you keep your spoons?”

Eren rummaged through some cupboards and drawers and found a spoon and tray. “Here you go.”

Jean sat up and took the tray from Eren’s hands. He leaned into Eren and inhaled deeply. “Is that cologne? You’re looking all fresh, you got a date tonight?”

“Don’t worry about it. Eat your soup.”

“My little Eren-poo has a date tonight! How exciting!” Jean’s whole body shook as he laughed and once again he dissolved into a coughing fit.

“Still more action than you’re going to get all week,” Eren jerked his chin towards Jean’s blanket-wrapped body. He unlocked his phone to look at the time. 7:21. He should start heading out.

“Don’t let me hold you up for your little date, Eren-poo,” Jean grinned, “Go on, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Make sure you finish that soup, I can’t have you coughing all over me tomorrow.” Eren called out as he unlocked the door. “And don’t call me Eren-poo!”

Eren got into his car and input the address of the restaurant that Levi texted him into the GPS. He took a deep breath and tightened his grip on the wheel.

\--

Upon rolling up to the restaurant, Eren thought he was at the wrong place. It looked like a 4-star restaurant, with people in dresses and suits walking in and out of it. The building was lined with manicured hedges and was strung with soft, elegant lights. Eren already felt out of place.

He exhaled deeply and stepped out of the car. It was 7:58. He was right on time.

“Welcome to Trost Bistro. May I have your name?”

“Uhh. Eren. Eren Jaeger.”

The host looked though a menu. “Ah. Mr. Ackerman is awaiting you. Follow me, if you please.”

Eren had found out Levi’s last name was Ackerman when he saw the text with the address in it. Coincidentally, that was also Mikasa’s last name. Eren would ask Levi later if they were related.

As Eren followed the host through the dimly-lit restaurant, he truly did start to feel out of place. He saw food that he didn’t recognize, and bottles of champagne that looked more expensive than his entire wardrobe.

Levi stood up as he saw Eren approaching the table. Once again, he looked as dashing as ever, with a crisp black button-up shirt (with the top few buttons undone, Eren noticed right away) and gray slacks that looked freshly pressed.

“Your server will be with you in a few minutes. Enjoy your evening, gentlemen.” The host bowed slightly and walked away.

Levi pulled Eren’s chair out for him. “Have a seat, Eren. I’m glad you could make it.”

Eren felt embarrassed. He never got this treatment before. “Thank you for inviting me. Were you waiting long?”

Levi scooted his chair closer to the table. “Not at all. You were right on time.”

A server approached the table. “Welcome to Trost Bistro, gentlemen.” He set a menu in front of each of them. “We have a wonderful selection tonight. Can I get you started with some wine?”

“I’ll just have water, please,” Levi said.

“Me, too. Please,” Eren said.

The server nodded. “Very well. I will give you some time to look through the menu.”

As the server walked away, it suddenly felt very intimate with Eren and Levi sitting face-to-face at this small table.

“Eren, how old are you?” Levi questioned smoothly.

“Twenty.”

Levi nodded slowly. “I figured. I’m glad I didn’t have them bring wine.”

“I’ve had alcohol before.” Eren felt babied and frankly, a little bit hurt.

Levi chuckled, low and deep, and Eren was mesmerized by his laugh. “I’m sure you have, but I don’t want to be an enabler.”

Eren puffed and looked at his menu. Half of it was in French. He strained to find something familiar.

“Eren, are you alright?” Levi looked concerned. “You seem uncomfortable.”

“Yeah. I just feel a bit underdressed for this restaurant. And I can’t understand most of the menu.”

“You look great. Don’t worry about that,” Levi said and Eren hid his blushing face behind his menu. “And as for the menu, I can translate for you. I heard good things about their steak.”

Eren raised his eyebrow. “You can speak French?”

Levi smiled. “I know enough to get by. My mother was French.”

“Was?”

“She passed away while I was young.”

Eren mentally punched himself for being insensitive. “I’m so sorry, Levi, I didn’t mean to bring up a touchy subject.”

“Relax. It’s fine. Like I said, I was young.”

Eren nodded and tried to move on so the atmosphere didn’t become uncomfortable. “I’ll just trust your recommendation and go with the steak.”

“I’m glad to have earned your trust.” Levi looked amused.

The server approached the table and set down their glasses of water, then took out his notepad. “Have you had enough time to look over the menu?”

Levi shut his menu. “We will both have the steak.”

“How would you like those cooked?”

“Medium for me. Eren?” Levi asked.

“Ahh.. medium for me, too.” Eren had only been to a few formal steakhouses and he didn’t know the true “correct” temperature.

“Excellent choice, gentlemen.” The server collected their menus. “Your meals will be prepared promptly.”

As the server left, Levi rested his elbows on the table and leaned in closer to Eren. “Tell me about your day, Eren.”

_Oh, that voice. This close to me._ Eren felt his stomach pool with heat, making him feel hot and bothered. Or maybe he was just really hungry.

“Well, Jean got sick so I had a rough day.”

Levi took a sip of his water and swallowed. Eren tried not to be too obvious as he stared at Levi’s Adam’s apple bob. “Jean?”

“Jean is my coworker,” Eren clarified. “He asked me to cover his shift. Normally I wouldn’t, because he’s a dick, but he’s covered me a few times before.”

Levi nodded. “I see. So that’s why you looked so frazzled when I came in.”

Eren cringed. “Was it that obvious?”

“I can appreciate hard work. And don’t worry, you still looked adorable.”

Eren covered his face in his hands. Levi called him adorable. Like he was a puppy or something.

“And that, Eren, is about the tenth time you’ve blushed since I’ve first seen you.”

“I’m not ‘adorable’!” Eren huffed.

Levi laughed. “Okay. You’re damn cute, then.”

Eren groaned and ran a hand through his hair. “What about you, Levi? What do you do?”

“I run a company and manage a few businesses. I used to live in Sina, but business is more plentiful here, so I moved. Actually, since I’m fairly new to the area, I thought you could show me around.”

“Of course! I know a few spots. Although…” Eren looked around, “based on your choice of restaurants, it seems you won’t need my help.”

“I saw positive reviews online. I confess that I took a gamble on this one.”

Eren laughed. It was reassuring that Levi wasn’t completely in the know.

The server approached their table balancing their plates on his forearm. He set them down in front of each of them. “Enjoy the steaks, gentlemen. I will be back to check up on you soon.”

Eren just realized how hungry he was. Those two croissants from earlier didn’t help him much. He cut into his steak right away. It melted in his mouth...just right. He let out a deep sigh as he chewed.

Levi chuckled.

Eren was already on his second bite. “What?” he asked with his mouth full.

“Nothing. You must be starved. And your face was blissed out for a second there.” Levi smirked as he cut into his own steak.

Eren swallowed and wasted no time cutting another piece. “Blissed out?”

“You will know what that means later.”

They ate in a majorily comfortable silence, with Eren asking Levi more about his business and Levi laughing at Eren’s liveliness. Eren’s anxiety about coming to this upscale restaurant as himself was finally diminishing, and by the end of their meals, Eren no longer felt intimidated by the whole situation. In fact, it felt like he’s known Levi for a long time.

Eren was in the middle of telling Levi how surprisingly often customers ask for nothing but whipped cream in a cup when the server was back at the table.

“I hope your meals were satisfactory,” he said as he collected their plates. “Are we considering dessert tonight?”

Eren looked at Levi.

“Have you ever had crème brulee, Eren?”

“Nope.”

Levi looked at the server. “We will have the crème brulee, then.”

The server nodded. “Of course.”

Levi looked back to Eren. “Really? Nothing but whipped cream?”

Eren nodded excitedly. “I actually don’t think it’s too weird. I spray whipped cream into my mouth straight from the can at home.”

“You and those customers are quite strange, Eren,” Levi chuckled. “I’ve never had whipped cream on its own.”

“Then that’s something we gotta try, then!” Eren said.

The server came back carrying two tiny bowls of a golden-looking desserts and placed one in front of each of them. “Enjoy.”

“So to eat crème brulee,” Levi said, “you take your spoon and gently crack the surface. Like this.”

Levi demonstrated by taking his spoon and tenderly breaking the surface. He took a scoop of the crème and licked his spoon.

Eren tried to emulate Levi’s actions.

“Good,” Levi said. “Now you scoop.”

Eren had some of the crème and it was absolutely delicious. He finished the rest of it off right away.

“Ohh, that was great!” Eren groaned and leaned back into his chair.

The server came back and set down the bill. “Whenever you’re ready, gentlemen. Thank you for choosing Trost Bistro tonight.” He collected their dessert bowls and left.

Eren sat up and fished out his wallet. Levi waved it down. “It’s on me.”

Eren shook his head and fingered through some bills. “No, Levi, I insist.”

Levi placed his hand on Eren’s and lowered Eren’s wallet. “Earlier I said it would be my treat. Let me stick to my word.” he said gently.

Eren nodded and put his wallet away.

Levi took out a shiny black credit card and signed the bill. The host came by and collected it.

The night came to end, and Levi and Eren stepped outside into the cool night air. It was refreshing after that hearty meal, and Eren felt great. He stretched his arms out and laughed.

“Let me walk you to your car,” Levi said.

“Here she is,” Eren unlocked his car from afar. He leaned against the side and grinned.

“Eren, I had a great time with you tonight. I hope we can do this again.” Levi was standing inches away from Eren’s chest.

“I had a lot of fun, too. Thank you for treating me, Levi.”

“The pleasure was all mine. Good night.” Levi touched Eren’s elbow gently before turning on his heels and walking away.

Eren got into his car and his face heated up again. Levi touched him. He was standing really close. He could practically feel Levi’s body heat in that moment. God, he wanted more. He should’ve made a move.

_The pleasure was all mine._ Levi’s deep, rich voice resonated in his head and Eren felt himself getting hot and bothered again.

\--

Later that night, Eren, now with a full stomach, jacked it off to Levi and that fucking sexy voice. Panting as he climbed down from his lust-charged desperation, he thought about that same voice whispering filthy things in his ear. All milked out, Eren curled up and slept like a baby.


	5. Eren; Wrapped Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi invites Eren over to his place, and they get more comfortable! (Not officially Levi's POV yet!)

The alarm clock on Eren’s phone filled his ear with the urgent intent to drag him out of his dreams. He was basking in the sweet memory of last night, and he buried his smile into his pillow. He blindly reached out around for his phone to shut his alarm, and upon bringing to his face, he saw an unread message. Eren slept so soundly he didn’t notice the notification. It was from Levi:

_Good morning, Eren. Dinner with you last night was lovely. Want to come over to my place tonight?_

_Oh_. Eren bolted upright. He was fully awake now. _Oh! What would they do at Levi’s house? What kind of hobbies did Levi have? What did the inside of Levi’s house look like?_ Eren’s mind raced with thoughts. Being inside Levi’s house sounded so… intimate. And Eren wanted nothing more to get closer to Levi’s allure.

_Sounds great!_ Eren texted back.

He rubbed his eyes and ran a hand through his hair. He took his phone with him to the bathroom and awaited Levi’s response as he brushed his teeth. His phone vibrated as he gargled his mouthwash.

_I’m looking forward to it. I’ll pick you up from the coffee shop. What time does your shift end?_

_6\. I’ll see ya then._ Eren texted back, and then he showered.

\--

Eren pulled into the coffee shop and saw Jean’s car. Today was definitely not going to be as much of a struggle as yesterday. He entered the shop and put on his apron, which was no longer a stained mess since he threw it into the wash before his date with Levi.

Jean was sipping on a cup as he watched some of the machines run.

“Hey,” Eren said as he fixed his own cup. “Feeling better today?”

Jean closed his eyes and nodded as he took another sip. “Yeah. I still have some chills but I’m basically good to go. Thanks for bringing that soup.”

Eren added some sugar to his cup and mixed. “No problem. After yesterday’s fuckery, I’m just glad you’re back.”

Jean laughed. “Did my Eren-poo have a hard time holding down the fort all by himself?” And then Jean’s eyes sparkled. “Oh! How was your little date? Don’t think I’ve forgotten.”

Eren gently shoved Jean and then took a sip of his own cup. “Don’t call me Eren-poo. And about the date, don’t worry about it.”

“Aww, are you embarrassed?” Jean had a shit-eating grin, “You can tell me. Was she hot? Did you get some?”

_Well,_ he _was pretty damn hot. Not that Jean needed to know what._ “Forget it.”

“I’m gonna find out who it is eventually! I might as well hear it from you first.”

The shop’s door bell jingled and two men entered. Eren was grateful for customers so that he wouldn’t have to deal with Jean’s pestering. “Welcome to Trost Coffee! What can I get ya?”

Jean snorted and shook his head.

\--

The day went by like most days. Eren lost track of time in his work, and before he knew it, it was the end of his shift. Jean clocked out immediately and Eren was glad that he drove off before Levi arrived. Eren wiped down some tables and tidied up the stations for the night shift. He took off his apron and sat at one of the tables as he waited for Levi.

Sasha and Marco walked in together today, and they finished their dinners in the break room. Luckily, the shop was empty.

It was 6:02. The shop’s door bell jingled and Levi walked in. Eren’s heart skipped a beat. Marco walked out and tied his apron.

“What can I get for you today?” Marco asked.

“I’ll take a medium black coffee to go, please,” Levi said, and then turned to Eren and smiled. Eren stood up and approached them.

Marco looked back and forth between Eren and Levi, trying to figure out the connection. “Ahh… of course. Medium black coming right up.”

“Hello, Eren,” Levi said with that wonderfully rich voice of his. “How was your day?”

“It was good. Same ol’, same ol’,” Eren tried to contain the butterflies in his stomach.

Marco looked behind him with an amused look as he fixed Levi’s coffee. “Do you guys know each other?”

Levi gave a perfectly vague answer. “Yes. We met recently.”

Marco nodded and capped Levi’s drink. “Here ya go, sir. Enjoy.”

“Thank you…” Levi looked at Marco’s chest, “Marco.”

Marco nodded and waved at Eren. “See you later, Eren!”

Levi and Eren walked out the store. Levi took his keys out and clicked a button. A very expensive-looking car blinked its lights.

Eren’s eyes lit up. “Oh my God, Levi. This is your car?” He stroked the side and inspected it closely. He circled it and looked every bit a child in a candy store.

Levi laughed. “You like it? It’s an Aston Martin DB9. I have a preference for black and red cars.”

Eren whistled. “Yeah, no kidding.” The car was a sleek, bold black, very suited to Levi’s overall appearance. Eren felt like he wasn’t even worthy to be riding such a thing. He’s never even been this close to such an expensive car. He entered and the inside was just as refined and modern.

Levi entered and turned the keys in the ignition. The car roared to life with a low purr and Eren felt thrilled.

Levi drove with his right hand on the wheel and the other hand holding his coffee. As they drove through the streets of Trost, Eren looked around with an awakened perspective of the city. Everything looked so different from inside this car. Eren glanced at Levi, and he looked totally in control as he drove. _It was kind of sexy,_ Eren thought.

Levi tipped back the final remains of his coffee at a red light and Eren found himself looking at his Adam’s apple bob again. “Mm. That was good.” Levi put the cup into the cupholder besides him.

Eren smiled. “I’m not sure how I feel about another man making your coffee.”

Levi’s fingers touched Eren’s chin and his eyes found his. “I like your coffee better, Eren.”

Eren’s face burned pleasantly at Levi’s touch and he covered his face with his hands.

Levi chuckled. “I wonder when you will stop blushing around me, Eren. Although I can’t say that I dislike it.”

They were now driving in the upper-class section of Trost, one that Eren had driven by before but didn’t have the budget to shop or eat at. It wasn’t as lively as the section of the city the coffee shop was in, but it had an air of dignity and class that had matched Levi perfectly. A huge tower with dark glass came into view.

“This is it.” Levi said. He parked in a covered garage.

Eren followed Levi out the car and they entered glass doors. The interior was an immaculate lobby with a high ceiling. The white marble floor was polished enough that Eren could see his reflection staring back at him. To the left was a thick glass wall that looked into a gym filled with state-of-the-art equipment. To the right, some cushy seats and a panel of mailboxes.

“Welcome to Trost Tower.” A receptionist looked up from her desk.

Further back into the lobby were three large elevators. Levi pushed the “up” button and in the elevator, Eren noticed that Levi selected the highest level.

“You live on the top floor?”

Levi nodded. “I think you will like the view.”

The elevator door opened to a small entrance and Levi unlocked a chrome door. The inside of Levi’s apartment met all of Eren’s expectations. It wasn’t terribly large, but it was spacious and had tasteful furniture. To the far side of the room was a wall made entirely of glass. Eren approached it to look outside.

Levi was right; it was breathtaking. From this height, Eren could overlook all of Trost, and the orange-purple dusk sky was filled wispy dark clouds that gave the city a mysterious air. Eren felt on top of the world.

Levi walked up next to him. “Nice, isn’t it?”

“I can’t believe you get to see this every day!” Eren was in awe. “I can only see the sky like this at the beach.”

“Do you go to the beach often?” Levi asked as he unbuttoned his shirt cuffs.

“Sometimes. When I have some energy after work, I go there for a jog or I just relax and wind down.” Eren tore his gaze away from the cityscape and looked around the rest of the apartment.

The first thing that caught his attention was a bookshelf. There were some novels, manuals, and even some things in French. There were also some racks of tea sets, all of which looked very intricate and fragile.

“Do you collect tea cups?” Eren asked while inspecting the rest of the shelf.

Levi called from the kitchen. “Not really. Those are just gifts from a few people. They’re more for decoration. Are you hungry, Eren? What would you like for dinner?”

Eren turned and walked towards the bar stools at the kitchen. “You can cook? What can you make?”

Levi smiled. “I’m not the best cook. I can make spaghetti, if you’re okay with that?”

“Spaghetti sounds great, Levi.”

“You can turn on the TV while I cook. We can watch a movie later.”

Eren went to the black leather couch and flopped down. The flat-screen was a lot bigger than the one he had at his house. He flipped through the channels and settled for a crime drama.

It was a little bit chilly, so Eren took the fuzzy beige blanket that was draped over the armrest and wrapped himself up in it tightly. He liked listening to the buzz of the TV while hearing the sounds of Levi in the kitchen.

Some time later, Levi came around with a plate of spaghetti and sat down next to Eren’s wrapped body. Eren began to unwrap himself but Levi stopped him.

“You look comfortable. I’ll feed you.”

Eren got red in the face but he didn’t mind being treated like this, especially by Levi.

“O-okay.”

Levi began twirling some pasta onto the fork. “I also apologize for the draftiness in here. I like to keep it on the cold side so I can stay awake while I work. Open up,” he said gently.

Eren opened his mouth for Levi and got a mouthful of spaghetti. It was quite good, actually. Eren chewed and turned to the TV to see how the crime drama was shaping up.

“You look very cute like that, by the way. All wrapped up like a burrito,” Levi said.

Eren swallowed and opened up again, maintaining eye contact with Levi. Levi inched closer to Eren and the space between them felt nonexistent.

Eren was very aware of this. As he chewed another mouthful, he realized the situation. He was at Levi’s place, being fed and coddled, and he could really get used to this.

“Do you like crime shows?” Levi asked.

Eren swallowed and nodded. “I like anything with action in it. What do you like to watch?”

Levi took a second to think as he fed Eren another forkful. “Hmm… I’d say I like a little bit of everything. I’m not adverse to history documentaries.”

“History, huh? That’s such an old man thing to like.” Eren had a face-splitting grin.

“It can actually be quite interesting if you were to give it a chance, Eren. And I’m not that old. I’m thirty-five.”

“Okay, old man,” Eren teased.

“Careful, or I can take that rolled up body of yours and have my way with you.” Levi offered another forkful of spaghetti.

Eren held his gaze into Levi’s eyes as he chewed. “I’d be okay with that.”

The sexual tension was tangible between them. But Levi didn’t seem like the reckless type. “You need to finish dinner.” He twirled the last bit of pasta and slid the fork out of Eren’s lips.

Eren sighed and closed his eyes as he tightened his blanket and chewed. Levi wiped Eren’s mouth with a napkin, and then took the plate to the kitchen.

“Thanks for the spaghetti, Levi.”

“You’re welcome, Eren,” Levi called over the running sink.

“Aren’t you gonna eat?”

Levi rejoined Eren at the couch. “I had a late lunch with a client today, so I’m not hungry. But I appreciate your concern.”

They continued to watch TV together, and the night wore on with that strangely familiar atmosphere. Eren took his blanketed body and rested his head on Levi’s lap. Levi didn’t miss a beat and started to stroke Eren’s hair. He wanted to make sure Eren was as comfortable as possible.

Slowly, ever so slowly, Eren’s eyes began to close, and before long, Levi felt Eren’s breathing deepen and Eren started to snore gently.

Levi continued to card his fingers through Eren’s hair, and shut off the TV. Eren looked absolutely adorable while he was asleep, with his chocolate brown locks hiding most of his face, and his long eyelashes fanned out on his cheek. His plush pink lips were shaped in a soft “O”. Levi also found it adorable how quickly and easily Eren could fall asleep.

Levi held Eren’s head as he slipped out from underneath, taking the pillow he was leaning on placing it underneath Eren’s head. Eren didn’t stir.

Levi got to work making a cup of tea to help him wind down as well, as it was midnight and he had work tomorrow. Eren’s snores got louder and Levi stifled a chuckle. They didn’t get to watch a movie as he planned, but he enjoyed himself nonetheless.

He worked for a little while in his office while drinking his tea and finally found himself getting drowsy. He called it a night and crawled into his bed, and realized that this was his first full night with Eren.


	6. Buttery Feelings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren has a lovely morning with Levi, and they finally close the space between them ;)
> 
> (Also, sorry that I've been a little slow with the build-up! I want to make sure the atmosphere is just right for our boys before anything juicy happens!)

Eren woke up to the smell of pancakes gently intruding his dreams.

His eyes fluttered open, and he didn’t immediately recognize where he was. It was really warm, though. Upon looking around, he saw a TV, a glass wall, and a well-kept living room.

Eren reached around for his phone. It was still in his pocket, luckily. There was a brief moment of panic as he turned it on to see the time. It was only 7:16. He didn’t have to be at work for a while.

“Good morning, sleepyhead,” Levi’s voice was as lovely as ever calling from the kitchen. “I made pancakes.”

Eren groaned as he stirred himself up to a sitting position and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. The smell of Levi’s pancakes made Eren’s mouth water. He went over to the bar stools with his blanket still wrapped around him.

“Can I use your shower?” Eren grumbled in his morning voice.

Levi flipped over a pancake. “Of course. There are extra toothbrushes and towels in the linen closet. Take whatever you need.”

Eren got up and entered the hallway adjacent to the bookshelf. There were a few other rooms, one of them which looked like a study, and there was a door that was slightly ajar that Eren figured was the bathroom.

Levi’s bathroom was impressive. Marble and chrome fixtures made the spacious bathroom sleek and inviting, and a glass-door shower caught Eren’s eye. There was a small closet that he assumed had the toothbrushes. The items in there were organized as well, with fluffy white towels folded and some toiletries in a woven basket. Eren took a green toothbrush and a towel and brushed his teeth.

He didn’t know what to do with his clothes. They weren’t exactly filthy, but he didn’t like wearing the same shirt twice to work. He hoped a shower would suffice.

Eren stripped and stepped into the shower, trying to figure out the nobs. Body washes and shampoos were lined up neatly on the marble seat. He fiddled around and the shower heads above finally cascaded warm water onto him, and it was heavenly. It pulsated jets of hot water that melted the tension from his body, and he was starting to wake up. He stretched and smiled, reveling in this shower that he would grow to become familiar with.

Eren stepped out of the shower and dried himself, and a cloud of steam followed him out of the glass door. He saw that there was also a large bathtub that was lined with jets on the side, and he would later ask Levi if he could try it. He put on his clothes again and folded his towel near the edge of the counter. He placed his green toothbrush on it.

Going back to Levi in the kitchen, Eren found that the pancakes were finished and Levi was sipping on some coffee. Eren took a seat at the bar stool and dug in. The pancakes were fluffy, buttery, and coated with a light syrup, just how he liked it.

“I really like your shower,” he said through a mouthful.

“I like it, too. It makes taking a shower a treat, doesn’t it?”

Eren nodded.

“Did you sleep well?” Levi leaned back on the kitchen counter.

“Yeah. I can knock out pretty much anywhere if I’m tired enough. I’m sorry I fell asleep on you.”

Levi smiled from the corner of his mouth. “It was no problem at all. I thought your snores were pretty cute.”

Eren eyes widened and he looked offended. “I do NOT snore!”

Levi laughed. “You do, too.”

“You’re just saying that!”

“You started snoring the minute you fell asleep.”

“Stop lying!”

“Is my Eren getting a little defensive about his snores?” Levi’s eyes sparkled with amusement.

Eren stopped his angry, defensive chewing abruptly. _His Eren._ Those words resounded in the air between them. Eren face heated with his blush but he didn’t cover his face this time.

“And my Eren stopped hiding that lovely face with his hands,” Levi continued.

Eren kept chewing silently, trying not to let Levi know how much effect he had on him. Hearing the word ‘lovely’ coming from him meant so much more than all the other compliments he hears from people on a regular basis. Everything with Levi felt so…

Meaningful.

Eren finished the rest of his pancakes, sopping up the last bits around the syrup. Once again, Levi’s food felt familiar and he really could get used to it.

Levi took Eren’s plate and washed it. “Thanks for breakfast, Levi. It was delicious.” Eren wiped his mouth with his napkin.

“You’re welcome, Eren. I enjoy cooking for you.”

Eren looked at the time on his phone. 8:20. “Will you drive me to work?”

“Yes. Are you all set to go?”

Eren went to the glass wall and got one more look before leaving. The morning sky was a pale blue and the rising sun set a sparkle over Trost.

“Ready, Eren?” Levi called from near the door.

Eren tore his gaze from the sparkling city and followed Levi out the door. In the elevator, they stood close- almost touching shoulders. Levi turned his face up. “I enjoyed our time together, Eren. And I want to tell you that you’re always welcome in my home. My place is yours now.”

Eren looked at Levi. Even in the morning, he looked sharp and commanding. And standing this close, Levi’s subtle but heady scent of musk and sandalwood was getting to him; making him seem that much more intoxicating.

They were so close. Their shoulders touching briefly created sparks on Eren’s skin and he thought that he could reach down and just…touch Levi.

Eren inched his hand closer to Levi’s, and Levi smiled at him. Just like last night, he didn’t skip a beat, and he held Eren’s hand gently, brushing his thumb soothingly over Eren’s knuckles.

The elevator dinged and they arrived at the lobby. They held hands the whole way to the car. As they drove to the coffee shop, Eren was on his phone and Levi kept his right hand on Eren’s thigh- comforting, supporting. He glanced down on Levi’s hand, strong and calloused, but still graceful with his long, slender fingers, and he had the pleasant invasive thought that he wanted Levi to touch him in more places of his body.

Levi looked at Eren glancing down on his hand. “What are you thinking about, my dear Eren?”

“Nothing. I just really like it when you touch me.”

Levi stroked and patted Eren’s thigh. “Then, I’ll try to do it more often,” he said gently.

\--

They got to the coffee shop a bit early, and Eren didn’t see Jean’s car. In fact, the parking lot was mostly empty. “Thanks for everything last night and this morning, Levi. I had fun with you. Let’s hang out again soon, okay?”

Levi got out of the car with Eren. “I enjoy my time with you, too. You are an absolute delight.” He closed the distance between them, and Eren was backed up against the side of the car. His breathing hitched. He wanted to kiss Levi really badly right now. And those smoldering steel-gray eyes were almost daring him to.

Eren’s hands found Levi’s face slowly, and he leaned down, not quite touching Levi’s lips, but breathing his air, which felt even more intimate. Eren touched his forehead to Levi’s, their noses brushing. Levi’s hands found Eren’s hips and he stepped closer. Their chests were pressed together now.

Eren smiled, content with this. Content with the way their bodies fit together. And this close together, Eren wanted Levi to claim his body as his. His lips gently pressed against Levi’s, and time stood still.

Levi’s lips were awaiting, yet responsive. Eren deepened the kiss and firmed his grasp on Levi’s jawline. It seemed that was the permission that Levi was waiting for, and he took a more dominant role, sliding his hand up Eren’s chest and caressing his neck into his grasp so that Eren was under his control.

They melted into each other, tasting, exploring, uncaring of the world around them. They separated, breathless, and their eyes were wild with need.

Levi leaned up again, and Eren thought he would take his lips again, but instead Levi’s lips brushed against the shell of his ear and he whispered in that dangerously seductive voice “Have a wonderful day at work, my sweet Eren.”

Eren’s ears were particularly sensitive (Levi didn’t know that before but probably did now), and he shuddered with anticipation. He could feel his erection strain a little, and hoped Levi didn’t feel it with them this close together.

Eren, now flushed and needy, separated the distance between them while he still had an ounce of self-control left in him. “Bye, Levi.” He turned away and unlocked the shop, his heart beating frantically, and he felt like silly teenage girl in love.

He started working the machines, and soon after, Jean entered the shop.

“What’s with you? You look like you just got a good fucking.”

Eren, fixing coffee for both of them because his mood was in the clouds, simply smiled like an idiot.

“Is it the mystery date girl? Is she the reason you’re making me coffee? I might need to thank her personally.”

Eren gave Jean his cup the way he liked it, and he licked his lips, tasting the afterthought of his makeout session with Levi.

The first customer of the day came in. It was their friend Connie.

“Hey guys, the usual with energy shots.”

Jean looked at Eren, who was still looking out of this earth as he sipped his coffee dreamily. “Coming right up, Connie.”

“What’s up with you, Eren?” Connie grinned, “You on that next level? I want a puff of whatever you’re on.”

Connie cracked up at his own joke. “No drugs, Connie,” Eren said gently. “No…drugs.”

Jean turned and gave Connie his drink. “Our Eren-poo here is in love. And he won’t say who the mystery girl who is.”

He was in such a good mood that he almost didn’t mind Jean calling him Eren-poo. Connie nodded solemnly. “I know how that is, Eren. Ya meet a girl at the club and she gives you the best night of your life, and you almost feel bad telling her that she was a hit-n-quit. I totally get ya.”

Eren knew Connie was too young to be allowed in clubs but that wasn’t even the worst of his friend’s shenanigans. Connie held a hand up as he exited the shop.

And Eren worked for the rest of the day with his head in the clouds, feeling needy but strangely satisfied at the same time, and he couldn’t wait to see and touch Levi again.


	7. A Million Bucks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Trost Coffee Shop gets a new team member, and Eren and Levi go the mall!

The week has passed and Saturday has finally come around. Eren kept in touch with Levi daily, and they even spent their lunch breaks together a couple times. Eren would tell Levi about customers and his hobbies, and Levi would tell him about his business life. Eren had never felt this comfortable in his past relationships, and every time he saw Levi, he would get butterflies in his stomach.

Levi would kiss him tenderly every time they had to part ways, and Eren’s body language communicated that he wanted more. He wasn’t shy about it, either. “Leeeevi…” he would whine while his body was practically wrapped around Levi’s. Charged with lust and love, he tried to rile Levi up and convince him to take him. But Levi, patient as ever, took it slow and didn’t want to overwhelm Eren. “Needy little thing, are you? My sweet Eren.”

The Saturday shift was the usual. The Trost Coffee Shop manager stated that Saturdays could use an extra hand, and opened up another position. Their friend Bertholdt joined the team. He was quite nervous, but he was diligent and made work a much lighter load.

Annie came into the shop again today, and Eren asked, “The usual, Annie?”

She nodded, trying her hardest not to let Eren’s bright smile crack her demeanor.

Eren told Bertholdt, “Annie likes a small mocha frappe with extra whipped cream.”

Bertholdt was always a little weak-hearted, but Annie’s presence seemed to make him doubly stiff. “A-ah. Okay. Coming up.” He looked at his notes to make the drink, using a towel to wipe his forehead.

As Annie looked at her phone while waiting, Eren patted Bertholdt on the arm and leaned up to whisper into his ear. “Hey, Bert. You good? Don’t sweat it.”

“Y-yes. I’m fine. Thanks, Eren.” Bertholdt sprayed the mountain of whipped cream on the drink and capped it. His hand shook as he handed it to Annie, who was adorably much shorter than him. “En..joy”

“Thanks.” Annie walked out saying nothing else.

Jean clapped a hand on Bertholdt’s arm. “It’s okay, man. She makes everyone nervous.”

On Eren and Bertholdt’s lunch break, Jean held down the fort. “Bert, you seemed on edge when Annie came around. What happened?” Eren asked.

Bert wiped his mouth after a bite of his sandwich. “I saw her with Reiner once. They were running at the park. When I got there, she gave me a look and left. I felt like I did something wrong.”

Eren nodded, and didn’t let on that he had already connected the dots. The truth is, Reiner had actually come into the shop for one of his morning protein shakes, and said that he wanted to ask Bertholdt out, but he didn’t know how. He didn’t know what to do, and didn’t want to sacrifice his friendship with Bertholdt if he said no. Reiner’s crush on his best friend was a dilemma that most people knew about- except for Bertholdt himself. When Annie abruptly left the scene when Bertholdt showed up, she probably strategically left them alone to give Reiner a chance to make a move. _Smart girl…_

“She’s like that with everyone, Bert,” Eren said. “Don’t let it get to you.”

“Maybe Reiner said something to her? He _has_ been acting really weird around me lately…”

“I’ll talk to Reiner and try to figure it out for you, alright? But in the meantime, don’t sweat it!” Eren thought to himself, _and when I talk to Reiner, I’ll tell that muscle head to ask this suffering boy out already._

“I appreciate that Eren, thank you.” Bertholdt looked in the mirror in the staff room and sighed. “I’m all sweaty again. I hope it isn’t too distracting.”

Eren laughed at the usual sight of Bertholdt inspecting his pit stains, and even more because his coworker was freaking out about it. He felt his phone vibrate in his pocket.

It was Levi. Eren’s heart fluttered excitedly.

_Eren, would you like to go shopping today?_

He smiled. Levi could ask him to visit the garbage dump with him and he would be happy to join.

 _Yes!_ He texted back quickly. _I have a short shift today. Pick me up from my place at 5._

_Understood. I’ll see you later, my dear._

Any day that ends with him seeing Levi guaranteed that Eren would have sweet dreams.

\--

The end of Eren’s shift rolled around at 4, and Jean and Bertholdt would stay until Marco and Sasha came in later. It was the slowest time of the day. He clocked out and took off his apron. Jean had walked back into the shop from his cigarette break.

“See you guys,” Eren waved as he walked out.

“See you,” Bertholdt waved. Jean shortly saluted with two fingers.

Eren stopped by the pizza place near the pier for a bite. Looking out into the beach, he thought of when he spent the night at Levi’s place last weekend, and he thought that he might want to spend the night again today. He’s sure Levi wouldn’t mind.

At home, Eren showered and packed some clothes into a duffel bag so that he could be better prepared.

Levi knocked on his apartment door promptly at 5. Eren jumped into his arms and squeezed. Levi kissed him on the cheek.

“Hello, Eren,” he said gently. “Ready to go?”

“Yup. Also, is it okay if I spend the night at your place today? I packed an overnight bag.”

Levi took Eren’s hands into both of his. “Of course, dear. My home is yours now. In fact, I have an empty drawer with your name on it.”

Eren grinned. Levi was always prepared like this. And he would always wait for Eren to introduce things, making sure they were going at Eren’s pace. It was incredibly thoughtful.

As they drove, Eren turned on the radio and flipped the stations. “What kinda music do you like, Levi?”

“I especially like classical. Though I’ll listen to pretty much anything.”

A popular rock song started playing and Eren leaned back into his seat. He played the air drums and sang along to it. He wasn’t the best singer, but he put a lot of passion and soul into it. When the singer said “you” in the song, Eren would point at Levi as if he was serenading him.

The song finished and Levi laughed, rich and genuine. “You are the cutest thing, Eren Jaeger.”

“I’m sorry I got a little too into that. I really love that song.” Around anyone else, Eren would have been embarrassed, but he could completely let himself go around Levi.

“I enjoyed your performance,” Levi assured as he patted Eren’s thigh. “And, we’ve arrived.”

They walked around the mall that was more upscale than the one Eren usually went to. Levi bought Eren a pretzel, and he ate it as he helped Levi pick out a new tie.

The first one was a cobalt blue that brought out Levi’s eyes, and the second one was a gunmetal color that gave him an even more commanding and powerful aura than he already had.

“I like them both, but the blue one brings out your eyes. Let’s go with that one.” Eren explained. He finished up the last of his pretzel and wiped his hands and mouth.

Levi nodded and put the second tie back. “Agreed. I have many gray ties anyway. Hold still, you missed a crumb.” Levi brushed the corner of Eren’s mouth with his finger and licked the cinnamon crumb off his thumb.

Eren’s cock twitched. Seeing Levi lick his own finger was strangely sexy to Eren. It wasn’t the first time Levi wiped Eren’s mouth, but he wished Levi had licked the crumb off Eren’s mouth directly.

Levi bought the tie and they continued walking around. They came across a tuxedo shop and Levi touched Eren’s hand. “Let’s get you a nice suit.”

The store employee approached them. She had a tape measure around her neck. “Hello gentlemen, who are we shopping for today?”

Levi touched Eren’s arm. “Him. Please get him custom fitted.”

The employee nodded and led them to the back of the store. “I’ll measure you and I’ll get you several options to try on. What is your name, honey?”

“Eren.”

“I love that name. Please lift your arms.”

Levi sat on a sofa as he watched the employee measure Eren on the platform. She wrote down his measurements. Levi’s phone rang and Eren looked at him while being measured.

“Business,” Levi mouthed.

The employee draped the tape measure around her neck again, and she went around the store to collect a few garment bags. Eren smiled at Levi. Levi smiled back as he listened to his phone.

The employee came back and ushered Eren into the fitting room. “Try all three of these on, Eren. If you need any help putting something on, please let me know; I’m Lynne.”

“Okay, thanks.”

Levi ended his phone call and answered a few emails. Eren emerged from the fitting room with his first number and stood on the platform. It was a simple yet elegant navy blue, modern and fitting for Eren’s age. Lynne spun him around, tweaking the material here and there, and smoothing out the wrinkles. She stepped back to let Levi see.

“I like it. It doesn’t compromise your age. Very charming.”

“The ankle-length pant is a stylish trend with youth these days,” Lynne said. “Let’s have you try on the next one, honey.”

As Eren tried on the next suit, Lynne asked Levi what he does, and if there was a special occasion for Eren’s suit. Levi told her about his business and said there was no specific occasion for Eren’s suit; it was just nice to have one in your possession. Lynne agreed.

Eren emerged with the next number. It was a dark metallic silver, with a charcoal vest and matching tie underneath. This one was a little less casual than the last one, but it did make Eren look dashing.

Lynne went to Eren’s side and tweaked the suit again, straightening the jacket and brushing lint off the shoulders. She stepped back again to let Levi have a look.

Levi twirled his finger around, indicating that Eren should turn. Eren gave Levi a few angles, putting his hand on his hip and pouting, imitating a runway model.

Lynne giggled and Levi chuckled. “I like this one, too,” Levi said. “Classy and sharp. Dark colors look good on Eren.”

“The vest makes it a versatile piece,” Lynne said, “and almost any dark tie or bow will match this silver color. Let’s see the last selection, Eren.”

As Eren changed, he overheard Lynne tell Levi that it was wedding season, so many people were getting fitted for suits. She also said that more form-fitting looks were the current trend.

Eren walked out with the final number. Levi sat up and Lynne gasped quietly. Eren looked like a million bucks. The suit looked like it was made just for him; a body-hugging black suit, with silk lapels and a black bowtie. The jacket had a low neck, and the single button was a simplistic touch. The black of the suit contrasted the dark brown of Eren’s hair spectacularly.

Levi and Lynne couldn’t stop staring. Lynne was the first to speak. “Ooh, honey. You look absolutely gorgeous,” she breathed. She went to his side and straightened out the fabric and adjusted his tie. She stepped to the side and let the still-in-awe Levi have another look.

“This is the one,” he said quietly. “Eren, you’re _stunning_.”

Eren blushed and Lynne pinned his pants in some areas. “Thank you, both of you,” Eren said.

“I’ve pinned some places so that the tailor knows what to adjust. We’ll make this suit juuust right,” Lynne gushed.

Eren went back to the fitting room and changed back into his own clothes, careful not to touch the pins. He hung it back in the garment bag.

He walked out and handed the bag to Lynne, and he and Levi followed her to the checkout. Lynne lay the bag out on the counter and entered some numbers into the register. Eren saw the tag and read price tag. His heart almost stopped. It cost almost double his monthly rent.

He fished out his wallet and took out his credit card, hoping he could at least dent the price with his funds. Levi shook his head. “Eren, absolutely not. This is my treat.”

“Levi, please. I feel bad. That costs more than my rent. Let me at least contribute.”

“No.” Levi was firm. “I can’t make you pay when I have the means. It’s no problem at all.”

Eren slowly put his wallet away, and Lynne took Levi’s black credit card. “I’ll have the suit tailored and cleaned for you within a few days, and I’ll have it sent to you,” Lynne said as she hung the garment bag on a rack behind her. “I’ll see you two out.”

They followed Lynne out the store. “Thank you for coming in today, gentlemen. Eren, you are adorable. Good luck with your company, Levi. And come back any time!”

“Thanks for everything, Lynne!” Eren said.

“Thank you for your help, Lynne,” Levi said.

They walked away and Levi asked Eren, “Is my model hungry?”

Eren laughed at Levi’s reference to his poses as he tried on the suit. “Little bit. Let’s hit up the food court.”

They had Chinese stir-fry, and when they were done, they read the slips from their fortune cookies.

“Your heart of gold will be noticed by others,” Eren read in a wise tone.

Levi smiled. “You do have a big heart. You’re a very humble young man.”

“Read yours!”

“Let the sun of your life shower you with warmth,” Levi read. “That would be you, Eren.”

Eren’s heart pounded. “I’m your sun?”

Levi smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling. “Yes, my dear Eren. You are an absolute delight.”

No one has ever made Eren feel this way. His stomach flipped with those butterflies again. He wanted to kiss Levi really hard right now, and show him just how much of a delight he could be.

“Let’s go home. I bet you’ve grown tired,” Levi patted Eren’s hand.

In the car, they rolled the windows down, and the cool evening air whipped through Eren’s hair wonderfully. He laughed and stuck his arm out the window as Levi sped the Aston smoothly through the streets of Trost.

They reached Trost Tower, and took the elevator up to Levi’s apartment. Eren, horny and unashamed, kissed Levi’s neck and the base of his throat, hoping Levi would finally give him the good fucking he’d been waiting for.

Levi reciprocated, running his hand through Eren’s locks and palming his butt with the hand that held the bag with his tie in it, which only riled Eren up even more.

The elevator dinged at Levi’s floor and Eren pulled away reluctantly, his erection hard and neglected. He picked up his overnight bag. He wasn’t going to give up tonight. He _will_ get some!


	8. Nice n' Easy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren needs to be satisfied and won't give up no matter what!

Eren tossed his bag on the floor the minute they set foot into the door. He took Levi’s hand after he had closed the door and rushed him to the couch, not giving him a chance to relax.

He pushed Levi gently onto the couch so that he was sitting, and Eren quickly straddled him. He took Levi’s face and desperately kissed his lips, exhaling roughly through his nose. He was painfully hard now, and he grinded his hips into Levi’s leg to get some friction and relieve some of the tension.

Levi took Eren’s hips and tried to keep up with Eren’s fervor, but Eren was grinding at an incredible pace and moaning into his lips. Levi took Eren’s butt into his hands and kneaded him there.

“Levi…” Eren whispered into his ear roughly, “please…”

Levi felt bad for denying Eren any type of pleasure, but he really did want to take it slow with him. He didn’t want Eren to regret being hasty or feeling like he was just a sex object.

But at this point, Eren was practically begging for action, and Levi thought he’s been patient. He palmed Eren’s crotch, rubbing some of the tension out, and Eren bit at his hand to silence himself.

Levi unzipped the front of Eren’s jeans, and pulled his cock out of his briefs. Eren was rock hard, his cock as red as his face and dripping with precum. “I’ll take care of you, baby. You’ve waited long enough for this,” Levi whispered.

He used his thumb to wipe the some of the dripping liquid and use it as a lubricant. Levi rubbed up and down, using his other hand to reach into Eren’s underwear and massage his balls. Eren moaned loudly and threw his head back, his face and ears getting redder with lust. Levi increased the pace, squeezing a little harder at the base, and loosening his grip on his way up. That seemed to be doing the job for Eren.

“Yes, Levi,” he hissed, “faster, faster.”

Eren was grinding his hips again- not as fast as before- and it was clear that he desperately needed release. He shyly watched Levi handle him, and he hid his face into Levi’s shoulder.

Levi continued working Eren at a rigorous pace, fondling his balls, and by Eren’s swelling he could tell that he was close. Eren threw his arms around Levi’s neck, burying his face in Levi’s neck, and moaned as he drew close.

Levi squeezed the base of Eren’s cock hard, and then milked Eren furiously until strands of white spilled between them, all over Eren’s clothes and Levi’s hand. Eren tightened his arms around Levi so much that Levi’s face was practically buried into Eren’s chest, and then Eren arched his back in a stretch and threw his head back again as he rode out his orgasm. He whined as Levi overstimulated him, making sure to get every last drop of cum out.

Levi slowed down his rubbing when he made sure Eren was all milked out, and he could feel Eren softening again in his hand.

Eren collapsed from his arching and rested his head on Levi’s shoulder again, panting hard. His face was turning back to his lovely tan instead of a furious red. Levi stroked Eren’s hair gently as Eren calmed down.

“Thank you,” Eren breathed.

“You’ve been a very patient boy,” Levi said quietly. “I was afraid of rushing you into things. I wanted you to be fully comfortable with me first.”

Eren, whose cheek was adorably resting on Levi’s shoulder, looked up at him with bright emerald eyes. “Levi, you don’t have to be afraid of that. I’m more comfortable with you than anyone I’ve been with anyone else before. I’m not a fragile little doll.”

Levi continued to stroke Eren’s hair, gently massaging his scalp. “I know, precious. It’s just that you’re a lot younger than me, so I didn’t want to overwhelm you. I wanted you to be comfortable with me above anything else.”

Eren nodded into Levi’s shoulder. No one had ever been this thoughtful towards him. Levi treated him like royalty. And he was enjoying every minute of it.

“How about you go have a nice, hot shower and I’ll show you your drawer?” Levi whispered.

“’Kay.” Eren slowly lifted his head and zipped up his pants. He took his overnight bag to the bathroom.

Levi was relieved he got a chance to tell Eren how he felt. And he was even more relieved that Eren understood. With their age difference, communication was crucial. And it was going to remain that way.

He went to the kitchen and wiped Eren’s dried cum off his hand, and then washed his hands at the sink. He boiled some milk to make hot chocolate with. Just as he was dropping mini marshmallows into Eren’s mug, Eren emerged from the hallway. He was wearing plaid boxers and a loose tank top, drying his hair with the towel draped around his neck.

He smiled as he entered the kitchen. “You made hot chocolate? How did you know I liked marshmallows in my drink?”

Levi stroked Eren’s face gently with his knuckle and handed him his mug. “Lucky guess. I’ll go have my shower now, go ahead and relax or look around.”

Eren took his mug to the black leather couch that he had just received his handjob in and took that beige blanket again, draping it around his shoulders. He switched on the TV and settled for a cooking competition show.

Levi finished with his shower after a while, and he emerged from the hallway wearing worn-in black shorts and a gray tank top. “You’ve really taken a liking to that blanket, haven’t you?”

Eren nodded and smiled. “It’s fuzzy and warm.”

“How does the hot chocolate taste?”

“Delicious. I’ve actually never tasted the hot chocolate from the coffee shop so I have no means of comparison.”

“Glad to hear it.” Levi settled into the couch and tucked his legs in. “Also, I’ve thrown your dirty clothes from the hamper into the wash.”

Eren finished his mug and placed on the coffee table beside him. He wrapped his blanket tighter around him and lay his head on Levi’s lap, just like the last time he was here. Levi adjusted his legs so that it was more comfortable, and he stroked Eren’s hair. He scratched Eren’s scalp gently just like earlier.

“Mmm, I like when you do that. Massage my scalp,” Eren said.

“Your hair is soft. I enjoy it, too.”

They continued watching TV in a peaceful silence. The man they’ve been rooting for on the cooking show had been eliminated and Eren was quite upset.

“He was the most creative one there! The judges are stupid!”

“Yes, but he didn’t incorporate all the ingredients,” Levi said. “He was my favorite, too, though.”

Eren kept watching the show to the end, just to see who ended up winning. It was the guy that Eren dubbed ‘That Smug Motherfucker’. “Whatever. That’s some fucking bullshit,” Eren huffed.

Levi switched off the TV. “And with that, I think we should call it a night. C’mon.”

“Can I sleep in your bed tonight?”

Levi looked at Eren’s puppy eyes. He was irresistible. “Alright. You know I can’t say no to you.”

Eren grinned, satisfied with his ability to charm Levi into saying yes. Eren took his towel and followed Levi to the bedroom.

Levi’s bedroom was just as sleek and immaculate as the rest of the apartment, with matching dark cherrywood furniture that gave the room a romantic, regal vibe. A king-sized, four-poster bed was the first thing that caught Eren’s eye. It was so well-made that you could bounce a quarter off it. He ran up to the bed and threw himself onto it with open arms, landing on his stomach and laughing at the sheer size of it.

Levi laughed at Eren’s youthful silliness. Across from the bed was another flat-screen sitting atop a set of large drawers. “This one at the bottom left is all yours, Eren. If you need more room later on, I’ll move my stuff out of some of these other drawers.”

Eren unpacked his duffel bag into the drawer, and Levi shook his head at the way at the way Eren folded his clothes sloppily. He taught Eren the “correct” way to fold, and helped him organize his drawer.

Now that Eren was all settled in, they went to brush their teeth and Eren hung his hair towel from earlier. Levi turned off the light and they climbed into bed.

Eren, Levi quickly found out, was not only a fast and deep sleeper, but was a clingy sleeper as well. He didn’t mind it too much, though. He found it adorable, the way Eren slept. It reflected him well; affectionate and carefree. Eren moved around as he slept deeper, and held Levi tighter, burying his face into Levi’s chest.

Soon, the steady sound of Eren’s breathing and snoring started to make Levi drowsy as well. He let his eyes drag shut, and tried to think of the last time he was this happy and content.


	9. Sweet Sunday Morning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A fluffy filler chapter while I get over my writer's block! (Also, please comment! I love comments!)

Levi escaped the clutches of the sleep as his eyes dragged open in the soft morning light. He had always woken up early naturally; he hardly ever needed an alarm clock. He used to have something of a morning routine, but looking down at his own body and seeing a lovely mess of chocolate brown hair peeking out from the covers, he had delightfully realized that has changed.

Eren was wrapped around his body like vine, snoring loudly and clutching onto Levi tightly as if his life depended on it. Deep, deep in his sleep, he looked so carefree and all of twenty years old. His hair was ruffled every which way, and his tank top had ridden up in his sleep so that his stomach was bare. He had some dried drool at the corner of his mouth, and Levi couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight of Eren in this adorable display.

Levi’s hand found Eren’s back underneath the tank top and rubbed warm circles to wake him. His snoring hitched and he stirred.

“Mm. Five more minutes.” Eren reburied his head into Levi’s chest and his furrowed brows slowly eased as he fell back to sleep.

Levi decided to let Eren snooze on him a bit longer, even though his back was beginning to get uncomfortable from being in this current position, simply because sleeping Eren was the most precious thing. He glanced at the blue letters of the digital clock on the nightstand. It was 8:07.

It’s been a long time since Levi shared his bed with someone. Eren’s the youngest he’s ever been with. But he also felt the most…

Right.

“Eren… dear… it’s time to wake up now…” Levi tried to coax Eren again.

“Mmm.”

“Eren…” Levi almost sang.

“But you’re so comfortable.”

“I know, baby, but we should get up now.”

“Mm.” Eren inhaled deeply through his nose and dragged his head off Levi’s chest. He stretched deeply, tank top still ridden up, and opened his eyes.

The first thing he did was smile.

“Good morning, sleepyhead,” Levi said. “Sleep well?”

Eren nodded, still smiling. “I haven’t slept that well in ages.”

“Your snoring would agree with that statement.”

“I do NOT snore!”

“You do.”

“No, I don’t! Stop lying!” Eren grabbed a nearby pillow and smacked Levi’s face with it.

Levi laughed and pounced on Eren swiftly. “Why do you get so defensive about that, Eren? There’s nothing wrong with snoring.”

Eren writhed under Levi’s hold. Despite his height, he was stronger than he looked. “Because it’s not true!”

“For the record, I think it’s cute,” Levi said. He kissed Eren’s forehead and released him. “Shall we start the day?”

“Mm-hmm.”

They walked to the bathroom together, and Levi squeezed Eren’s ass gently. He startled and laughed.

“Levi, if you wanted some action, you could’ve just told me!”

“I always want some action with you.”

“I can make that happen!”

They brushed their teeth side-by-side, stealing glances in the mirror. Eren spat first and rinsed. “Hey, Levi?”

Levi grunted in response, still brushing.

“You have a sexy morning voice.”

Levi spat and rinsed. “You think so?”

“Yeah. Kinda turned me on when you were waking me up.”

“I’m flattered you enjoy my voice. That’s kind of you to say, my dear.”

“Are we gonna shower together?” Eren wasted no time cutting to the chase.

“I don’t mind. As long as you’re comfortable with it.”

“Yes! Let’s do it!”

Levi was secretly flattered that Eren was so eager to shower with him. That’s such an intimate thing, to get clean together, and to think that Eren was excited about it showed that he really wanted to move things along.

Eren stripped his tank top and boxers and prepared his towel. It was the first time Levi had seen him fully naked.

And, oh, was he a hidden treasure.

When Levi had first entered the coffee shop that one day, he had immediately noticed that Eren’s skin had a sunkissed glow to it. But now he got to see what he kept underneath that uniform. Eren’s body was taut and fit, like someone who ran regularly. He had firm, lean abs, which Levi had already seen earlier when Eren was stretching and his tank top was ridden up, and his arms and legs were elegant yet strong. His chest was also toned, and his sharp collarbones were like icing on the cake. He was effortlessly beautiful, and based on the mischievous expression on his face currently, he knew Levi thought so.

“You’re gorgeous, Eren.”

All of a sudden, he felt shy and humbled, even though he had received a handjob from Levi and slept in his bed, both being much more intimate things than a compliment.

_Maybe it was that rich, seductive voice._

“Th-thanks.”

Levi started taking his own shirt off, and Eren was enraptured. He had only guessed what most of Levi’s body looked like underneath beneath those sharp suits, and now he was going to see it all. Levi was… surprisingly built for his height. His arms were strong and sturdy, his biceps rippling with the slightest movement. Veins crawled up his forearms as well beneath his stomach leading to his cock. His chest was firm and broad, and his abs were well-defined. His hips were also rugged and formed a sharp ‘V’ leading down his torso. His thighs were thick and muscular, and his calves hard. When Levi turned around to turn on the shower, Eren also saw how his back muscles rippled and the cords of smooth muscle in his upper arms worked.

 _Damn…_ Was all Eren could think.

“Will you join me?” Levi said as he opened the shower door.

Eren stepped in after Levi, still not taking his eyes off him. It was not awkward like either of them expected it to be their first time showering together. Eren let himself to wake up as the water cascaded and pulsed on them, and he let Levi scrub his back with a nice-smelling body wash. Eren returned the favor, secretly taking his time so that he could admire Levi’s ass and back more thoroughly. He hoped the steam and water in the shower hid his erection.

Levi liked being touched by Eren. He was cautious yet curious, innocent yet bold. Levi tried to ignore Eren’s erection, not to torture him, but because with how tempting he was, neither of them would get out of the house today if Levi allowed himself to have his way with him.

Levi washed Eren’s hair as well, remembering what he said last night about liking scalp massages. He was such a pure thing, Levi thought.

They finished up the shower, steam billowing out the glass door as they emerged and wrapped themselves with their towels. “What time do you need to be at the coffee shop today?” Levi asked.

“Noon. I forgot to tell you earlier, but we got a new member on the team so my shifts are a bit shorter.” And even though Bertholdt’s addition to the team made his working life a lot less strenuous, Eren prayed that he could afford to take shorter shifts. He was living paycheck-to-paycheck as it was.

“I would have let you sleep in a bit had I known you would be working later,” Levi said. “But at least this way we can spend some time together before you leave.”

-

Eren watched the sun shine over Trost through the glass wall as Levi cooked breakfast. The city was starting to wake up at this time, too. The sunlight caught the glass reflections of the buildings and the cars below. Beyond the other side of the city, he could see the beach.

“Eren,” Levi called from the kitchen. “Breakfast is ready.”

They ate eggs, toast, and bacon at the kitchen bar, talking about the day ahead. Eren asked about Levi’s call time. He said one of the advantages of managing your own businesses is that you can work whenever you feel like.

“You should take me with you one time. To work, I mean,” Eren said.

Levi smiled. “I would love to… Eren! Slow down. Stop eating like a dog.”

Eren looked up with his mouth full. “Sorry, I’m starving. And this food is awesome.”

Levi shook his head as he took a napkin and wiped Eren’s mouth and chin. “We have plenty of time, so there’s no need to rush.”

Eren cleaned his plate and Levi gave him the last pieces of bacon from the pan. It actually gave Levi joy to watch him eat, as wolfish as he ate sometimes. Feeding Eren gave him a sense of… he didn’t know how to describe it…

Pride? Fulfillment?

The truth is, the idea of taking care of Eren was attractive to Levi. He was such a joy and Levi would do anything for him. And Eren would find that out soon enough.

Eren offered to help clean the dishes. “Thanks for cooking for me. I love eating with you,” he said.

“My pleasure. I love feeding you.”

Eren went to lay on the couch lazily, texting while half-paying attention to the TV. Levi went to his bedroom and took something out of a drawer.

“Eren, I have a gift for you,” he sat next to Eren on the couch.

Eren sat up and his eyes sparkled. “Oh! What is it?”

“I went to a client on the east side of town, and there was a little shop in a nearby plaza. I saw this hat and I thought you might like it.”

Levi handed him a simple but versatile black beanie that had a silver filament stitched into it.

Eren put it on right away. He looked at his reflection in his phone. “Levi, I love it! Thank you so much!” He threw his arms around Levi and Levi rubbed his back.

“I’m glad you like it.”

It was Eren’s reaction that made him especially happy.

-

Noon was creeping around the corner, and Levi, holding Eren in his arms as they watched TV, talked into his ear.

“Hey, my dear, I don’t want you to be late.”

“Can I just stay here forever?”

“I would love that, too.”

Eren got up and smiled. “I’m already looking forward to our next meeting.” He leaned in and kissed Levi softly on the lips.

“As do I, my precious Eren,” Levi said in a low voice. He took Eren’s chin in his fingers, and deeply kissed those plush lips. Eren’s tongue ran over Levi’s lips, and Levi accepted. The kiss got sloppier and more desperate, and Eren’s held Levi’s face in his hands. They made out like that, forgetting the passing time, fiery and passionate. It was Levi who finally pulled away.

“You’re irresistible, but we need to go or I’ll keep you here all day.”

Eren grinned. “I have no problem with that!”

Levi drove Eren to the coffee shop in the Aston, the day already coated in a rosy glow, because a morning like that is something Eren could definitely get used to.


	10. Back Into the Swing of Things

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fleshing out the story!

Eren got back into the swing of work at the coffee shop. It was Jean’s idea to put out a large cup with “TIPS” scribbled on it in sharpie on a particularly busy morning. At the end of their shifts, they would split the earnings.

It’s been a while since Eren’s been to the beach, so he planned to go tonight after his shift.

“Macchiato, caramel lattes, and Americano on deck, I’ll work on the pastries,” Jean called to Eren as he lined the batch of half-completed cups on the station.

“You got it.”

They brushed past each other, oblivious to how often they touched; because when they were behind the counter, personal space was nonexistent. There were times where they forgot how much they annoyed each other, and they were simply too in the moment of the coffee chaos to give a damn.

When Eren would clear a cluster of customers in record speed all while keeping up his bright smile, Jean would praise him with a playful hair ruffle or a pat on the back. When Jean stalled a customer by talking to them about their day so that Eren could catch up on orders, Eren would squeeze Jean’s shoulder and whisper his thanks.

Eren finished topping off the current batch while Jean pulled pastries out of the toaster oven. He wiped whipped cream off his fingers and carried the drinks over. “Orders up, folks! Please check for your names.”

It was another day where it was just too busy to call people’s names out, so they were just written on the cups. A group of people went to the ready station to collect their items and Eren and Jean immediately got to work on the next batch. They heard the clink of coins into a cup and saw people leaving singles in the tip jar.

“Thanks!” they both called out in unison without looking up.

Within the next group of customers was a familiar face, Reiner. Eren traded spots with Jean so that he could get orders and pastries while Jean could have a turn at the back station.

“Hey guys!”

“Hey Reiner, protein fix?”

“You know it, man!” Reiner said, and then scouted behind the counter. “Is Bertholdt here today?”

“Nah, he mainly works weekends. You know, he’s been worrying lately. Are you avoiding him?”

“He’s been worrying?” Reiner ignored half the question, but he looked concerned.

Eren looked at the growing line of customers behind Reiner’s mountainous body. “Listen, I’m going to the beach after work. Meet me there at seven; we’ll go for a jog and we’ll talk.”

“Alright.” Reiner looked at the elderly woman behind him and stepped aside for her. “Sorry, ma’am.”

“How can I help you today?” Eren flashed a dazzling smile at the woman.

She blushed, probably smitten by Eren’s charm. “A small green tea, please!”

“Comin’ right up! And may I have your name?”

“Margaret.”

“I love that name, Margaret. Your order will be ready at the station in a bit!”

Margaret, now completely flattered by Eren, giggled and joined Reiner.

Eren took care of the other customers just as well, earning them a bunch of tips and winks from ladies of all ages.

Lunch rolled around soon enough, and business was slowing. Eren wiped his forehead with a rag and rolled his neck. “Good job, Jean-boy. You were a superstar out there.”

“You held down the fort pretty well, too.” Jean grabbed the overflowing tip cup and shook it around with a grin. “And a lot of people seemed to think so.”

Jean fished out a $20 bill and walked out the door, cigarette already in his mouth. Eren saw him walking to the burger joint across the street through the window.

He knew what Eren’s order was, but he often volunteered to take the lunch run because it doubled as a cigarette break. At that moment, Eren’s phone vibrated in his pocket.

It was Armin:

_Eren, let’s get lunch and catch up soon!_

He hadn’t seen his best friend in so long, Eren’s heart squeezed a little.

 _Of course, how about Friday?_ He texted back.

_Yes! I’ll clear my schedule. See you then!_

A customer walked in the door, and Eren took care of him. When the man was seated and reading his newspaper, Eren’s phone buzzed again, and he thought it was Armin again.

It was actually Levi:

_I miss you, baby. Let’s get together soon._

_Miss you too! Take me out on Saturday and then I’ll spend the night at your place!_

Normally inviting yourself to things would be considered rude, but with Levi, it was just another thing. Levi took the lead and initiated things, but Eren was the center of attention. And he loved it.

 _Sounds like a plan,_ Levi sent back.

Jean entered the store with two bags of fast food and a drink for Eren. They ate in silence in the break room stealing each other’s fries and nuggets.

“Still not gonna tell me about mystery girl?” Jean asked.

“I thought I made myself clear from the beginning. You’re not gonna find out.” _Not to mention “mystery girl” was a man. And a fucking sexy one, at that._

Jean stood up and collected the garbage. “Jean always finds out. Mark my words, Jaeger.” He laughed and exited the break room.

Eren rolled his eyes and followed suit with his drink.

\--

The end of their shift came to a close. The sky was a pink-orange through the window, and Eren was excited for a chance to get active again. Ever since he’s been spending more time with Levi, he’s been lounging around like a lazy prince. He felt himself go a little soft in the gut. Or maybe he was just imagining it.

Marco and Sasha strode in the shop. Eren and Jean were wiping down the stations and prepping.

“Hey guys,” Marco said, more at Jean’s direction.

“Hey, Marco. Hey Sash’,” Jean said.

_Was it just Eren, or was Marco’s cheeks getting red?_

“Good shift?” Marco asked. Sasha was eating a croissant from the display.

“It was a clusterfuck, but we know how to hold down the fort,” Jean said.

“Jean, do you want to hang out at the pier when my shift is done?” Marco asked forcibly, like he had gathered the courage to ask for a long time.

Sasha and Eren looked up with interest. Did Marco have a crush on Jean? His face and ears were a deep red.

Jean seemed oblivious to Marco’s reactions. “Uhh, yeah. Sure. I have to get groceries tonight. But I’ll meet you there at 11.”

And with that, he walked out, apron in hand, and cigarette in mouth.

Sasha’s eyes grew wide and Eren’s smile grew wider.

“Oh my God, Marco, do you like Jean?” Sasha gushed.

“…Maybe. But you guys can’t say anything! Promise me!”

“Promise,” Eren and Sasha sang.

“I’m serious!”

“Get to third base with that asshole, I’ll support you the entire time, bud,” Eren winked and patted Marco’s arm.

“Eren!” Marco’s face got red again at Eren’s lewd language. “And he’s not an asshole. I think he’s cute.”

“Your secret’s safe with me!” Sasha said.

“I’ll see you guys later, we’ve refilled all the prep and mixes for you already.” Eren waved and walked out.

“See you!” Marco and Sasha called from inside the shop.

\--

Eren went home and changed into some shorts and another t-shirt for his workout with Reiner. When he got to the beach, Reiner was already there.

They stretched together, and then jogged along the water’s edge.

“So, tell me what’s going on with Bert.” Eren said.

“The truth is, I’ve kinda been avoiding him. I wanna ask him out but I’m afraid he’ll say no. What if he doesn’t like me back?” He never sounded so full of doubt.

“Reiner. That poor guy is worried sick. He thinks he did something wrong.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. So grow a pair and put him out of his misery.”

Reiner laughed, his pecs bouncing with every step. “You’re right.”

“I’m positive he likes you back.”

“How can you tell?” Reiner’s eyes were wide with desperation.

“Well, he talks about you at work. When you text him on breaks, he gets all hot and bothered.”

“Hot and bothered? That’s a good sign!”

“Go get ‘em, tiger! And tell me how it goes.”

“You know it, coach!”

They finished their run along the gentle waves, a cool breeze drying Eren’s sweat. He was a little breathless from not working out in so long. Maybe he could start working out with Levi. Based on what his body looked like, he probably knew his way around the gym.

Eren and Reiner stretched one more time before parting ways. After having worked up a good sweat, he just wanted to sit back and enjoy the view for a while. He sat on one of the beach chairs, the same ones he dreamt about Levi on a while ago. The ferris wheel at a distance was now lit up with its multicolored lights, and the foam from the ebbing waves contrasted beautifully with the dusty purple sky.

Eren wanted to share this view with Levi. He was going to bring him here one day.

\--

That night, Eren took his shower and the day’s events washed off him. He was feeling a little horny so he worked his imagination and jacked off in the shower. No doubt was Levi the subject of his thoughts.

As he dried off, Eren took his phone and took a picture of his lower abdomen and his cock. He captioned it “Wish you were here” and sent it to Levi.

 _You look as lovely as ever, my cheeky pet._ Levi replied.

 _Put me to sleep over the phone?_ Eren responded.

And so, Eren was lulled to sleep by Levi’s dark and soothing voice over speaker phone. Getting sweet nothings whispered into his ear would’ve been more enjoyable in person, Eren thought, but this would have to do.

He was out like a light in no time, a smile on his face, a warmth in his heart, and a heat in his groin.


	11. Roots and Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ARMIN! :D 
> 
> Also, I had two big exams yesterday so my brain's still a lil fried...

Marco agreed to cover Eren’s shift on Friday so that he could spend time with Armin. Or rather, Eren encouraged Marco to cover his shift so that he could have more face time with Jean.

Armin said he was near the museum, which was near the main street just a few minutes from the pier. Of course Armin would be at the museum; he was a natural history junkie.

Eren parked and walked around looking for his best friend. Sure enough, there he was, sitting on the museum steps with his nose buried in a book.

“Armin!” Eren waved and sped his stride.

Armin looked up, and his smile stretched wide. He put his book in his messenger back and ran to meet Eren halfway.

They embraced warmly, and it felt like it’s been years.

Eren took Armin’s shoulders and looked him up and down. “I’ve missed you! You’re always so out and about!”

Armin’s innocent blue eyes sparkled. “I know, we have so much to catch up on!”

“Burgers?” Eren grinned.

Memories of burgers after a rough days and long study sessions came flooding back to them. Whenever they got together, they almost always had burgers.

“You’re already a step ahead!” Armin touched Eren’s arm and they started walking towards the pier.

Armin pointed to the ocean at the distance. “Seagulls are fascinating. Did you know that they’re one of the few creatures that can drink both fresh and salt water? They have special glands above their eyes that eliminate excess salt from their bodies.”

Eren laughed. Learning random facts is just another part of being with Armin. But it was cute, the way he got excited about nature. “I will add that to my list of seagull trivia.”

They got to the Burger Wall, where they got their usual order. They slid into opposite sides of a booth and Armin placed his bag on the space next to him.

“Wait, before anything, I need to ask: when are you leaving for your retreat?” Eren asked.

The reason they’ve hardly seen each other was because Armin was traveling to Africa with a touring group soon to learn more about the wildlife there. Armin’s been busy studying the biology and environments of the animals there, and he spent most of his days either at the library or museum.

“I have to be at the airport Monday morning. That’s why I wanted to meet one last time before I left.”

“How long will you stay there?”

“About a month. Maybe more, I’m not sure.” Armin’s eyes were sympathetic.

Eren’s heart squeezed again. “I didn’t realize it would be so long. Try to keep in touch, okay? You’ve looked forward to this for a long time.”

“Yes, of course!” Armin’s smile was as bright as the sun. “I’ll take pictures and I’ll email you. I’ll miss you terribly, Eren. I feel like I’ve neglected you lately.”

Eren shook his head. “Don’t worry about me. You’ve studied hard for this. You’ll be back before you know it. Plus, Levi will keep me company.”

Armin froze mid-sip, and Eren realized what he just said. “Who’s Levi?”

“Oh. Just the guy that I’m seeing.”

“Eren! You got a boyfriend and didn’t bother to tell me?” Armin looked hurt.

_Levi was his boyfriend. He’s never said it aloud before._

“I-“

“What’s he like? Tell me everything!” Armin leaned in closer on his elbows.

And so Eren did. He told him how he came into the coffee shop on that fateful day and ordered that medium black; the fancy dinner; the black Aston; Trost Tower; the suit; the way he spoiled him; how the world seemed to stop when he was with him; his voice…

“He seems amazing, Eren. I’d love to meet him.”

“He said he’d like to meet you, too.”

“Oh, you’ve already told him about me?”

Eren told Levi about Armin while they were mindlessly watching TV at Levi’s apartment one day. As Levi ran his fingers through Eren’s hair, he would tell Levi everything- his friends, family, interests… and Armin was one of the first people he mentioned. He told Levi that Armin was his genius best friend and that he working towards becoming a biologist. He shared some of their jokes and random trivia.

 _“He sounds delightful. Introduce me to him one day,”_ Levi had said.

“Duh. You _are_ my best friend, after all.”

“Do you have a picture of him?” Armin asked.

“I-I actually don’t, as a matter of fact. I’ll get one soon.” Levi took a few pictures of Eren during their outings but Eren didn’t have any of him.

Armin stole some of Eren’s fries. “Good. Did you have sex with him yet?”

Eren almost choked on his drink. Armin might’ve been well-spoken and studious, but he also knew how to cut to the chase.

“Armin!”

“Well?”

Eren hardly kept any secrets from him. “No. Not yet. I got a handjob from him once. A good one, at that. He said he doesn’t want me to rush into things to make sure I’m comfortable. But damn, Armin, I really want a nice pounding from him.”

“Understood. No need to go into details,” Armin laughed and Eren joined. They often told each other the most intimate parts of their lives and it was completely normal. “But, it is really considerate of him to ease you into things. Especially with the age difference.”

“Yeah.”

They finished their food, and Armin told Eren the details of the retreat.

“I’ll drive you to the airport,” Eren said.

“I’d love that. It’ll be our last good-bye for a while. Let’s walk back to the museum. Isn’t that where you parked?”

They walked and laughed loudly, carefree, and argued about whether elephants could swim or not. They can, Armin insisted. He would know, he studied them intensively. But Eren, who liked to argue with Armin for shits and giggles, kept up his game of doubt and button-pushing.

“Mmmm,” Eren stroked his imaginary beard, “elephants don’t seem like the swimming types. I feel like they would prefer golfing or maybe wrestling.”

“Eren, I swear to God,” Armin punched Eren’s arm, and they arrived at the museum. “I’ll miss you annoying me while I’m in Africa.” He pulled Eren in for a hug.

Eren wrapped his arms tight and inhaled Armin’s scent. “I’ll miss you, too. So much,” he whispered.

They separated and Armin headed back towards the museum. “I’ll see you bright and early on Monday!”

“See you!” Eren headed to his car and checked his phone. There was a text from Reiner:

_Eren, you were right! I manned up and asked Bertholdt if he’d be my boyfriend, and he said YES! I’m gonna tap tonight!_

Eren laughed and typed back:

_See, what did I say? I’m happy for you, man! And go easy on him, alright?_

\--

Eren spent the rest of the day in his apartment, and it seemed quite empty without him even though Levi hasn’t seen Eren’s place yet.

He texted Mikasa for a bit, and he realized he hasn’t seen her in a while either. Luckily, she said she would accompany him to the airport to drop Armin off.

There was some leftover spaghetti in the fridge, and Eren heated it up for dinner. Life was so extravagant and lovely with Levi, and it made him feel on top of the world, but as Eren sat on his couch watching TV in the dark with a worn-in blanket over his head, he didn’t really understand why someone like Levi was interested in someone like him. He wasn’t wealthy in any way, he considered his looks average, and his lifestyle was… completely mundane.

Eren felt really lonely and insecure all of a sudden. He wanted to text Levi and tell him how he felt, but he didn’t want to seem pathetic and needy. He adored Levi. He really did. But Levi deserved better.

Eren, weighed down by a flurry of negative of thoughts, curled up on the couch and fell asleep.


	12. Sensitive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our dear Eren's self-doubt is becoming troublesome.

The tinny ringing sound of Eren’s phone alarm was not as effective at waking him up as its vibration near his cheek was.

Eren cracked an eye open and tried to figure out why he was so goddamned irritated. He felt like he was recently buried alive; his body ached and he felt emotionally numb.

His stiff body could be explained- he slept in a fetal position in the corner of his couch after his bout of sadness last night. Coiled up like a snake in an effort to replicate being held by Levi, he now regret his decision and he felt his muscles protest in pain. He groaned and inhaled the morning air.

But then Eren tried to think about why his heart felt hollowed out. After being pampered, fed, and caressed by Levi so wonderfully as of late, spending a solitary night in his average apartment gave his thoughts an opportunity to catch up to him. The truth was, Eren felt unworthy of Levi. Why would Levi, intimidatingly handsome, wealthy, and successful as he was, invest his energy into Eren, who was just a regular guy that worked at a coffee shop and lived his summer pay-to-paycheck?

Eren was normally not an insecure person, but after witnessing Levi’s generosity and ability to make him feel so… _important_ … he felt like Levi deserved someone who was more up to his own caliber.

Eren got up and stretched his long limbs, trying to gain some mobility in his body. He suppressed his intrusive thoughts for now- he had the Saturday shift to work and then a date with Levi right after. Maybe he was just overthinking things. Hopefully work would help take his mind off it.

\--

Handling the flurry of orders on Saturday morning did help Eren’s mood stabilize. Jean was the first one to pick up on Eren’s melancholy when they were firing up machines and refilling supplies at the beginning of the shift:

“Someone’s a little quiet,” Jean had said as he looked over.

“It’s early,” Eren said shortly.

“You sure it’s not something more?”

Eren looked up and smiled tightly. Jean may not have been the most polite or gentle person, but he did have the ability to read people. It was part of the reason he was so skilled at handling customers.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Really,” Eren assured.

Jean clapped a hand on his shoulder. “Then let’s kick some ass today. Can’t have my right hand flaking out on me.”

Now they were on their lunch break. Jean worked the slow noon business while Eren and Bertholdt had their turns to eat.

Eren ate his sandwich while texting Mikasa. Bertholdt had a salad, and they ate in a comfortable silence until Bertholdt smiled up from his phone.

“Eren, Reiner asked me out yesterday! I forgot to text you to tell you the news. That’s why he was acting so weird earlier.”

Eren smiled. “I already knew. He told me. Actually, I was the one who coached him through it!”

“Wait, you knew he liked me?”

“I asked him about it. You said he was acting funny, and he came in one day and looked around to see that you weren’t here. He was really nervous you’d say no, or that your opinion of him would change.”

Bertholdt’s eyes crinkled in admiration. “He said he was nervous to ask me out?”

“Yeah, even with all that time he spends at the gym, there’s no workout for gaining the courage to ask your best friend out.”

They laughed and talked about the proposal as they finished their lunches. They headed out the break room, and Eren followed Bertholdt out to release Jean for his lunch break. Eren may have been too busy in the morning chaos to notice, but looking at Bertholdt now, his body looked stiff and he looked like he was waddling.

Eren grinned. Reiner, true to his word, tapped. Poor Bert. Reiner didn’t go easy on him, judging by how wrecked his body looked. But Bertholdt’s smile was brighter today than it’s ever been, and that warmed Eren’s heart. Bertholdt and Reiner were going to make a fine couple.

\--

4 o’clock rolled around, and Eren’s shift was coming to a close. A hard day at work definitely eased him after last night’s events, at least temporarily. He was going home to prepare for his date with Levi, and Levi would pick him up there.

It would be the first time Levi saw the inside of Eren’s apartment, and Eren hoped he wouldn’t be too disappointed.

He showered and dressed, and then got to work tidying up. He knew how much Levi appreciated cleanliness and so he put in the effort. Eren wasn’t too concerned with appearances at home, he was more into functionality. As in, an empty pizza box could also function as an empty plastic plate collector near the couch. Levi would chastise Eren and tell him to stop being lazy.

Eren got a large black garbage bag and vigorously picked up trash. Empty takeout boxes, soda cans, used tissue, water bottles, and spam mail had called the floor home for a long time. Just by picking up the garbage, the place was visibly more inviting. He collected stray clothes and got the laundry started, and vacuumed thoroughly.

Just as Eren was tying the bulging garbage bag, there was a knock on the door. He rushed to the door and smiled brightly at Levi.

Levi wore a tight black t-shirt and leather jacket, as well as black jeans that hugged his thighs deliciously. Eren opted for tank top and blue jeans, embellishing it with the hat that Levi gifted him.

Levi entered and shut the door behind him. He took Eren’s cheeks in his hands and peppered his face with light kisses. “How are you, Eren? Good day at work?”

“Yup! I’m excited for tonight.”

Levi patted Eren’s cheek and looked around.

“It’s not much. I cleaned up a bit before you got here,” Eren rubbed the back of his neck.

“I like it,” Levi said. “It’s simple and homey.” He picked up a framed picture of two friends at the beach. “This must be Armin and Mikasa.”

Eren joined his side and looked at the picture. Armin was laughing, his smile pure and bright, and his eyes closed. Mikasa was smiling gently, her beautiful black hair whipping in her face from the wind. It was such a nice memory. Eren’s mother had taken that picture and framed it for him.

“Yeah.” Eren’s heart warmed at the memory of that photo. “I can’t wait for you to meet them.”

“I look forward to it. You’ve said great things about them.” Levi put the frame back. “All set to go?”

-

Levi started the Aston and it purred to life. It was a feeling that Eren never got tired of.

“So,” Levi said, “where to? You’re in charge tonight. Movies, shopping, fair, anything you want.”

Eren thought for a minute. He wanted to see Levi in a more casual environment. No doubt did Levi operate smoothly in a formal dinner setting and knew more upscale activities, but Eren was the king of fun and competition. And he knew just the thing.

“Let’s go bowling,” Eren smiled.

Levi looked amused. “Interesting choice! It’s been a long time since I’ve gone bowling.”

“I’ll kick your ass, I’m warning you ahead of time.” Eren was hoping Levi wasn’t secretly excellent at bowling, otherwise his confidence will be an embarrassment later.

“Oh, we’ll see about that.”

\--

The neon lights and fluorescent glow of the bowling center contrasted strangely with Levi’s polished and sharp appearance, Eren humorously noticed. They got their rental shoes and a few different bowling balls and took a lane at the far end.

Eren put in his name first into the computer, and then Levi’s.

“Eren, do you want to put up the bumpers?” Levi teased.

“I’ll be fine. Maybe you might want to consider them so that your old man body won’t have a rough time?” Eren fired back immediately with a cocky grin.

Levi laughed and sat back to watch Eren’s turn. “Don’t hold back.”

Eren breathed in and exhaled, trying to sharpen his spatial awareness by staring at the pins. He swung his arm back and rolled the ball forward, feeling weak at the wrist at the last moment and watching in despair as he saw the ball veer towards the edge and knock down only two pins.

“It’s not too late for those bumpers, you know,” Levi said.

Eren mocked a snicker and waited for his ball to come back through the ball return. “I’m just warming up, don’t get it twisted.”

He bowled again and picked up six more pins. The overheard screen showed a cheesy animation of a cartoon bowling ball saying “nice recovery!” in flashing letters.

Levi and Eren traded places, and Eren observed Levi’s form and technique, trying to learn his opponent like he did during any competitive activity. Levi looked calm and collected, also staring at the pins to size up the distance. He shuffled into a small run and swung. His follow-through was immaculate, his jacket tightening around his arms as they flexed with his release. The ball cleanly knocked down eight pins.

Eren felt a tinge of irritation. Maybe it was just a fluke. It might’ve been the fact that he was really competitive, but any chance of Levi winning the game fired him up inside.

Levi picked up the spare two pins, and the overhead screen showed the animated bowling ball saying “PERFECT!” in flashing colors.

Eren got up and wiped his hands on his jeans. “Good job. I see you!”

However, Eren wasn’t lying when he said he was just warming up. He proceeded to bowl six pins and then picked up a spare, and ended up getting three strikes during the remainder of the game. But Levi put up a fight. He opted for consistency and technique, and never knocked down less than five pins.

Eren ended up winning the first game by a mere six points. He was starting to work up a sweat, but victory was sweet.

“I told you, I’m pretty good!” Eren said.

“It does seem you have a talent at this. Want to go once more?”

“Yeah. And could you buy us some cheesy bread?” Eren’s stomach was running on empty after playing so rigorously.

“You got it.” Levi started walking towards the food stand.

Eren used this opportunity to check his phone and cool down. He was so glad he went sleeveless today, otherwise he would have massive pit stains.

Levi came back and they started the new game. The second game was much of the same, but Eren was determined to remain concentrated to keep up his reputation from his previous victory. An employee arrived and brought their plate of cheesy bread. They nibbled on it between turns, ruining their fingers’ grips from the oiliness.

Levi held up a piece dripping with grease. “It’s kind of disgusting, but it’s strangely addicting,” he chuckled.

Eren ravenously bit into a piece. “That’s the beauty of it!”

Once again, Eren emerged victorious in the second game. This time, by a whopping twenty points. He pumped his fist, beaming and feeling superior.

Levi took his phone out and snapped a picture of Eren while he was basking in his glory. He looked at the picture and smiled. Eren was glowing and looked full of life like he always did. It warmed Levi’s heart.

They drove back to Levi’s place after that. Eren stuck his arm out the window, relishing the cool night air as he climbed down from cheesy bread-fueled victory high. Watching the city pass them by, it was just the two of them, it seemed. And Eren wouldn’t have it any other way.

The minute they entered Levi’s apartment, Eren went into the fridge and got a bottle of water. He downed it in one go.

“I didn’t realize how thirsty you were.  I would’ve gotten you something to drink,” Levi said as he watched Eren gulp the water desperately. “That was careless of me.”

Eren waved him off. “No, it’s fine. Don’t worry about it. I had tons of fun tonight. Thanks for taking me out.” He approached Levi and hugged him, sweaty armpits and all.

Levi rubbed his back. “My pleasure. I had a blast, too.

“And with that, I’m going to take a shower,” Levi said. “I feel filthy. I’ll be out soon.”

Eren got on the couch and sprawled himself out, airing his armpits out. He watched TV and browsed his phone. It seemed like he was more comfortable in Levi’s home than his own.

Which reminded him. The bitter thoughts of last night slowly crept back in, and Eren felt himself becoming grossly uncomfortable in his own skin. Levi paid for their wonderful date tonight, as well as every other date and meal that they’ve shared. Levi opened up his home to him and made him feel important and precious, despite Eren not ever giving anything in return.

Eren curled up and wrapped his arms around his knees. He felt like he was taking advantage of Levi’s generosity. Like he was some sort of sugar daddy and not a boyfriend. Eren felt disgusted with himself. Angry, hot tears rolled down his face and he buried his face into his knees. Levi deserved better than him.

Just then, Levi emerged from the hall and saw Eren in the way he was. He rushed to the couch quickly. “Eren? Baby, are you okay? What’s wrong? Talk to me.”

Eren lifted his head from his knees with tear-stained cheeks and sniffed. Levi’s heart shattered and he went to Eren’s side, holding him close.

“Did I do something wrong?” Levi asked gently, “Please tell me what’s wrong, darling.”

Eren sniffed and more tears rolled down his cheeks. “I feel like you deserve someone better, Levi. I don’t understand why you chose me.”

Levi looked appalled and speechless.

Eren continued. “You’re kind and successful and rich. You make me feel like I’m special. I feel guilty that you always spend money on me. I have nothing to offer you. I’m just a regular guy.” He harshly sniffed up the snot gathered in his nose and his shoulders shuddered as bowed his head and cried.

Levi took Eren’s face in his hands. “Eren. Look at me. Look at me, baby.”

Eren looked Levi in the eyes, feeling humiliated and shy.

Levi wiped Eren’s tears with his thumbs and spoke in a hushed, reassuring voice. “My precious Eren. Don’t be ridiculous. You’re not just some “regular guy”. Ever since I met you, I could tell there was something special about you.”

Eren sniffed up more snot. “That’s not true.”

“It _is_ true. And when I got to know you more, you confirmed my belief. Eren, you’re amazing. You’re passionate, opinionated, energetic. You’re warm-hearted, and honest, and you make me feel _young,_ Eren. I buy you things because I have the means and because I want to. I enjoy spending my money on you. I would give you anything, you know that.”

Eren remained silent and looked down. “You really think all that?”

“Yes, baby. I adore you. It breaks my heart to see you like this. Please don’t cry. Those things you said are simply not true. You said you have nothing to offer me, but that’s a lie. Just by spending time with me like you do, I’m the happiest I’ve ever been.”

Eren’s sniffling grew quieter and he looked Levi in the eyes again. “Really?”

Levi smiled, the corners of his eye crinkling. “Positive. I’m excited to share my life with you, precious. Please don’t think anything else. You mean everything to me.”

Eren felt a pleasant warmth spread in his stomach. He fell into Levi’s arms and buried his face in his chest. “Okay,” he whispered, almost unheard. “I believe you.”

“Tell you what,” Levi said into Eren’s hair, “you go have your shower, and I’ll pamper you before bed. How’s that sound?”

Eren nodded into Levi’s chest and wiped the rest of his tears away with his palm. He retreated into the hallway and Levi went to the bedroom.

He took out some lotion to use on Eren and waited. Seeing Eren cry was one of the hardest things he had to experience. He was such an innocent thing, to feel like a burden when given the slightest bit of a luxurious treatment. But in reality, Eren deserved the world. He just didn’t realize it yet.

Eren emerged from the bathroom, drying his hair and body and putting on some boxers from his drawer. He crawled into the bed silently, stomach-down, and Levi got to work.

As he rubbed lotion into Eren’s body, he talked about the little things that he enjoyed about him. With Levi’s firm hand rubbing the tension out of his muscles and filling his ear with sweet nothings in that deep, hushed tone, Eren felt himself grow fond of him, even more so than before. This was the way that it was meant to be.

Now that Eren, who was fully moisturized and massaged all over, was just about on the brink of sleep after that therapeutic treatment, Levi turned off the bedroom light and they crawled into bed together.

Eren buried his head into Levi’s chest, a place that felt safer than any place in the world. “Thank you, Levi. For everything,” he whispered.

Levi’s strong arms were wrapped around Eren and his hand gently ran through those chocolate locks. “Anything for you. You’re everything to me. I mean that.”

And it might have been because Eren was charged with emotion today, but at least now he full realized it: “Levi?”

“Hm?”

“I love you.”

Eren couldn’t Levi’s smile in the dark, but he could probably hear it in his voice. “I love you, too, my sweet Eren.”


	13. French Toast

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More fluff because that's the only thing I know how to do, plus a little something something after a lot of recent tension ;)))
> 
> (Also, thank you guys for such sweet comments about loving all the fluff! I'm the Fluff Queen lmao)

The morning light burned gently on Levi’s face and he slowly pried his eyes open. Once again, Eren’s long limbs were all over his body, splayed out and carefree. The sunlight from the window shone beams on Eren’s face and body, making him look beautiful and greek god-like. He was simply gorgeous, especially when asleep. His messy brown hair was ruffled over his eyes, and his long lashes were fanned out on his cheeks. Those round pink lips were slightly open and he emitted soft snores. Levi smiled. Eren was such a lovely boy.

Levi carefully peeled Eren’s limbs off him so that he could get up and get breakfast started. Eren’s snoring hitched and his eyebrows furrowed at the movement. He blindly grabbed the blankets and pulled them over his head, now a mound under the comforter, and went back to sleep right away, resuming his snoring.

Levi went into his office and caught up on some work communications. Looking through his emails, he saw one from Erwin, and thought that he would like to introduce Eren to him soon.

It was 9:21, far too early for Eren to wake up and not be grumpy. Actually, who was he kidding? Eren was not a morning person in the least bit. It was one of the many quirks that Levi learned about him.

He responded to Erwin’s email and set up meetings with some other clients. He closed his laptop and stretched, relishing the ache and crack of his bones.

He figured he would fix Eren some French toast today- and lots of it, because Eren was a carnivorous eater in the morning. As the soaked bread sizzled in the pan, Levi fixed himself a cup of coffee.

It may have been the overwhelming smell of the cooking toast, but Eren slowly shuffled into the living room and into a barstool, looking like he’s washed and brushed, but still not quite awake yet. He lay the side of his head down on the counter and closed his eyes.

Levi walked over to Eren and kissed his hair. “Good morning.”

Eren did not respond, and instead grunted. Levi’s hand went up the shirt that Eren put on and rubbed circles to rouse him a bit.

“Mm.” Eren smiled.

“There he is,” Levi chuckled. “Finally waking up?”

Eren inhaled deeply through his nose and lifted his head. “What are you making? It smells great.”

“French toast.” Levi went and flipped over the toast on the pan and leaned back on a counter while drinking his coffee.

Eren stretched his arms, and Levi admired how graceful his slender limbs look when extended. His shirt lifted, showing off his tight stomach. Eren moaned and sighed.

Levi scooped up a heap of toast on a plate for him, and took out the syrup and butter as well. Eren waited patiently with his fork and knife in his hand. The minute Levi set the plate down, Eren dug in ferociously. Levi went to the fridge and poured him a glass of orange juice.

By the time he set the glass down in front of him, Eren was ferociously shoving food into his mouth.

“Slow down, baby.” He took a napkin and wiped some syrup off Eren’s chin.

“This is fucking amazing,” Eren said between ravenous bites.

“I’m glad to hear it. But take your time.”

Eren finished his plate within five minutes and requested seconds. That surge of pride filled Levi again- the one he got whenever he fed Eren. To take care of Eren was a hidden joy for him- well, not so hidden anymore after last night’s events- and he deserved to be treated like a prince.

“All done? Levi took Eren’s cleaned plate and empty glass to the sink.

Eren grinned and stretched again. “Yeah… that was delicious, Levi, thanks! You should make that more often!”

“You got it, love.”

Eren went to the window and looked out at the magnificent cityscape while Levi ate his toast and cleaned dishes. He felt content after last night’s heart-to-heart; telling Levi his negative thoughts lifted a weight off his chest, and the way Levi handled it and soothed him affirmed all Eren’s reasons for loving him.

Speaking of which, Eren realized, last night was the momentous first “I love you” exchanged between them. There was no better way to end the day then being wrapped in Levi’s buff arms and having his scalp massaged. Eren’s stomach got butterflies at the memory.

He heard the sink turn off, and Levi was wiping down the counter. Eren turned and looked at him mischievously, and Levi met his eyes.

“What’s that smile for?”

Eren sauntered over to the kitchen, where Levi put down the dishrag to try to figure out what was happening.

Eren, being as young as he was and having a bit of an untamed sex drive, decided to have some fun. He approached Levi and pressed his body against him, dragging a slender finger across his jaw, and smiled down at him lovingly.

“Oh..?” Levi was amused.

“Y’know…” Eren purred, “I love that you always cook me breakfast… and I kinda want to repay the favor…”

Eren took Levi’s hand and led him to the couch. He pushed down on Levi’s shoulders so that he was seated, and turned around slowly so that his ass was right in front of Levi’s face. Eren shimmied his hips from side to side, raising his arms above his head so that his shirt rode up a little and his back dimples showed.

Levi spread his legs a little and leaned back, smiling at this unexpected treat.

Eren continued to do his thing, caressing his own body in an attempt to arouse Levi, and dancing just far away enough that they weren’t touching. He turned so that he was facing Levi, and put a leg up on the couch so that Levi’s face was near his crotch. He continued grinding his hips in the air, and he ran his fingers through Levi’s hair.

Levi was getting hard at the sight of Eren’s body, but continued to sit through the dance to see where this plan was going.

Eren trailed his own hands up and down his abs while biting his lip, and kept swaying his hips around. He then put a knee between Levi’s crotch, and brought his lips a mere centimeter from Levi’s.

“Is your cock getting hard, Levi?” Eren moaned with barely any space between their lips, “Can I… be of service?”

Eren’s face traveled down Levi’s body so that he was now hovering above Levi’s crotch. He stuck his ass out as much as he could so that Levi had a nice, full view of his kneeling body. He ran his hands up down Levi’s thighs while swaying his hips slightly, looking up at Levi with those bright green eyes of his.

Levi was becoming intensely aroused now, and everything about Eren and the way he was now was entirely too stimulating. He bit back a groan and fisted his hands in Eren’s hair.

Eren palmed Levi’s crotch teasingly, maintaining that fiery eye contact. Slowly, ever so slowly, Eren pulled down the waistband of Levi’s shorts along with his underwear, and pulled out his cock- sizing it up in his hands and dragging his sight along the length with lust.

Eren bit his lip even harder. “Mmm, Levi… I had no idea you were so fucking thick...”

And it might’ve been Eren’s filthy language that was strangely sexy or the fact that he was staring at his cock hungrily, but Levi was now achingly erect and awaited Eren’s touch.

Without warning, Eren took Levi in one go, and Levi threw his head back. He tightened his grip in Eren’s hair, trying to keep that warm wetness of his mouth around his length.

Eren expertly bobbed his head up and down, swirling his tongue along the veins that crawled up the sides of Levi’s cock. He kept one hand wrapped at the base, while the other hand reached into Levi’s underwear and massaged his balls.

“Fuck, Eren…” Levi hissed with an almost painful pull on Eren’s locks, “keep going.”

Eren took all of him into his mouth again, his nose buried in his soft pubic hair, and Levi felt himself hit the back of Eren’s throat wonderfully.

He held Eren’s head down, breathing be damned, because having himself enveloped this completely felt too fucking good.

Levi loosened his hold and Eren dragged his plush lips off Levi’s cock, releasing the head with a lewd ‘pop’. As he caught his breath, Eren took Levi in both hands and pumped up and down the shaft vigorously.

“You like that, Levi? Am I being a good boy for you?” Eren moaned, his voice cracking with lust. “Do you like it when I suck you off?”

Levi was simultaneously surprised that his normally sweet and innocent Eren was capable of such vulgar talk and that he seemed to have a hidden talent of giving the best blowjobs.

“Yesss, baby,” he growled. “You’re such a good boy for me, keep going.”

Eren grinned at the praise, clearly relishing in the fact that he had Levi under his control. He took Levi’s cock in one hand and dragged his tongue along the side, looking Levi in the eyes all the while. He then took the head into his mouth, and pumped up and down the shaft aggressively, feeling Levi’s fingers pull at his hair in a painfully satisfying way.

Levi felt himself climbing up to his release, his cock swelling in Eren’s hands and the seed tightening his balls. He threw his head back and became aware of his chest that was rising and falling fast with his shallow breaths. Eren was relentless, pumping faster and adjusting his grip on the way down and up.

He popped his lips off the head of Levi’s cock. “Cum all over my mouth, okay?”

Eren aimed Levi’s cock at his lips, and he continued his rigorous speed of handling. Levi’s hands held Eren’s head in place with a firm grip in his hair, and moaned as he felt himself release- hot ropes of white landing into Eren’s awaiting mouth and on his full, pink lips. For a minute he wasn’t aware of himself or where he was, or where he was shooting his ejaculation- because right now all that made sense was the explosion of pleasure.

Levi felt himself climb down from his orgasm, and Eren’s pace slowed down to squeeze every drop of cum onto his own tongue. He came to his senses and let go of Eren’s hair slowly, trying to gain control of his sensitivity. Eren had Levi’s cum sloppily splattered on his mouth, and he let go of Levi’s cock to drag his fingers around his mouth to lick up the evidence of Levi’s pleasure.

He kept licking and cleaning himself up like that, maintaining eye contact with Levi, unashamed that he was swallowing every bit of cum while taking his sweet time doing so.

“That was… amazing, babe,” Levi breathed. “You’re very good with your mouth.”

Eren finished up licking the cum off his fingers and grinned. “I know,” he said seductively.

Eren got off his knees and kissed Levi square on the lips. Most would find it disgusting to kiss someone that just swallowed their cum, but Levi was seemingly okay with the way Eren sloppily expressed his love this way, carefree and unashamed.

“Let’s go shower together!” Eren took Levi’s hand and took him away into the bathroom.

They cleaned together, thinking about the day ahead. “Levi, I liked it when you praised me,” Eren said. “Do it more often?”

Levi took his hand behind Eren’s head and leaned it closer to his so that their lips were almost touching. “I love praising you, baby, you’re such a good boy that did an amazing job pleasing me today. Thank you.”

Eren beamed, and he hugged Levi under the shower’s cascade. And little did Levi know that Eren had a huge praise kink, but that would become more blatantly clear soon enough.

They dried off and dressed together. “I’m driving Armin to the airport really early tomorrow,” Eren said as he pulled on his work pants.

“Tell him I wish his luck on his trip. And would you mind giving me a copy of your schedule? I’d like to have it with me.” Levi asked.

“I’ll tell him. And yeah, I’ll text you my work schedule.”

It was about 11:30 by the time they left the apartment to get Eren to the coffee shop, and Levi spent a good while before that cuddling Eren on the couch, peppering a flurry of kisses all over his face and in his hair, telling him what a good boy he was, how much he loved him, and what a pretty little thing he was. And with Eren giggling and laughing under Levi’s tickles and hugs and kisses, they both silently agreed that these were the sweetest ways to spend Sunday morning.


	14. (Pizza) Slice of Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Armin is off to Africa! And some sucky-suck ;)
> 
> (+ I've been going through a bit a rough time lately so I apologize in advance if I don't update as fast as usual)

Getting up before the ass crack of dawn was not enjoyable for Eren at all. But, with Armin relying on him as an incentive, getting up was a little easier.

He had told Jean that he might be a little late to work, since Armin had to be at the airport by 7 and it was an hour drive each way. Eren stared angrily at his phone that was going off relentlessly at the ungodly 5 o’clock am, and he groaned as he reached to turn it off.

If he snoozed for even a minute, he would never get out of bed, so he yanked the blanket off, the cold of the room hitting his sleep-stripped body. He saw a text from Mikasa saying that she hoped he was awake, and that she looked forward to seeing him. She knew how much he struggled to get up in the morning.

Eren fixed himself a cup of coffee, not even for the taste, but simply because he would be unable to function without his fix of caffeine. He downed that cup and then another, and then he was on his way.

Mikasa’s apartment was closer to Eren’s than Armin’s was- though it was often empty because she was hardly ever home.

Mikasa was a training martial artist that competed and taught all over the area. If she wasn’t fighting or instructing, she was hard at work at the gym. Between both their schedules, Eren hardly saw her these days, but he was hoping that would change.

He texted that he was waiting in the parking lot. A few minutes later, Mikasa opened the door to the passenger’s seat and slid in.

“Eren, it’s been far too long. I’ve missed you,” she smiled. She leaned over and pulled him in for a hug.

“I know, I missed you, too,” Eren said and squeezed before releasing her. “But at least we’ll get to see Armin off together.”

They drove to Armin’s house in mostly silence- for a couple reasons: Eren’s coffee was still kicking in and he was feeling to grumpy to talk, and because even though Eren and Mikasa didn’t have much time to see each other in person, they didn’t miss a second of each other’s lives because they made time to text and call.

In fact, Eren had already told her about Levi. Well, not everything about him. Mikasa wasn’t aware of their age difference or Levi’s lifestyle. But it wouldn’t matter anyway. He wasn’t quite sure why he was keeping it a secret.

They reached Armin’s apartment, and Eren climbed out to help him with the luggage. They packed it into the trunk and Armin embraced Mikasa after not having seen her for a long time.

The drive to the airport was peaceful if nothing else. The morning sky was painted and shifting with light pinks, purples, and blues, and the dark clouds were chasing away the dawn. Eren’s coffee was in effect now, and the conversations in the car was starting to pick up energy.

Armin was bubbling and gushing about how excited he was to see all the different animals and plants in person after studying them for months. He was also excited about seeing the wide open oceans and sandy beaches.

Trost had a beach that everyone was familiar with, but to experience such a large ocean with its saltwater and all, now that must be truly gorgeous.

Eren looked at the rearview mirror and saw Armin as he leaned over to Mikasa in the passenger’s seat and argued with her about some species of monkey. He always looked so passionate when he talked about wildlife, Eren thought and smiled at the scene.

They arrived at Sina Airport right on time. Eren and Mikasa helped Armin carry his luggage, and they found the terminal he was supposed to depart from.

“I’m going to miss you, Armin. This is going to be a great experience for you. Make every minute count,” Mikasa said and hugged him tightly.

“I will, I will, I’m so excited,” Armin breathed into her hair.

They separated and Mikasa gave him a gentle smile. Eren stood awaiting with open arms and a cocky grin.

Armin laughed and walked into Eren’s arms. “I’ll miss you so, so much, Eren. When I get back we’ll catch up on all the time we’ve lost.”

Eren wrapped his arms around Armin with an almost strangling grip, but it was full of love. He held the back of Armin’s head and they rocked back and forth in their hug.

“Don’t you think about time wasted, alright? You worked hard for this. Go out there and have fun,” Eren said into his ear. “And Levi gives his best wishes.”

“Thank you, Eren.” Armin made a sound from his throat as he held Eren even tighter. “And tell Levi I said thanks.”

Eren stroked the back of Armin’s blond head once more before releasing him. They held a look before Eren and Mikasa said their good-byes to him and walked away.

They missed him already. But to hear him gush earlier about the all the wildlife he’d get to experience and seeing those innocent blue eyes sparkle was priceless. He really deserved this trip.

Unfortuately, Eren didn’t have time to spend with Mikasa since he had to go to work as soon as he got back to Trost. But they promised they’d clear their schedules for an upcoming weekend to have real time to catch up.

Eren dropped Mikasa off at her boxing club and went straight to work. As he expected, the Monday morning hassle of the shop was ruthless and he couldn’t spare even a minute to relax from the long drive from the airport.

\--

The day blew over before he knew it, and soon enough Eren could see the early evening sky through the glass window. The shop door bell jingled and Marco walked in a little early for his shift. He probably came to see Jean.

“Hey guys,” Marco smiled, more so in Jean’s direction again.

“’Sup.” Jean said without looking up from wiping the counter. As ever, oblivious to Marco’s crush on him.

“Hey.” Eren took off his apron. “Listen, if you’re already here I’m just gonna go ahead and clock out. I’ve had a long day.” And while it was true that Eren was exhausted, he also wanted to give Marco some alone time with Jean.

He winked at Marco and walked out, almost collapsing into his car. He dropped his head back and it hit the headrest with a _thump_. Today really was a long day. And he wanted nothing more than to be with Levi right now.

He checked his phone, and speak of the devil, there was a text from Levi:

_Hey baby, let me take you out for dinner._

Eren grinned. Levi was always one step ahead.

 _OK!_ Eren replied. _Pick me up in in 45 minutes._

Eren went home and had a quick and dirty shower. He snoozed a bit on the couch until Levi arrived.

There was that knock on the door, and Eren opened up. Levi took Eren’s chin and lay a gentle kiss on his lips.

“Eren, you look exhausted.” He looked concerned.

“Yeah, I got up at like 5 am and the airport was a long drive, plus the Monday shift fucked my ass. Armin says thanks for the good luck, by the way.”

“He’ll be back before you know it,” Levi said. “Where do you want to eat?”

Eren was really in no mood for a fancy experience. At this point he just wanted to get something into his system and sleep for fifteen hours. “Take me to the pier; I know a pizza joint there.”

And so they went. Besides seeing Eren at the coffee shop a few times, this was Levi’s only other experience near the beach. It was a shame Eren had no energy to show him his favorite places.

“I usually come here for a slice after work or on my lunch break,” Eren said. “They have big portions, which I like.”

Levi looked down at the pizza in front of them. In this restaurant, the slices were so large that people kept them on the plates and nibbled off the edge. It was youthful and a bit barbaric, but isn’t that Eren’s favorite way of eating, after all?

“I see that,” Levi chuckled. “This pizza takes up the whole table.”

Eren was starved and scarfed down half the pizza within ten minutes. Once again, Levi had to tell him: “How many times do I have to remind you?” he asked gently. “Slow down. Honestly, I don’t understand how you manage to maintain a body like that with the way you eat, darling.”

Eren’s fingers were greasy and he took used his palms to hold his cup as he took a gulp of his soda. He looked up innocently with wide, green eyes. “You think I have a nice body?”

“Obviously.”

“I think you have a fucking sexy body, too.”

It might’ve been the way Eren said it after having spoken so mildly for a while, but Levi laughed, airy and rich, and Eren laughed, too.

“You’re adorable, Eren.”

\--

No doubt did Eren end up staying the night at Levi’s apartment. He spent more time there than his own place, these days. It got to the point where it almost felt awkward to stay at his own apartment.

Eren changed into his pajamas and climbed into Levi’s bed almost immediately. Levi sat beside him in the bed, with plans to help put Eren to sleep and then go to his office to get some work done.

Eren slept on his side, with the blanket wrapped all the way up to his shoulders, and his eyes were already dragging shut. Levi stroked Eren’s hair softly, carding his fingers through his chocolate brown locks and scratching the back of his head.

“You poor thing, you really are exhausted.”

Eren didn’t move, and listened to Levi’s deep voice that was like an instant charm for falling asleep.

“You’re such a sweet boy. Look how exquisite you are. I really could look at you all day.” Levi continued running his fingers through Eren’s hair, and soon enough, his eyes were shut and he was breathing deeply. “Sweet dreams, love,” Levi whispered and kissed him on the forehead.

-

Dawn crawled in, and Levi had woken up early and retreated to his study again. Even after he worked for a while, it was still a bit too early to wake Eren. He decided to go downstairs to the gym for a little bit.

Eren woke up by the light streaming through the window, and he didn’t remember how he fell asleep last night, but he was in a strangely good mood this morning. He looked at his phone and saw that Armin had sent him a picture of himself on the airplane with the caption “On my way to Africa!” Eren’s heart squeezed at the joyful picture of his best friend.

He went to the kitchen and didn’t find Levi. He wasn’t in the study or bathroom, either. He figured he’d go ahead and have breakfast on his own.

Eren was eating cereal at the couch while watching TV when Levi entered the front door, breathing slightly harder and with triangles of sweat leading down his tank top from his neck and chest.

He smiled when he saw Eren on the couch. “Ah, you’re awake.” He went over a kissed Eren’s head from behind the couch. “I hoped I didn’t worry you. I just went to get a quick workout in.”

With his mouth full and the bowl in his hands, Eren couldn’t reciprocate, but he offered a loving “Mmf!” in return.

Levi showered and then joined Eren on the couch. Once again, Eren was wrapped up in that beige blanket, and he placed his head on Levi’s lap as soon as he sat down.

“I have a favor to ask you, dear.” Levi looked down at his lap.

“What’s that?” Eren grinned.

“So, there’s a work function on Thursday,” Levi explained, “A bit of a celebration. It’s a formal event, and everyone’s invited to bring guests. I was wondering if you’d like to be my plus one?”

“Uhh… I don’t know, Levi, I don’t know if I can keep up with all that business talk and fancy stuff. I don’t want to embarrass you.”

“Nonsense. There’s no way you can embarrass me. I’d be proud to show you off. Plus, you won’t be expected to do much. I want to introduce you to a few people.”

“And that’s it?”

“And that’s it,” Levi repeated. “I want you to get to know my work life. All you need to do is stand there and look pretty. Which,” Levi brushed Eren’s bangs back and kissed his forehead, “you seem to have no problem doing.”

Eren giggled. “Alright. I’ll do it!”

“Thank you, dear. This means a lot to me.”

Levi filled him in on the details. Though Levi managed many businesses, he was Co-CEO of a large company- Survey Corporation. The company had recently closed off a deal with another important benefactor, Garrison. The event on Thursday was a celebration for both parties.

“Your suit came in a while ago, by the way,” Levi said. “I hung it up for you. You’ll get to wear it to the event. Although, that’s more of a treat for me than you.”

Eren beamed and lifted his head with puckered lips, and Levi supported his head with his hand as he leaned down to meet his lips. Eren introduced his tongue, and Levi gladly opened up for him. It was struggle for dominance, and it was common knowledge that competition always riled Eren up.

“Mmm, Levi… fuck me,” Eren moaned dramatically.

Levi slipped out from under Eren and got off the couch, and carried Eren’s wrapped body to the bedroom. He didn’t know what he would do with this little piece of work, but the element of surprise was always in the mix when Eren was involved.

Now, even though Eren was very clearly asking to be fucked, Levi wanted to wait for a more romantic time and situation for that. With almost 45 minutes until Eren needed to be at work, Levi figured just something that would hold him over will do.

He lay Eren down, and unwrapped his body from the blanket. Eren voluntarily stripped his pajama pants and boxers, desperate and hungry for action. He lay with just a shirt and a cheeky grin awaiting Levi’s next move.

Levi gave him a quick blowjob, just so that he wouldn’t be unsatisfied while he was at work. Levi was good with his mouth of course, and Eren was, as per usual, very loud and vocal while being pleasured.

When Levi sucked him off, Eren had a tendency to hold Levi’s head down and clamp his legs to keep him there, which, although it suffocated him, Levi thought was very cute. He used one hand to hold Eren’s length, and the other hand to gently pry Eren’s clamping leg from his face.

“Oh, yeah, fuck, _shit_ , Levi! Right there, do that thing with your tongue… God, _yes_!” Eren had an arm draped over his face and his back was arching as he grew closer and closer to orgasm.

Levi increased his pace and pressure, and before he knew it, Eren’s hot cum was going down his throat. He made sure Eren was all done, and then slowly slid his lips off him. Eren was a bit sensitive as he climbed down from his orgasm, and his thighs were trembling around Levi as he recovered.

Levi kissed the inside of Eren’s knee. “Good?”

Eren’s chest rose and fell as he panted harshly, and he nodded and smiled with his arm still draped over his face. “Good.”


	15. Life of the Party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren finally gets a taste of Levi's work life!
> 
> (And thank you all for such adorable comments and support last chapter. I'm thankful to have such kind readers. All of you guys are sugary sweet! Thank you :3 )

When Thursday came around, Eren tried not to let his speculations and thoughts about the Survey Corporation event distract him from his work.

\--

That evening, Eren showered and dressed in his suit, taking extra time in combing his hair. He looked at himself in the floor-length mirror in Levi’s bedroom. Staring back was a familiar looking guy, except now that guy was dressed in an outfit that was more expensive than his entire wardrobe combined. It was strange to see himself like this. Changing from jeans and tank tops to black tie even for one night was a bit of a culture shock. But, Eren thought, it really _was_ just one night. He might as well play the fantasy and have some fun with it.

Eren went to the living room. “Ready!”

Levi turned from looking out the glass wall as he was adjusting a very expensive-looking watch. He smiled when he saw Eren.

“Oh, wow,” Levi breathed and walked to Eren and brushed some lint off his shoulder. “You’re simply dashing. You handsome boy.” He took Eren’s face and kissed his forehead.

Levi was looking sharp as usual. He opted for a similar jet-black suit with a black silk button-up underneath, again leaving the top few buttons undone like Eren so loved.

Eren traced a finger down Levi’s collarbones and into his pec cleavage. “I love when you unbutton your shirts. It drives me nuts.”

Levi took Eren’s wandering finger and took it into his mouth, gently sucking while looking at Eren’s eyes. Eren gasped and he felt his cock twitch.

Levi took Eren’s finger out and laced their fingers together. He lay a gentle kiss on Eren’s hand. “You drive me nuts, too, baby,” he whispered. “Let’s go.”

The drive there was a little further than Eren thought. But it did give him an opportunity to look out the window at the passing city, and they listened to the radio, which soothed Eren’s nerves.

They finally arrived at a huge mansion, which even from a distance showed off class and luxury. It was lined with manicured trees that were embellished with pearly, twinkling lights, and there was an entrance that had a literal red carpet just for the event. People that were dressed in tuxedos and flowing, sparkling dresses walked in laughing, hand-in-hand, and they had arms wrapped gently around their partners’ waists.

As they pulled into the valet line with other luxurious sports cars, Eren kept looking out the window and tried to gather courage, silently praying that he wouldn’t embarrass Levi or even himself.

All of a sudden, he felt Levi’s hand on his knee and realized that his leg has been shaking. He turned his sight from the window, to Levi’s hand on his knee, and then to Levi’s face.

“Don’t be nervous, Eren,” Levi said gently. “Just be yourself and you’ll fit right in.” He cupped Eren’s cheek. “Okay?”

Eren took a deep breath and nodded. “Okay.”

The valet took Levi’s keys and the two of them stepped out. Eren followed Levi closely, trying to match his air of confidence and power.

They reached the inside of the mansion, and Eren was already overwhelmed with sights and sounds. Right away, a magnificent chandelier with thousands of sparkling jewels caught his eye, the nearby lights catching their iridescence and made them twinkle like stars. At a distance, there was a large staircase with a wide base and a curved shape as it reached the top. The rich carpeting and mahogany handles gave it a magical, inviting mystery to it. Eren wondered where the stairs led to.

He was snapped out of his thoughts when a man approached them. “Mr. Ackerman, congratulations on the deal. Garrison will make the Survey Corporation bigger than ever.”

“Thank you, Gunther.” Levi shook his hand. “It wouldn’t have been possible without everyone’s hard work.” Eren noticed that Levi’s voice didn’t have that same gentle and reassuring quality to it like when he spoke to Eren. This must be Levi’s business side.

Levi placed a hand on Eren’s lower back and gently ushered him forward. “Eren, this is Gunther Schultz, our marketing executive. Gunther, this is Eren Jaeger.”

Eren stuck his hand out. “Nice to meet, you. Sir.”

Gunther shook Eren’s hand firmly. “No need for formalities. Nice to meet you, Eren.”

A few more people approached them, and Levi introduced Eren to his executive team- Oruo the public relations director, Erd the treasurer, and Hange and Moblit the accounting executives. These people whisked Eren away to their table for dinner and insisted on getting to know him better. They didn’t know that Levi was his boyfriend. They probably assumed he was an intern that Levi had their eye on and wanted to impress Levi. Either way, Eren was glad he had a friendly group of people to retreat to if the night got too rough.

Dinner was an expensive cut of steak with potatoes and vegetables. Eren ate and tried to silently keep up with the conversations at the table. Hange and Moblit were discussing stocks, and whether it was more worthwhile to invest in riskier business or play it safe and get a small, reliable profit. Hange insisted that the risky investment in Garrison was what got them the deal in the first place. Moblit argued that consistency was the only way to keep a major corporation afloat. Everyone at the table became heated and they all seemed to have a clear stance.

“What do you think, Eren?” Hange smiled brightly.

“Oh, umm… I think consistency is important, but investing in up-and-coming businesses expands demographic and investors. It would be dumb not to take a risk on a struggling business, since a major corporation could later use them as a subsidiary and maximize manufacturing.”

Everyone at the table stared at Eren in surprise, and he hoped he didn’t sound stupid. But then they all laughed and agreed, even those who opted for the consistency stance. Hange clapped her hand on Eren’s back aggressively and cackled. He was in the middle of taking a sip and he choked.

“That’s a boy, Eren! You know your stuff!” she said. Eren’s felt relief wash over him that he gained the trust and respect from Levi’s closest employees, and was thankful that the economics class he took a while ago came in handy.

From a distance, Levi looked at their table with everyone laughing and engaging Eren with questions, and he smiled.

\--

When dinner was over, Eren got up and looked around for a bathroom. A waiter approached him with a tray of a shimmering champagne.

“Sir?” He extended the tray and handed Eren a glass with a gloved hand.

Eren looked to see that Levi wasn’t looking, since he insisted to wait until Eren was 21 to let him have alcohol. Levi’s back was turned as he was talking to a group of men.

“Please,” Eren said and downed the glass in relief. It was delicious, far fancier than the cheap beer he’s had at previous parties in his life. He wiped his mouth and placed the glass on the waiter’s tray.

“Actually, could you point me towards the bathrooms?”

The waiter pointed to the staircase. “The nearest one is hidden behind the staircase.”

“Thanks.” Eren headed in that direction, and when he entered, he was impressed but not surprised at all by how sleek and fancy it was.

The sinks and doors had a chrome finish, and the paper towels didn’t have a dispenser. Rather, they sat in neat stacks beside the sinks. The mirrors were illuminated by a hidden light display with shifting colors of the rainbow. Eren noticed himself in the mirror and was still weirded out by the sight of himself in a suit.

He went into the stall and sat as he did his business, catching up with texts and the more down-to-earth side of his life. The champagne from earlier was starting to kick in, and he felt a healthy buzz and a small surge of confidence.

He walked out the bathrooms and the Levi’s executive team introduced him to more company employees, including employees from Garrison. Eren was really starting to get the hang of it. Learning people’s first names and their positions was a skill he was developing at an alarming pace, and conversations were getting easier as Eren was opinionated and had no problem putting his two cents in.

The staff took out desserts, and Eren excused himself from his current group of conversation and approached the sweets. Delicate french pastries, colorful macaroons, and chocolates of all shapes and sizes stretched as far as his eye could see. He took a plate and collected many different kinds of sweets, but then he stopped dead in his tracks.

There was a chocolate fountain!!

How did Eren not notice it before? It was mainly flocked by the women of the party, and Eren tried to watch how they were using the fountain. They took metal skewers and filled them with fruit, and dipped the skewers into the cascade.

Eren abandoned his current plate and joined them, introducing himself and loading a skewer of his own with fruit. The women seemed to take him under his wing, showing him the correct way to dip his skewer.

They nibbled at their skewers together over napkins, laughing and discussing their relations to the companies.

After finishing his skewer, Eren waved good-bye to the ladies. They called after him, using names like “sweetie” and “darling”, and told him to find them again later. They were smitten by his charm, much like everyone was at this party. He looked around and tried to find the executive team again. Just then, Levi approached him.

“Eren, how are you holding up, dear?”

“Surprisingly well. It’s not as bad as I thought.”

Another voice approached them. “Levi. The man of the hour.”

Eren looked up at one of the only people he’s heard of all night refer to Levi by his first name and not “Mr. Ackerman” with a stiff handshake.

A tall blonde mountain of a man with striking blue eyes and thick eyebrows walked up to them, alongside a tiny ginger-haired lady with a sparkling peach gown.

“Erwin, I was wondering when I’d see you tonight,” Levi smirked.

“Had to entertain the Garrison guests,” Erwin said. “I had to make this collaboration more concrete.”

“Eren, this is Erwin Smith. My Co-CEO, and my right hand.”

“Eren, it’s nice to finally meet you,” Erwin shook his hand and patted his shoulder. “Levi has told me many good things about you. I’ve looked forward to meeting you for a long time.”

 _Levi talked about him to his closest friends?_ Eren’s heart sang. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Smith.”

“Oh, just Erwin is fine, Eren.”

Levi pointed his hand to the tiny lady waiting beside Erwin. “And this is Petra Ral. She’s my trustworthy secretary.”

Petra approached Eren, and he extended his hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Ms. Ral.”

“Oh, no need to be so formal, sweetie, call me Petra!” She shook his hand and took his cheeks in her hands. “Oooh, Levi didn’t tell me you were so adorable! What a cute thing you are!”

Eren laughed nervously. He was flattered that Petra was gushing over him, but he was secretly up in the clouds that Levi had told them about him. Good things, apparently.

Someone called Petra away and she said her good-bye to Eren, stroking his cheek one last time and giving him a motherly smile.

“Enjoying the party so far, Eren?” Erwin asked.

“Yes! I’m honored to be here.”

“I trust Erwin with my life,” Levi told Eren. “If for any reason I’m not there or something happens to me, find Erwin and he will help you with anything you need.”

Erwin laughed, a loud, confident, airy laugh. “Levi, you flatter me. But yes, Eren, I am completely at your service.”

“Mr. Ackerman, I finally found you,” a voice said.

They all turned to see a bald man with a gray mustache approach them.

“Mr. Pixis,” Levi said calmly. “A pleasure.” They shook hands firmly. “This collaboration is a complete success.”

“I couldn’t agree more. I can’t wait to see where both Survey Corp. and Garrison will go.” He turned to Eren. “And who’s this young man?”

“This is Eren Jaeger,” Levi introduced. “Eren, this is Dot Pixis, CEO of Garrison.”

“Nice to meet you, sir!” Eren realized Pixis was just as important to this party as Levi and Erwin were.

Pixis laughed loudly and shook Eren’s hand roughly. “Pleasure’s all mine, Mr. Jaeger!”

Erwin realized Pixis and Levi probably wanted some privacy. “Eren. Come for a walk with me?”

Eren walked side-by-side with Erwin, noticing the tap of their shoes against the marble floors.

“All these formalities must bore you,” Erwin said. “Let’s go outside and get some fresh air.”

Eren followed Erwin upstairs and into a hallway that led to a balcony. The cool air felt exhilarating and refreshing to Eren after having been in the suit and building up a sweat running back and forth talking to people.

“Levi was right, Eren. If there’s anything you need, please find me. You mean so much to Levi, and so you mean a lot to me as well.” They exchanged numbers.

“How did you two meet?” Eren asked.

Erwin smiled fondly and gazed up towards the sky, searching his memory for their history. “We worked together ever since Survey Corp. was a tiny business. We worked tirelessly and for long nights until we built the company into what it is today. He’s a dear friend of mine.”

Eren tried to imagine a younger Levi and Erwin. It was inspiring to hear that Levi worked hard for his success.

“And the truth is, Eren, with how long I’ve known Levi, I’ve really gotten to know him. He’s been… a bit unsatisfied for the longest time,” Erwin said. “For the past few years, Levi just hasn’t seemed himself. He never talked about it, because he likes to keep things private. He works and clocks out, and he builds everyone up while ignoring his own feelings.”

Eren listened closely, learning about a side of Levi that he’s never known.

“But ever since he’s met you, Eren,” Erwin smiled broadly at him, “he’s been… resurrected. Eren, he’s happier than I’ve ever seen him. The whole company has noticed. Whenever he tells me about you, he has such admiration in his eyes. It warms my heart. I’m so glad you came into his life.”

Eren was speechless. He had no idea he meant that much to Levi.

“I’m sorry if I overwhelmed you with all that information. But I just had to tell you. You’re such a positive impact on his life.”

“Thank you for telling me all that, Erwin. I just- I had no idea.”

Erwin pat his back and rubbed it as they looked out into night. “And give yourself more credit. You’re a bright young man. You lit up this entire party. People were asking me if I had a chance to talk to Mr. Jaeger. And now I get to say that I know him personally.”

Eren laughed. Being the obviously youngest person in the event, he was scared he wouldn’t be able to relate to anyone. But Levi was right- all he had to do was be himself.

“Come on, I’ll walk you back,” Erwin said.

They got back to great hall, and it seemed that people were beginning to call it a night. They found Levi, and Erwin said his good-byes to them.

“Hey,” Levi said. “Ready to go home?”

“Yup.”

They waited for Levi’s car to arrive in the valet line, and Levi hugged Eren, picking him up in his arms and spinning him around when he thought no one was looking. Eren laughed into the night, happy and carefree.

From a distance, Erwin and Petra stood with glasses of champagne watching Levi and Eren.

“Petra, I really think he’s the one,” Erwin said, referring to Eren.

“I couldn’t agree more, Mr. Smith,” Petra said fondly. They clinked their glasses and drank.

\--

Levi and Eren got to Trost Tower, Eren still a bit energetic from all the socializing and that glass of champagne, and Levi tired but trying to keep up with Eren.

When Levi closed the door, he scooped Eren up and took him to the couch. “Eren, you were absolutely delightful at the party. Everyone told me they loved you. You’re such a good boy. You made me really happy today.”

Eren grinned. “I’m a good boy?”

Levi pounced at Eren, attacking him with kisses and tickles. “Yes, precious, you’re my good boy. My darling, darling, boy. You make me so happy!”

Eren basked in Levi’s praise, urging Levi to continue with the pet names.

Levi scooped him up again and took him the bedroom. “And I’ll show you just how good you were tonight. But let’s get you out of this suit first.”

They showered together, and Levi massaged Eren with lotion before bed again, whispering praises into his ear, and even though Eren offered to return the favor, Levi refused. Tonight was all about him.

Eren was a pile of mush, all sedated after Levi has rubbed all the tension out of his muscles. He loved the treatment Levi gave him, and insisted on returning the favor.

“Leeevi,” Eren said as he was face down in the sheets. “Let me give you a blowjob or something. Please.”

Levi chuckled and turned off the lights. He patted Eren’s butt to get him to get into the covers with him. “Not tonight, my little prince. Right now, I just want you to relax and sleep. That’s all I want.”

Levi continued to cuddle him as they were falling asleep, and after stroking his hair, Eren was out and snoring loudly in no time at all.

Levi smiled into Eren’s hair, inhaling the smell of shampoo and the scent that was exclusively Eren’s. What did he do to deserve this bundle of happiness?

The memories of the night wrapped him up and the fatigue finally set in, leaving Levi with a sense of content as he finally drifted to sleep with Eren wrapped securely in his arms.


	16. Time Stands Still

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just some morning fluff for you guys! Our boys needed some time to wind down after the party!
> 
> (Also, I cannot thank you guys enough for the mudda cute comments and encouragement last chapter. You guys literally made me cry. Tears of joy, I promise! I really really appreciate every single one of you. You all make me so happy! I wrote this chapter at the same time as the last one but I uploaded later, so that's why it seems like I wrote this one freakishly fast. Anyway, enjoy :3 )

The tender morning sunlight shined upon Eren and Levi. Eren's face was buried in the crook of Levi's neck, gripping onto his shirt and snoring deeply. Levi opened his eyes and his heart fluttered at the sight of Eren. This was the best thing to wake up to.

He kissed Eren's hair, enjoying the smell of shampoo. Eren didn't stir. Levi wrapped his arms tighter around him. He wanted to protect and spoil Eren with everything he had. Words couldn't describe how precious this boy was to him.

He released his hold on Eren and unclutched Eren's fingers from his shirt. He had a special treat for him today.

Levi slipped out of bed, careful not to make too much sound or harsh movement as to not wake Eren. Although it wouldn't really matter because Eren was a heavy sleeper and needed to be coaxed awake.

Levi got to work making Eren a hearty breakfast of french toast and eggs. He remembered how Eren enjoyed the last time he made it so he aimed to please. He still got that surge of pride and joy when he fed Eren- feeding him was one of his favorite things.

He fixed himself his own mug of coffee and loaded the food onto plates.

Levi entered the bedroom with the large tray of food, and smiled at the sight of Eren slumbering away. He placed the tray and his coffee on the bedside table and climbed back into bed beside Eren.

Levi stroked Eren's hair softly and brushed his bangs away from his face.

"Eren... darling... time to wake up," he said softly.

Eren's snoring stopped at the feeling of Levi's hand caressing him, but he didn't open his eyes.

Levi continued. "Baby... rise and shine." He leaned down and kissed Eren's forehead.

Eren inhaled a deep breath and cracked his eyes open. He looked at Levi blankly. He might've been annoyed to have been woken up, but honestly, how could he dislike being woken up to Levi's soft touch and deep, lovely voice?

Levi smiled down at him. "Hey, sleepyhead," he whispered, "good morning."

Eren slowly sat himself up on his elbows and stretched his neck around. He sat up all the way and scratched at his messy bedhead.

"I have a surprise for you," Levi said. He reached over to his bedside table and presented Eren with the tray of food. "Breakfast in bed today."

Immediately Eren's morning pout turned to a wide smile that lit up his face. "Oh wow, thanks, Levi! Oh, it smells great!" He took the tray into his lap and dug in right away.

Levi watched as Eren ate and sighed with content at every bite. "I love watching you eat, baby. You're so precious." He brushed some stray bangs away from Eren's face.

"God, your french toast is amazing," Eren said. "I'd wake up early every day if it meant I got this treatment from you."

Eren continued eating, the rays of sunlight from the window giving him a childlike glow. He wasn't ashamed anymore to admit that he loved being treated like a prince.

When he finished, Levi wiped his mouth for him with a napkin as Eren leaned his head back on the headboard and smiled with his eyes closed. Levi took the tray and placed on the table, and Eren met him halfway in the bed on his knees. He took Levi's shoulders and hugged him, resting his head on his shoulder and squeezing innocently.

"Thank you for always treating me like this, Levi," he said gently. "Thank you for breakfast and for everything. I love you."

Levi's heart lurched and he squeezed Eren back in an even tighter hug. "I love you, too, sweetheart. It's my pleasure."

Eren turned on the TV as they sat back and got comfortable in the bed. Levi used a mountain of pillows to sit back on, and Eren draped himself over Levi's thighs, lying on his stomach as he browsed his phone.

Levi snaked a hand up Eren's shirt and rubbed his back, a familiar warmth that Eren absolutely loved. He sipped his coffee as he watched the TV.

Eren laughed shortly and Levi saw that he was laughing at something on his phone. He continued trailing his nails gently up and down Eren's back.

This domestic scene was one that they were becoming quite used to. Levi loved waking up and tending to Eren, and Eren found mornings a lot more bearable with Levi's treatments. They were absolutely reliant on each other, and they felt so utterly fulfilled when they were together.

Eren switched off his phone and adjusted his position so that his head was resting on a pillow against Levi's legs and he was curled up underneath the blankets.

As they watched a movie on TV together, Levi continued drinking his coffee and placed a reassuring hand on Eren's head.

Eren looked up at Levi with emerald puppy eyes. "Massage my scalp, Levi?"

Levi always loved how direct and honest Eren was with what he wanted. He happily obliged and scratched Eren's head gently with his nails.

Eren gave hums of appreciation and cuddled closer to Levi.

The movie they were watching was about a man who abducted and tortured girls that reminded him of his deceased wife. Eren was very clearly invested, as he didn't talk at all throughout the movie, and soon enough Levi felt himself getting invested, too.

The man was about to massacre all the girls he had trapped in the basement and Eren held his breath as the police broke into the man's house. He cocked his gun right when the police barged into the basement, and Eren gasped. The man aimed at one of the girls in a last resort to kill before he was sent to jail, but the police were faster and shot him cleanly in the head before he pulled the trigger. Eren exhaled with relief and realized he's been clutching onto Levi's shirt during the climax.

"Ugh, fuck," Eren shook his head. "That was so close."

"The good guys always win, huh?" Levi said.

"Not always."

"What do you mean?"

Eren lay on his back again as he explained. "There was something clearly wrong with that guy. He was unsatisfied. His wife was taken away from him while she was delivering their son. I kinda felt bad for him, actually."

Levi took some time to think about Eren's commentary. "Yes, but tragedy happens to many people. Those girls he kidnapped were innocent and didn't deserve to suffer for his cause."

It was very like Eren to empathize with even misunderstood criminals. He had a big heart that saw more than the black and white of people's actions, and Levi realized that was one of the things that made him such a kind and innocent boy.

"Yeah..." Eren said as he stared at the ceiling. "I guess you're right."

"You're very bright, did you know that? I love hearing what you have to say about movies and anything else," Levi said.

Eren smiled and touched Levi's chin with his long fingers. "Well, that's good, because I have a lot to say about everything."

They both laughed and Eren got up to straddle Levi. He rested his head on Levi's shoulder and breathed in his scent- musk and sandalwood.

Levi rubbed Eren's back underneath his shirt again, and held the back of Eren's head with his other hand. "You sweet thing," he whispered. "I want to give you the world."

Eren wrapped his arms around him and buried his face in the crook of his neck. He closed his eyes, relishing the comfort and security he felt when he was in Levi's arms. "I want to stay with you all day."

They stayed in that position for what felt like eternity, because when they were together, time seemed to stop.

Eventually, Eren checked his phone and reluctantly peeled himself off of Levi to get ready for work.

\--

At the coffee shop it was much of the same. Lunchtime rolled around, and Jean was sent off to get them some fast food as Eren held down the fort.

The lunch hour was slow as usual, and Eren used the time to finish his texts from this morning. Mikasa managed to clear her schedule for Sunday, which Eren happily looked forward to. They haven't had a chance to truly spend time together in months.

Marco was really getting the upper hand in his endeavors with Jean. He excitedly reported that Jean invited him over to his place tonight. _The possibilities were endless!_ he had said.

 _Knowing him, he's probably just gonna give you some lousy dick and fall asleep,_ Eren typed back.

 _Eren, don't say that! I'm sure he has something really sweet planned!_ Marco replied.

Eren couldn't help but feel optimistic along with Marco. _You know what? Maybe youre right. Im rooting for you, bud! Tell me how it goes!_

Eren put away away his phone and saw Jean through the window. He blew one last puff of his cigarette before throwing it on the floor and putting it out beneath his shoe.

The door bell jingled as he brisked in with their bags of fast food. The store was still empty so they ate in the break room together.

They ate in a comfortable silence like always, and Eren scarfed down his food. _Slow down, baby. Take your time,_ he heard Levi's voice echo in his head.

The door bell jingled again with a customer and Eren wiped his hands and mouth as he got up from his seat. "I got it," he told Jean.

And for the rest of the day Eren's head was filled with sweet memories of being held and caressed by Levi, being spun around in hugs, being called pet names and praised in that deep, rich voice, being fed breakfast in bed, and, oh, was Eren so terribly, terribly in love.

 

 


	17. Mischief at the Movies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Saturday night = date night with our beloved Levi! And Levi finds out a new side of Eren ;)

Saturday night meant date night with Levi, which Eren used as an incentive to get through this particularly hellish day.

Normally Eren and Jean worked seamlessly to charm and appease impatient customers, and Bertholdt kept up his incredible pace with the machines, but some people were incredibly rude and entitled.

“Can I speak to the manager?” A loud man crossed his arms amidst a dozen other customers, and looked around the back of the counter for an authority figure. He was the third person today that demanded faster service.

“Motherfucker, we _are_ the manager,” Jean muttered under his breath while pumping espresso into three drinks.

“Sorry to keep you waiting, sir,” Eren called. “Just give us onnnne minute.” He smiled through gritted teeth.

The buzz of impatient and annoyed customers made Eren’s heart race. He’s certainly had his fair share of problematic customers, but the truth was, he could never truly brush them off as well as Jean could. Sometimes he really did have to hold his tongue and refrain from cussing people out.

Eren collected a batch of five drinks that Jean had finished and set them on the ready station, hoping the rude man’s was one of them so he could finally leave. “Please check for your names! Enjoy!” Eren went right back to the register collecting orders, and Jean and Bertholdt were running back and forth fixing drinks.

“Can I speak to a manager?” a mocking voice teased at the counter.

Eren looked up from writing orders on his notepad. His nervous expression instantly dropped when he saw who it was. “Ymir, I’m not in the mood. What do you want?”

The freckled girl laughed with her arm around Krista. “Hmmmm….” She stroked her chin and pretended to look over the menu, taking her sweet time and annoying the growing line of customers behind her, like she didn’t get the same thing every time.

“Sorry,” Krista mouthed, apologizing on her friend’s behalf.

“I’m getting you two the usual,” Eren said. “Fuck off, Ymir,” he said it gently, and immediately gave a bright smile to the next customer.

“But I wanted something different this time,” Ymir called in a fake hurt voice as Krista dragged her away to the ready station.

Luckily the customers grew more patient as the shift wore on. Eren got into the groove of writing a batch of orders on his notepad and passing notes on to Jean, who worked with Bertholdt like clockwork to take them to ready station. Eren collected payments and punched in numbers into the register with robotic efficiency. He almost stopped looking up.

“How can I help you?” Eren asked the next customer as he punched in two orders and writing them in his notepad.

“Eren. Hello,” a familiar comforting voice said.

He looked up. His frazzled nerves soothed when he saw who it was. “Erwin! I didn’t expect to see you here. What can I get ya?”

“Mmm, a large Earl Grey please.”

“You got it.”

“Full house, huh?” Erwin said as he looked around.

“Mm-hmm.” Eren punched in the order and took Erwin’s money. “Your drink will be ready at that station. Thanks for coming in.”

Erwin smiled and went to wait with other customers. Eren would have had a better conversation with him at a different time, but there were way too many people. He felt a bit guilty, but it couldn’t be helped.

A few batches later, Jean approached Eren from behind and clapped a hand on his shoulder. “Good job, Eren. We cleared the house.”

He was right. The customers were now coming in sparsely, the tips cup was overflowing, and the three of them could finally take their (late) lunch break.

“You and Bert held it down back there,” Eren said. “My only job was taking shit from the customers.”

They laughed, and Jean offered to let Eren take the first lunch break as a reward for handling the rude customers so well.

Eren took three $5 bills from the tip cup and walked down the street, juggling his lunch options in his head. Burgers? His usual slice? A sub?

He settled on tacos, and he took his bag of food to the pier, where he sat and looked at the ocean as he ate. The cool late afternoon breeze brushed his bangs back, and he felt his nerves soothe after such a rough shift.

He checked his phone, and he had a text from Marco:

_Eren- I have things to tell you!_

_What is it??_ Eren replied.

_No, I wanna tell you in person!_

It was most likely about the evening he spent with Jean. He seemed excited, so it probably went well.

Eren wiped his greasy fingers on his pants and walked back to the shop. The minute he entered, Jean was brushing past him with an unlit cigarette in his mouth.

“You can go have your lunch, Bert.” Eren said. “I can hold it down.”

Bertholdt wiped his forehead with his rag and smiled. “Alright, I’ll be back soon.” He exited the shop, and with that, it was just the one customer sitting near the window and Eren alone in the shop.

It was only 4 pm. Eren usually cut his shifts short on the weekends, but with classes just around the corner, he wanted to save up some pocket money. Although, he realized, he’s had more than enough personal spending money lately. He doesn’t have to spend a dime when he’s with Levi. Levi wouldn’t let him, always waving his wallet down and insisting on picking up bills.

Eren sighed like a dreamy teenage girl in love as he thought about Levi. He remembered the massage from earlier, and the breakfast in bed. A warm feeling spread in his heart, and he was snapped back to reality when the door bell jingled.

It was Reiner, who came in panting like he had been running.

“Hey, man.” Eren grinned.

“Hey, bud. Is Bert here?” Reiner looked around behind the counter.

“You know what, he just left for his lunch break. He should be back soon, though.”

“Ah.” Reiner stretched, extending his strong arms behind him so that his back muscles flexed. “Could you hook me up with the usual?”

“Protein fix coming up,” Eren said. Just then, Bertholdt walked in, holding a drink.

“Reiner,” he said admiringly. “What are you doing here?”

“What, I can’t come see my boyfriend?” Reiner took Bertholdt’s waist and pulled him in, taking his lips roughly. When they separated, Bertholdt’s face flushed red and he looked around frantically.

“Reiner, not in public.” He lowered his head shyly.

Reiner took Bertholt’s ass in his hands and pressed their bodies together. Jean walked in the shop, and rolled his eyes.

“Uhh, get a room,” he said.

“Yeah, man, we got customers,” Eren laughed and extended Reiner’s drink to him.

“Alright, alright,” Reiner laughed and took his drink from Eren. “We’ll finish this tonight, babe.” Reiner winked at Bertholdt and walked out the door.

Bertholdt was blushing furiously, hiding his face in embarrassment. Eren laughed and rubbed his back in comfort.

\--

The end of the shift came to a close, and the relief of getting off of work washed over Eren. Jean clocked out and left as soon as possible, and Bertholdt and Eren wiped down the tables for Marco’s and Sasha’s shift.

Sasha walked in with a bag of fast food in her hand. “Hey guys!”

“Hey,” Eren and Bertholdt said unanimously.

Sasha ate fries out of her bag and put on her apron. Eren clocked out and waved his goodbye. He saw Marco getting out of his car in the parking lot.

“Hey, Marco.”

Marco took Eren’s shoulders and shook them. “Eren. I have to tell you about the date!”

“Oh yeah, how was it?”

“Eren, it was wonderful! He ordered pizza and we watched a movie together. He was really sweet!” Marco gushed.

Eren couldn’t imagine Jean being soft, but Marco did have the tendency to bring out everyone’s gentler side.

“Did you…” Eren almost hesitated to ask, “Did you…fuck?”

A sly smile creeped wider and wider on Marco’s face and he nodded slowly. “It was a-MAZE-ing. The way he-“

“No need to go into details,” Eren shook his hands and laughed. “I gotcha. But I’m so relieved that things worked out with him. I’m happy for you, Marco.”

“Thanks, Eren. I’m going back to his place tonight after my shift.”

Eren patted his shoulder sternly. “Be safe, kid. No funny business, ya hear?”

They laughed and Eren got into his car and drove home.

\--

Levi knocked on Eren’s apartment door later that evening, ready to pick him up for their date night.

Eren opened the door with a bright smile and flung himself into Levi’s arms. Levi squeezed, pressing his lips to Eren’s cheek.

“Hey, sweetheart.”  


“Levi, I had such a hard day at work,” Eren whined quietly.

Levi took Eren to the couch, and held him close. “Do you want to tell me about it?” he asked softly.

Eren rested his head against Levi’s chest and sighed. “Rude customers. I was almost at my limit.”

Levi didn’t know what to say so instead he comforted Eren physically, stroking and petting his head. “There, there. You persevered and I’m sure you were polite doing it.”

Eren said nothing.

“You _were_ polite, right?”

Eren groaned. “Yeah. Even though I wanted to snap someone’s neck.”

“Oh, my.”

Eren laughed and wrapped his arms around Levi’s neck. “Don’t worry, I’m not gonna snap anyone’s neck.” He placed a light peck on Levi’s lips.

Levi laughed and stroked Eren’s cheek. “That’s my boy. I’m glad.”

When they were in Levi’s car, Levi placed a hand on Eren’s thigh. “Where would you like to go tonight?”

“Movies, please.”

“You got it.”

They drove to the cinema, the lights of the restless city illuminating the dreary dusk sky. Eren reclined his chair and put his feet up on the dashboard, letting the wind from his open window invigorate him.

Eren wanted to see a superhero movie, and Levi bought tickets at the booth. They approached the concessions counter, and they each got a drink and a large popcorn to share.

The feeling of the world seeming quieter and smaller upon entering the theater excited Eren. He took Levi’s hand and led them to their seats. Eren chose a place rather far back, which Levi questioned.

“More privacy, and you can put your feet up,” Eren said. In reality, Eren had more in mind than leg room.

Luckily, there weren’t too many people in the screening. It was moderately filled, but most of the people were sitting further up front.

The movie started, and they got comfortable. Eren reached into the bucket of popcorn on Levi’s lap and ate as he watched the movie.

His right hand found Levi’s, and Levi stroked his thumb over it. He rested his head on Levi’s shoulder, using the arm rest between them as leverage.

They watched in this position for quite some time. The movie was a bit dull as it built up to the climax, and Eren was feeling a bit mischievous.

He sat up straighter, keeping his hold of Levi’s hand. Slowly, ever so slowly, he took Levi hand towards his crotch, controlling Levi’s hand as he would his own, acting as a sort of puppet master.

Eren pulled down the waistband of his shorts and pulled his cock out with his left hand. He used his right hand to lead Levi’s hand to identify and grasp his cock, and he made Levi’s hand start rubbing up and down.

Levi finally realized what was going on. “Eren!” he hissed.

Eren completely ignored him, and threw his head back in pleasure as he increased Levi’s pace on him. He whimpered, biting his lip to choke back a moan. The dialogue of the movie was quiet, and the people in the theater were attentive. Any sound Eren made would be heard and echoed off the walls. It was a dangerous game, and Eren was aroused by the risk and exhibition. Or the fact that Levi was completely helpless in this situation.

Eren was breathing harshly, his chest rising and falling, and he used Levi’s hand to jack himself off very aggressively. Levi was surprised Eren wasn’t uncomfortable or in pain.

Levi sighed deeply, and gave in. He wrapped his hand more firmly around Eren, and used pressure techniques to give a more pleasurable experience. Eren noticed Levi’s active participation and a moaned escaped his lips. He slapped his left hand over his mouth and looked down, avoiding stares from the few people who heard him and whipped their heads around to glare at him.

Eren’s head remained ducked as Levi finished him off. He was getting closer, closer, and the only thing on his mind was wondering where he was going to release.

Relief punched him in the face when he saw a napkin wrapped around the cup in his dispenser. He grabbed at it sloppily, his body feeling weak as he was being handled by Levi and growing seconds away from cumming. He wrapped the napkin around the head of his cock, feeling jets of white moisten the flimsy brown napkin.

His eyes rolled back when he finished, and Levi slowly let go of him. Eren was up in the clouds as he climbed down from his orgasm, unaware of where he was. When he came to his senses, he finished cleaning himself up and tucked the soiled napkin neatly into his empty cup.

“Disgusting,” Levi smiled and shook his head. Eren grinned as he pulled his pants back up and wrapped his arms around Levi’s bicep, getting comfortable and finishing the rest of the movie.

When the credits rolled, they got up and collected their garbage. As Eren dumped his trash into the waste bin outside the theater, he got some dirty looks from some people who were in theater and heard his moans.

But blissfully carefree as he was, he took Levi’s hand and they made their way out of the cinema.

“How did you like the movie?” Levi asked as they walked.

“I liked it a lot! I liked that handjob, too!”

“I didn’t realize I had a little exhibitionist on my hands,” Levi said. “I might have to be more careful with you in the future.”

They got to the car, and Eren suddenly slammed Levi against the side, smashing his lips into his, and moaned into his mouth. Levi was a bit shocked, thinking that Eren would be satisfied from earlier, but then he remembered that Eren was always ready for action.

He took Levi’s head in his hands, gaining maximum control, and bit gently at Levi’s lower lip. He moved his lips, placing wet kisses along Levi’s sharp jaw, then down the pale column of his throat, and along the collarbones exposed by his V-cut shirt.

“Ugh, Eren,” Levi groaned, his eyes clamped shut. “At home, baby, at home.”

Eren was in a public sex kind of mood, but he still respected Levi’s wishes. He placed one last innocent smooch on Levi’s lips and they got into the car.

“It’s a still a bit early…” Levi said. “Is there anywhere else you’d like to go, darling?”

“I’m a bit hungry. Can we go get a bite?”

“Of course.” Levi stroked Eren’s cheek and then started the car.

Levi took Eren to a family restaurant. Luckily food was able to distract and occupy Eren, and he didn’t have to worry about Eren’s erratic sex drive. They talked about their work, and Levi was absolutely charmed by him. He didn’t think he could love him any more, but he felt himself falling in love all over again, every time he saw Eren.

They exited the restaurant, Eren full and in a good mood, and they made their way to Levi’s apartment.

\--

Eren was exhausted by the time they got home, and he showered and got into bed immediately. Levi spent a couple hours in his study, as his workload and responsibilities increased when Survey Corp. started collaborating with Garrison.

He sipped on tea while doing stacks of paperwork and answering emails. The quiet of the night as well as the dull glow of the laptop eventually lulled Levi to sleep, and his head rested on his pile of papers.

Eren got up in the middle of the night, and went to the kitchen to pour himself some water to quench his thirst. He noticed that it was about 3 am and Levi still wasn’t in bed, and he looked around for him.

He found him in the study, sleeping on a pile of work. He smiled as he admired Levi from the doorway, the way his strong back rose and fell in his sleep. He took the empty cup of tea sitting on his desk to the kitchen, and took the beige blanket on the couch with him back to the study. He wrapped the blanket around Levi so that he wouldn’t get too cold if he woke back up to work, and he lay a gentle kiss on Levi’s temple.

He went back to Levi’s bed, and curled up happily, taking a pillow from Levi’s side and cuddling it, letting Levi’s scent lull him back to sleep. He loved this. He could live like this. He could live with Levi.

He wanted to take care of Levi just as much as Levi took care of him.


	18. A Familiar Face

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren and Mikasa spend a quality day together, and Levi gets Mikasa's seal of approval!

Eren woke up early on Sunday morning, surprised to see that Levi was still fast asleep in his study. He didn’t want to wake him, but his car was at his apartment and Levi was his only way to work. He could just take Levi’s keys… No. That would be unlike him.

Eren went to the kitchen and fixed a mug of coffee, brewing it with extra care and attention. He took it to Levi’s study, walking lightly on his feet, remembering that Levi was a light sleeper. He set the cup aside, letting the rich scent aid him in waking the tired man in front of him.

He rubbed Levi’s broad back, and leaned down to whisper near his ear. “Leeeevi… ‘morning.”

Levi cracked his eye open, then pulled himself up, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

“I made you coffee,” Eren offered softly.

Levi noticed the blanket slip off his back as he sat up. “Did you put this on me last night?”

“Yeah. I didn’t want to wake you up. You seemed tired.”

Levi took the mug, and had a sip, sighing deeply. “Thank you, dear. You’re very thoughtful.”

Eren was getting a little turned on by Levi’s rumbly morning voice, and he simply just smiled.

Levi turned his chair, and patted his thigh. “C’mere.”

Eren straddled him, resting his head on Levi’s shoulder. “Is the coffee good?”

“It’s excellent. Having coffee and seeing your lovely face is the best way to wake up.”

“Aw,” Eren blushed and kissed Levi on the cheek.

As it turned out, Levi wasn’t the most talkative person in the morning, and he finished his coffee in silence.

“Alright,” Levi squeezed Eren’s butt. “Let’s get you to work.”

\--

Eren would only work the morning shift today, and took the rest of the day off to spend time with Mikasa. He worked through his coworkers’ lunch shift, and then clocked out when Jean and Bertholdt returned.

Mikasa told him to meet her at a small café nearby, and they would start out their day with lunch and coffee.

He found the restaurant, a quaint little shop that had outdoor seating with a swingset and umbrella-shaded tables. He found Mikasa inside, and immediately went in for a hug.

“Oooh, it’s been far too long,” Eren said as he squeezed.

“Eren. I’ve missed you so much.”

“Did you cut your hair again?” Eren ran his fingertips through the ends of her jaw-length, glossy black hair.

“Yeah. It kept getting in the way during matches.”

“I like it.”

Mikasa smiled, a familiar gentle smile that warmed Eren’s heart. “I’m glad.”

They caught up on their lives, their more recent events, even though they already knew what’s been going on because they texted regularly.

“Look at Armin. Look at those adorable elephants!” Mikasa swiped through Armin’s most recent album of pictures sent on her phone.

“He’s having so much fun. I miss him so much,” Eren smiled fondly at Armin’s silly grins and poses beside various animals.

“I miss him, too,” Mikasa sighed and put away her phone. “But he’ll be back before we know it.”

“Mm.” Eren took a bite of his panini.

“So,” Mikasa leaned forward on her elbows, clasping her hands under her chin, “tell me about Levi. You’re keeping him a secret from me.”

“Not intentionally. What do you wanna know?”

“Mmm, what does he do?”

“He’s a businessman. And a CEO.”

Mikasa’s eyes widened and her eyebrows rose, nodding as she sipped her drink. “Does he treat you well?”

Eren rolled his eyes. Typical of Mikasa to be overprotective. “Duh. I wouldn’t be with someone who didn’t treat me well.”

“I know, I know. I’m just trying to look out for you.”

“Thanks. But rest assured, he treats me like a fucking king.”

“How old is he, again?”

“He’s thirty-five.”

Mikasa’s eyebrows furrowed. “Don’t you think he’s a little too old for you, Eren?”

“I don’t think so. The age difference hasn’t been a problem. Actually, I kinda like it.”

“Alright… if you say so.” Mikasa still looked dubious. “Can I see a picture of him?”

Eren was glad he asked for a picture when they went to the movies last time. It was Levi against a dark movie poster, smiling very subtly and looking as hot as ever. Levi made Eren pose for a picture as well after that, and Eren ended up giving several poses. _You’re so cute, love,_ he remembered Levi saying before they went into the movie.

Mikasa nodded at the picture when she was done looking. “He looks younger than thirty-five. I expected something different.”

Eren took another bite of his sandwich.

“Make sure you don’t rush into things, Eren.”

“Trust me, I couldn’t even if I wanted to. He insists on taking it slow. He says he doesn’t want me to regret my decisions.”

“That’s smart of him. Especially with your age difference. I have a good feeling about this one.”

“God, Mikasa, you’re making it seem like I’m some sort of loose slut or something.”

She giggled. “That’s not what I mean, and you know it. Your past relationships weren’t the safest choices for you. I’m just concerned, that’s all.”

The unsafe choices Mikasa was referring to was Eren’s many one-night stands, all of whom slowly chipped away at his self-worth without him realizing it. Being with Levi made him realize that he was more than just a good time. Not that he would admit that to Mikasa.

“Thanks, Mikasa. But you don’t have to worry. I’m just fine.”

-

After lunch, Eren took Mikasa to the pier, where they walked around the fair and played the games.

“Step right up, have a chance to win a teddy for ya lady,” a man called to Eren from the hammer game.

Eren was used to people assuming Mikasa was his girlfriend, so he didn’t bother correcting him. He took the hammer from the man, gazing at the flashing lights that led all the way up to the jackpot. If he was strong enough and hit the meter to the very top, he could win a gigantic stuffed animal.

Eren gathered his strength, adjusting his grip around the hammer. He pulled it back and swung it forward, driving it into the target with all his might. He watched the meter shoot swiftly up, then slow down about halfway.

Several kids were watching in anticipation, and Eren felt a little embarrassed.

“Better luck next time, fella,” the man consoled him.

Mikasa asked for a turn, and the man surprisingly obliged. She swung the hammer back and hit, and the meter blasted all the way to the top. The machine flashed bright lights and the screen to the top read “WINNER”.

“Well, how ‘bout that?” The man chuckled and gave Mikasa the huge purple bear she pointed at.

Eren rolled his eyes and laughed. “I’m not surprised. You should’ve just went first and saved me the humiliation.”

Mikasa hugged her stuffed bear. “Mmm, no, it was fun watching you try.”

After that, Eren, Mikasa, and the newly named Mr. Stuffins rode the ferris wheel, sharing cotton candy.

The view was absolutely beautiful on their way up. The ferris wheel offered a perfect view of the beach, and the late afternoon sky was a splash of oranges melting into blues. Mikasa rested her head on Eren’s shoulder, and Eren wrapped his arm around her.

It was quiet and peaceful up here. Eren absorbed the moment, the familiarity of silence with Mikasa, the exhilarating aerial view of the city and the sea.

The ride ended, and they continued to wander around the fair. When they’ve had enough, they walked to an ice cream shop nearby, and they ate as they gazed upon the crashing waves of the beach.

“What flavor did you get?” Mikasa asked.

“Rocky Road.”

Mikasa dipped her spoon into Eren’s cone and tasted the sample.

“Uhh… go ahead?” Eren laughed.

“Here, have some of mine,” Mikasa offered.

Eren licked some of Mikasa’s chocolate ice cream, which tasted very plain compared to his Rocky Road with fudge topping.

It was such an intimate thing, sharing ice cream like siblings is something Eren could only imagine doing with Mikasa, or maybe even Levi.

Mikasa kept dipping her spoon into Eren’s Rocky Road, and abandoned her own ice cream entirely. Eren just gave it to her, and finished her chocolate ice cream for her.

They essentially traded their own orders, but Mikasa discovered her new favorite flavor.

After a while of looking at the looking at the water, the dusk sky prompted them to call it a day. Eren drove Mikasa back to the restaurant where her car was parked, and they hugged a last time in the parking lot.

“I had a great time today, Eren. Don’t be a stranger, okay?” Mikasa said into Eren’s chest.

“Let’s stay in touch. I’m always there.”

They squeezed one last time and parted ways.

\--

Eren returned home, pumped full of sugar and warmth, and showered the day’s events off him. He ordered himself a pizza and watched TV as he waited for it to arrive.

His phone rang, and he thought that maybe the pizza guy had trouble finding the apartment, but it was actually Levi.

Eren muted the TV and couldn’t help but grin. “Hey!”

“Hey, baby,” Levi’s voice didn’t sound any less sexy over the phone. “How was your day?”

“It was good. I worked in the morning and I spent the rest of the day with Mikasa.”

“I’m happy to hear that. Did you have fun?”

“Tons. We hardly see each other anymore. I miss her so much.”

“I understand how you feel. Hopefully both your schedules match up soon. She sounds lovely, I’m looking forward to meeting her.”

“I told her about you. She wants to meet you, too.”

There was a knock on Eren’s door. “Hold on, Levi, pizza guy.”

Levi waited, listening to the silence and the sound of Eren’s voice in the background.

“Okay, I’m back,” Eren said.

“There’s something I wanted to tell you, Eren.”

“What is it?”

“So, today at work I found out that I need to go on a business trip soon.”

Eren wiped his mouth from the bite of pizza. “What? For how long?”

“Just a week.”

“Ugh, that sucks,” Eren’s heart dropped. Even a week without Levi seemed difficult at this point. “When do you leave?”

“Tuesday.”

“So tomorrow’s my last chance to be with you until you leave?”

“Yes. In fact, I made reservations for us at a nice restaurant tomorrow evening. Does that sound good?”

“Yeah. I kinda wish you didn’t have to leave, though,” Eren huffed.

“I know, baby,” Levi cooed. “Ever since we’ve started collaborating with Garrison, I have do a lot more of this kind of stuff. Do you understand that?”

Eren pouted. “Yeah. I understand.”

“That’s a good boy,” Levi said. Eren’s pout softened a little. “We’ll make the most of tomorrow. A week will go by before you know it.”

“Okay,” Eren said, a little brighter. “I’ll see you tomorrow, then.”

“Thanks for understanding the situation. Good night, love.”

“Good night, love you.” Eren ended the call and finished the rest of his pizza.

A week without Levi. This is probably the longest they’ve spent apart since they met. Eren realized how attached he was to him, that one week seemed like forever.

But, time apart will make their reunion that much sweeter. And he would have one last night to spend with Levi before he left. He would get his fill of Levi tomorrow- or at least enough to hold him for a week- although it will be difficult because Eren could simply never get enough of him.


	19. Finally

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe it took me 19 chapters to get Eren and Levi to fuck... 
> 
> There will be revelations.

Eren finished his Monday shift and immediately dashed home, determined not to waste even a second with Levi.

Levi mentioned it would be a nicer restaurant, so he opted for one of the newer outfits he acquired while shopping with him. He recalled the first time Levi took him to a restaurant- Trost Bistro- and how nervous and clueless he was. He laughed at the memory as he dressed. After spending more time with him, Eren was beginning to grow into quite the suave gentleman- learning the ins and outs of fine dining, party conversation, and dressing up.

He awaited the knock on the door, and caught up on messages in the meantime. He smiled at another wave of pictures from Armin, and he told Mikasa about his day at work.

Levi’s knock was heard shortly thereafter, and Eren opened up for him. Levi was wearing those slacks again, those slacks that clung to his thighs and ass like a glove. The top few buttons of his shirt were undone, and Eren grinned.

“What a lovely smile, I always forget how adorable you are.” Levi took Eren’s cheeks in his hands and kissed him firmly on the lips.

“You haven’t even left yet and I miss you already,” Eren placed his hands over Levi’s and sighed.

“Hey, cheer up. We’ll make the most of tonight.”

\--

The place Levi took Eren was even more upscale than Trost Bistro, as if Eren thought that was even possible. Here, small candles in the middle of tiny cloth-covered tables were the only source of light. The host led them to their tables, and Eren wondered how he could even maneuver across the dining room with such little light.

Levi turned down the wine again, adamant on waiting until Eren was twenty-one to let him drink. Eren rolled his eyes, and took the water instead.

Luckily, the menu wasn’t half french this time, and Eren requested the spaghetti. It seemed the most familiar thing to him here. Levi ordered a steak.

The menus were cleared off their table, and Levi leaned in closer on his elbows. The candle cast shadows across his sculpted face, making him seem even darker and more handsome. “How was work?”

“It was the usual Monday routine… people are really cranky in the morning so they can be a little impatient,” Eren explained. “But I handled them like a boss.”

“I’ve seen you in your element. You have an air of control and leadership when you’re working.”

“Did you know that Erwin came in recently? What a coincidence!”

“Not a coincidence, I actually recommended the shop to him,” Levi said. “I said you knew what you were doing, although you might be too busy for conversation.”

“Hah, no wonder. I felt kinda guilty that he made the travel and I couldn’t talk to him much.”

Levi waved a hand down at him. “Don’t be, he said visiting you was enough. You’ll have more chances to see him in the future.”

“I hope so. By the way, I got several orders of just whipped cream and nothing else today.”

Levi chuckled. “I still can’t believe people would go all the way to a coffee shop for just plain whipped cream. How ridiculous!”

“Hey, I’m still making you try it, don’t think I’ve forgotten.”

“Yeah… I’m looking forward to it,” Levi mocked resentment.

The server came by with their plates, and his sudden appearance from the darkness startled Eren. “Enjoy,” he bowed and ducked away.

Eren was absorbed in the moment, realizing how intimate and vulnerable this setting was. The dimness of the restaurant and the distance of the other diners’ voices made it seem like it was just him and Levi in the world. Maybe that was the theme of this restaurant. He watched as Levi cut into his steak, the way his elegant fingers gripped the utensils. He’s learned so many of his nuances and quirks since they’ve met. He liked learning about Levi, the way he thought and spoke and moved…

“Are you going to start eating?” Levi asked gently.

Eren snapped out of it. “Yeah,” he smiled as he twirled his fork. “I just got distracted.”

They ate, and Levi let Eren have a bite of his steak. Eren’s face “blissed out” as Levi described it, and Eren let him feed him his spaghetti. He usually refrained from public acts of affection, but this restaurant was so dark that they probably went unnoticed and Levi wouldn’t mind.

Eren waited patiently as Levi fed him forkful after forkful of the freshly made pasta- probably made from scratch, he thought. Levi would eat his steak as Eren chewed. In this way, it worked out, because Levi was working on training him to take his time eating and appreciating the food.

Their meal ended, and even long after the bill was handled, they stayed at the table gazing into each other’s eyes while talking, watching the candle’s light twinkle in pairs of fiery emeralds and steely grays.

They exited the restaurant, Eren using the night to his advantage and smacking Levi’s ass on their way to the car.

Levi smacked him back, a little harder, and squeezed Eren’s cheek before entering the car.

“Good dinner? Are you satisfied?” Levi pulled on his seatbelt.

“Yeah, it was awesome! Thank you so much, Levi.” He leaned in for a kiss, planting an obnoxious, wet smooch on Levi’s cheek.

Levi wiped his cheek and chuckled. “That’s all I need to hear, baby. Your happiness is my number one priority.”

\--

Getting to Trost Tower, the receptionist smiled warmly at them. Eren arrived with Levi so often now that she probably caught on that they were dating.

Eren kept his mischievous smile all the way up the elevator and as they entered the apartment.

Levi’s eyebrow raised as he unfastened his watch. “What’s that smile for?”

Eren slinked toward him, closing the distance between them. “Nothing much, just thinking about how much I love you.” He took Levi’s lips, licking and biting at his lower lip, and establishing his dominance with his tongue.

Levi’s took Eren’s lower back and pulled him flush against him, matching Eren’s fervor and swallowing his moans.

Eren snaked his tongue into Levi’s mouth, trying to get as invasive and possessive as he could. But Levi was unfazed, and tried to put Eren in his control by touching him, kneading his ass, squeezing his hips, rubbing his crotch.

Eren screwed his eyes shut and separated, overwhelmed and hot. “God!” His face and ears were reddening, which Levi knew meant that Eren was horny.

He bit his lip, taking Levi’s hand and brisking them to the bedroom. He threw himself on the bed, shedding his clothes and tossing them to the floor, and started jacking himself off without bothering to take off his boxers.

Levi joined him on the bed, and Eren stopped touching himself, desperately pouncing on Levi and kissing him, all the while unbuttoning his shirt for him.

Levi leaned back and lay down, letting Eren have his way. He nipped at Eren’s lip, riling him up even more.  Eren was now sitting on Levi’s hips, clumsily unbuttoning Levi’s shirt and unbuckling his belt for him.

Levi sat up and shed his shirt to the floor, and Eren unstraddled him just long enough that he had a chance to throw his pants away.

Eren hopped back on right away, grinding his crotch against Levi’s, and he threw his head back as he stifled a moan. Levi felt Eren getting harder and harder against him, and the front of Eren’s boxers were moistening with precum.

He slowed down his pace of grinding, and lay down perpendicular to Levi, pulling down his briefs for him, dragging it down his hips and legs, and tossed it off the bed with the rest of their clothes. He simultaneously sucked Levi off while harshly handling himself, challenging himself to get Levi’s cock as far down his throat as possible.

“Ughh, fuck,” Levi growled and petted Eren’s head weakly.

Eren continued bobbing his head up and down, tracing his tongue up and down the sensitive veins along Levi’s length. He gently dragged his teeth along it, and that along with his tongue work almost had Levi reeling. He was now fully aroused, and was going to reward Eren for this gift.

Eren slid his lips off, letting go with his signature lewd ‘pop’, and hovered over the head of Levi’s cock with his mouth open, letting the drool lubricate the brief handjob that followed.

“Where’s the lube?” Eren’s voice cracked and he continued pumping his hand up and down Levi’s length.

Levi pointed to the bedside drawer, just a bit overwhelmed with Eren’s handiwork to speak.

Eren crawled over, rifling through the drawer and retrieving a clear bottle of lube. He pulled off his boxers, throwing them to the growing pile of clothes on the ground. He drizzled a generous amount of the liquid onto his fingers, letting Levi watch as he started loosening himself up.

He inserted one finger into himself slowly, allowing himself barely a few seconds to relax around it, and tried a bit too quickly to fit in a second finger. _Why was he in such a rush?_ Levi wondered.

“Here, I’ll do it for you,” Levi whispered and lay Eren down on his back. He let Eren rest a leg over his shoulder, drizzling lube over his own fingers, and rubbing them together to warm up the liquid. He slowly drove one finger into Eren, stopping about mid-knuckle to give Eren a chance to calm his nerves and ease around him.

Eren nodded his permission to keep going, and Levi took his time opening Eren up with his finger. When he felt the time was right, he introduced a second finger, once again not at all rushing to prepare Eren. Eren was noticeably relaxing himself, and with time Levi was able to start scissoring him with two fingers.

He elicited soft moans, his breath hitching as he felt Levi’s fingers brush against his prostate. Levi thought Eren could cum just like this, but it was about time Eren got what he’s been asking for.

Levi eased his fingers out of Eren, and Eren whined at the absence of the fullness. Levi drizzled some more lube onto his hand, and rubbed himself back up to caliber, smiling at Eren.

He aligned the head against Eren’s entrance, and hovered his body over him so that their chests were inches away and their lips and noses brushed against each other.

“Ready, baby?” Levi breathed.

Eren grinned, his lips just barely touching Levi’s, their breath mixing. “Fuck yes, finally, I’ve been waiting forever,” he whispered.

Levi stroked Eren’s cheek with his knuckles before gently pushing himself into Eren’s entrance.   


He enjoyed Eren’s shifting facial reactions as he pushed further in, holding steady Eren’s leg over his shoulder, and spreading his other leg away.

He went all the way in, once again giving Eren a chance to relax himself. He pulled back out, reveling in Eren’s low moan as he kept his eyes fixated on Levi’s hips.

Levi went all the way in again, and slowly increased his pace. He developed a steady pace, and the sounds of Eren’s increasingly louder moans and sighs filled the room.

Eren tapped Levi’s hand that was spreading his leg. “Levi… go faster. Harder.”

Levi felt that Eren was loosened up and comfortable enough for something a little more intense, and he tightened his hold on Eren’s inner knee as he slammed into Eren, building up a rigorous pace.

Eren’s eyes widened and he gripped the sheets beside him. “Oh, _fuck_ , YES!”

So Eren liked it a bit rough, Levi learned. He kept pounding into him, and Eren’s back was arching off the sheets as he was supported by Levi holding him up.

“Yes, yes, yes, yes,” Eren chanted, his cock spilling some precum onto his own stomach.

Eren wrapped his legs around Levi’s waist, trying to trap that fullness. It restricted Levi’s leverage, but he resorted to grinding his hips against Eren, searching for his prostate.

He could tell when the head of his cock reached Eren’s sweet spot, because Eren would yelp a bit and squeezed his legs around Levi’s hips.

Eren unwrapped his legs, and regretfully pushed Levi away for him to pull out. He got on his knees and clutched a pillow, burying his face into it. “Fuck me, Levi.”

Levi took Eren’s hips and aligned himself, once more slamming into him. Eren moaned loudly into his pillow, and it was obvious this position was working for him. Levi’s pace was relentless, and he relished the warm heat of Eren’s walls around him; but even more, he ate up Eren’s lewd moans that bounced off the walls of the room.

Levi reached his arm over to Eren’s head, and collected a handful of hair, forcing Eren to arch his back again. He loved Eren’s moans and vulgarities, and encouraged him to be as loud as he wanted.

“Let me hear you, baby, do you like that?” Levi asked.

“Yesss, fuck yes, fuck, _shit_ , keep… going…” Eren words were hardly coherent.

Levi continued slamming into Eren, leaning over him to bite gently at the nape of Eren’s neck and shoulders, a move that made Eren practically scream from sensitivity.

“Looks like I found your weak spot,” Levi breathed and bit a little harder. Eren blurred the lines between pleasure and pain, and Levi was surprised he wasn’t overstimulated.

He fucked Eren senseless until Eren’s hoarse voice was begging for release, and Levi’s hand snaked beneath to find Eren’s cock.

Just from his touch, Eren was already dripping into his hand and on the sheets, his face twisted in pleasure and his face was flushed crimson. Levi pumped his hand up and down, squeezing just a bit harder at the base of his cock.

“Ughhh, I’m cumming, I’m cumming, _fuck_ , Levi, please,” was all Eren could muster.

Levi angled his hips to hit that sweet spot from earlier, and he knew he found it when he pounded into Eren and felt a warmth pour into his hands and splatter all over the sheets.

Eren groaned deep from his throat, and it turned into a quiet sob as Levi milked his aching cock out to completion.

With Eren just about finishing his ejaculation, Levi put all his might into finishing himself, feeling his cock swell against Eren’s perfectly full walls, and before he knew it, he saw stars and let himself cum into Eren. He choked back a moan, and then groaned harshly as he pulled out and collapsed on the bed beside Eren, allowing Eren to collapse onto him after.

They were both panting and delirious as they climbed down the highs of their orgasms, and the world was slowly coming back into focus.

Eren was the first to regain his energy, and he lay on top of Levi with a bright grin on his face. He pulled the sheets over their body.

“That… was fucking amazing,” he said, resting the side of his head against Levi’s chest.

Levi wrapped his arms around Eren, still a bit breathless. “You were delightful, Eren. You made me feel… unbelievable.”

Eren listened to Levi’s racing heartbeat, or maybe it was just the blood rushing back into his head. They stayed in silence for a long while, just relishing the touch of their bodies and the sounds of their breathing.

Eren lifted his head and rested his chin on his hands, gazing at Levi’s lips. Levi gazed back, and arm behind his head and stroking Eren’s hair with his other hand. “Levi,” Eren said quietly, “why did it take you so long to fuck me?”

Levi wasn’t sure how to answer. “I didn’t want to rush you, baby. You’re not just a fuck toy to me. I wanted us to be comfortable with each other.”

Eren sighed. “But I _am_ comfortable with you, Levi. More comfortable than anyone I’ve been with before. The truth is, I thought you didn’t want to have sex with me. My feelings were getting hurt.”

Levi brushed Eren’s sweaty bangs aside. “No, precious. I’m sorry if I ever made you feel that way. I just didn’t want you to regret taking things too fast. I didn’t want you to feel like I was using you for sex. I love you so much. I wanted to make it clear that you’re more to me than that.”

Eren was silent.

“Does that make sense, dear?” Levi whispered.

Eren nodded slowly, and a feeling of content spread in his heart. “That makes sense. Thanks for being so thoughtful. It’s just that…”

He cut off, and Levi payed attention to what Eren was having such a hard time saying.

“It’s just that in the past, I’ve been with people who’ve told me that they just wanted me around for sex. I haven’t had many official boyfriends or girlfriends, mainly just fuck buddies. I was expected to just prepare myself and relieve people of some stress after a rough breakup or some shit. Fucking was the only thing I was useful for.”

Levi’s heart squeezed, but he continued listening, stroking Eren’s hair.

“So when I met you, I was little surprised when you didn’t demand sex right away. It made me feel strange- happy, but strange. For once, I was absolutely willing and wanting to have sex with someone out of pure desire. You changed so much about me Levi, you made me feel whole again. So… I don’t know where I’m going with this story, but… thank you, Levi. I love you so much.”

Levi was overwhelmed with emotions for Eren. Anger; how dare anyone take advantage of this pure thing? Pride; that Eren trusted him enough to confide such a sensitive thing about his past. And finally, simply heartbreak; he really wanted to protect and spoil Eren, because such a sweet thing deserved the world.

“I’m… I’m speechless,” Levi said. “Come here, baby boy.” He wrapped his arms around Eren tight and kissed the top of his head. “Thank you for telling me all that. You’re my everything. I’m glad we had a chance to talk about this. I love you so much, my darling Eren.”

And floating amidst a post-sex high and tender thoughts and touches, they slipped away into sleep together, Levi holding Eren in his arms, and Eren drifting away to the sound of Levi’s steady heartbeat.


	20. Parting Gifts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren distracts himself while Levi goes on his business trip, and we learn the importance of rocks!

Eren awoke from the deepest, warmest slumber he’s had in ages. He noticed that there was some dried drool that collected in the side of his mouth and a bit on Levi’s chest, but he was content because that was evidence of a quality sleep. He would prefer to drool on no one else but Levi; it was like a mark of possession.

The feeling of satisfaction and vulnerability after having that long overdue sex last night brought a smile to Eren’s face. He looked at the man beneath him, the chiseled, sharp, handsome man, but all the while generous and kind, and kissed his toned chest. That was enough to wake him, and he opened those brooding smoky eyes of his.

“’Morning,” Eren grinned, and scratched his fingers seductively on Levi’s chest.

Levi inhaled the morning, and rubbed his eyes. “’Morning yourself, love. How’d you sleep?”

“Slept good,” he giggled, still a bit delirious after last night. He continued scratching his fingers gently, and he reached up to kiss Levi on the jaw.

“Aren’t you a sweet thing this morning,” Levi rested his arms behind his head.

“Is it too early to suck you off?” Eren asked but was already halfway underneath the sheets.

“Eren…”

But it was too late for interjections, because Eren’s mouth had already found Levi’s cock, and he had begun his treatment.

Levi couldn’t even protest; it felt fucking _good_. Eren’s mouth brought that warm wetness, a hot feeling that ignited Levi, even this early in the morning. All that that he could see was Eren’s messy bedhead peeking out from underneath the comforter, but Eren made up for his invisibility by putting extra effort into his tongue work. Levi felt his length go deeper into the back of Eren’s throat, a skill that the mischievous boy had absolutely mastered. He gathered a fistful of that chocolate brown hair.

“Shit, Eren,” he hissed, “what am I going to do with you?”

Eren responded by massaging his balls expertly, burying Levi’s length as far as it would go, his nose pressed against Levi’s soft black pubic hair. When he came back up, he gently grazed his teeth along those sensitive veins that crawled up the side. He didn’t give Levi even a second to recover, sucking at the head of his cock, swirling his tongue along the slit, and using both his hands to finish Levi off.

Levi couldn’t bring the words out, and instead squeezed his eyes shut as he felt himself climbing up. His pull on Eren’s hair was almost painful, but Eren’s increasing moans communicated that he liked it. The vibrations of Eren’s moaning along with his pumping and tongue swirling on the sensitive head of his length like a lollipop pushed Levi over the edge, and he felt himself cum into Eren’s mouth.

Eren made sure to collect every last drop and swallowed, emerging from the sheets with a cocky grin. He crawled back under Levi’s arm and dragged the blankets back over them.

He kept that cheeky smile as he gazed lovingly at Levi, and he licked Levi’s armpit.

“Disgusting…” Levi laughed and held Eren closer.

Eren cuddled closer, nuzzling his face into Levi’s body. “I’m gonna miss you so much.”

“I’m gonna miss you too, baby. But it’s just a week. I’ll call you every night if you want.”

Eren sighed and closed his eyes. He started snoring shortly after, and Levi held in a laugh. Eren was such a wild card; waking up momentarily to deliver a quick blowjob and falling asleep almost immediately after. He was spontaneous, youthful, and carefree, and Levi loved that about him.

He let the cheeky thing rest on him for another half hour or so, and then he woke him up so that they could get ready for the day.

As one last parting gift for Eren, Levi took him to a pancake house for breakfast. He snapped another picture of Eren; one for the road.

But alas, it was time for Eren to be dropped off at work so that Levi could go on his trip. They drove to the coffee shop, and Eren insisted on one last makeout session in the car before departing. With lips red and swollen, he waved Levi away and made him promise to call.

As Eren worked the machines and restocked the pastry shelf, he sighed absentmindedly. It’s just a week, he told himself.

\--

Work was a good distraction as usual, and Eren watched proudly as Bertholdt started opening up to Annie. His nervous charm was beginning to crack that icy exterior, and Eren was thinking they could probably be friends in time.

Another familiar face showed up today, Connie. He invited Eren, Jean, and Bertholdt to a party he was throwing soon. And as much as Eren loved Levi, it’s been so long since he’d spent time with people his own age. He happily obliged, thankful for a reason not to spend a night alone.

He also decided to keep himself distracted by getting back into a workout routine. He planned to jog along the beach every day, and maybe even tag along with Reiner to the gym.

He finished his shift, ready to wind down for the night. After clocking out, he drove to the beach, where he changed into gym clothes in one of the beach houses. The music was blasting through his earbuds, and he stretched against the cool evening air. The run was harder than usual, because he hasn’t been active in so long. Eren completed several laps up and down the beach, working up a healthy sweat and getting refreshed by the salty sea spray.

This was just what he needed. He stretched again after his jog, and drove home. He ruined his entire workout by ordering another pizza. The shower washed the stress and sweat off him, although it didn’t feel half as good as the treatment of the high-tech shower at Levi’s place.

Nonetheless, Eren relaxed as he ate and watched TV. His phone rang, and he practically pounced to see if it was Levi. It was!

“Hey, Levi!”

“Hey there, sweetheart. How was work?”                  

“Pretty good. I went for a jog today, so I’m a bit tired. How ‘bout you?”

“Nothing exciting. Had to meet some potential partners.”

“You sound exhausted, though.”

Levi sighed on the other end. “Oh, I am. I’m still out. I’m going to sleep the minute I get back the hotel so I wanted to check up on you before I forget.”

“Aw. Sleep tight when the time comes. You worked hard, I’m proud of you.”

Levi laughed, and Eren’s heart fluttered. Levi loved that maternal side that Eren showed. “Thank you, dear, you’re lovely. Actually, I have a surprise that you can look forward to when I get back.”

“Oh! What is it?”

“It’s a surprise, Eren.”

Eren pouted, but was still excited. “Fine. I’ll wait. But you know I hate waiting.”

“I know you do,” Eren could hear Levi’s smile through the phone. “But I think you’ll like it. In the meantime, have a good night, okay?”

“Mm-kay! Love you!”

“Love you, too.”

Eren hung up, and polished off the rest of his pizza.

\--

Wednesday was much of the same, and Eren joined Reiner at the gym after his shift. Reiner helped him set up a proper weightlifting set, and he spotted him at the benchpress.

Eren grunted with every press, and Reiner hovered over him, continuously encouraging one more set; to really feel the burn.

If Eren thought he was out of shape before, it was blatantly obvious now. His face pinched and was flushed red as his arms shuddered beneath the weights.

“Last set, you got this,” Reiner commanded.

Eren’s arms felt spaghetti as he willed himself not to get throttled by his last press. “Fuck,” he hissed, his face screwing as he lifted the bar back up, letting Reiner carry it over to the rack.

“Well, how ‘bout that?” Reiner laughed, carrying the weight like it was nothing. “Good job, bud.”

Eren rubbed his eyes, his chest rising and falling as he collected himself. “Thanks.”

Reiner took him to the mirror, and made him feel his own biceps and inspect his progress, even though he just started lifting.

“So, uhh, what’s the point of this?” Eren dubiously flexed in the mirror.

Reiner was flexing too, a little bit absorbed in the sight of his own muscles. “You have to become one with yourself. Understand where you start so that you can compare your progress later.”

“Oh. I guess that makes sense.” Who knew such a vain action could have a profound meaning?

Reiner had Eren sit down on a yoga mat and try to touch his toes. He pushed on Eren’s back slowly, quite uselessly, since Eren groaned loudly in pain at the slightest stretch of his hamstrings, drawing attention from the surrounding gym-goers.

Reiner laughed and shook his head as he helped Eren back to his feet. “We’ll work on you, Eren. You have tons of potential. I’ll teach you everything you need to know.”

Eren clapped a hand on his hardened back. “Thanks for taking me under your wing. I’m so out of shape these days.”

“You’ve taken the first step, and that’s what matters,” Reiner took a swig from his water bottle and wiped his mouth. “Say, are you going to Connie’s party?”

“Yeah, I am. You?”

“Yeah. I’m trying to get Bert to come, too. Parties make him nervous. But I feel like he’d have fun.”

Eren nodded. “Ease him into it. If he goes, you’re gonna be his rock. His safe place. Let him know that you’re always gonna be there and that he has nothing to worry about.”

“That’s wise, man. I’ll take your advice.”

Eren knew exactly what he was talking about. After having worked with Bertholdt so closely, he understood his personality and thoughts. Reiner sometimes didn’t catch on to the more subtle things, so Eren was becoming his confidant.

Plus, Eren knew a thing or two about rocks. He realized that the reason he already missed Levi even though he’d only be gone for a week was because he had become his home away from home. Being held and spoiled by Levi after a rough day at the coffee shop made everything worth it. Everyone deserved someone that was the personification of safety and comfort.

-

When he got home, Eren was surprised that he had a package. This was strange; he hadn’t ordered anything online in a while.

He took it into his apartment, slicing the tape open with his keys. There was no return address, just his name and address.

Inside was a card and a pile of tissue paper. The card had a small message, written in a neat and unique cursive:

_For my insatiable Eren_

_-L_

Eren grinned and his heart raced. He tore away at the tissue paper and his eyes fell upon two objects at the bottom.

The first was a small metallic vibrator, with a finish so smooth Eren could see his reflection in it. He turned the knob at the bottom to try it out, and it started vibrating. He put it against his cheek to see what it felt like, then tightly closed his hand around it.

 _Yes, he would have some fun with this for sure,_ he thought. He put it aside and checked out the other gift. It was a purple dildo with a classic shape of a penis, the bottom flattened out for easier hold. It had a rubbery texture that felt touchable and realistic. It was pretty thick, too, which Eren loved.

He called Levi’s number to thank him for this incredibly useful gift.

“Hey, Eren.”

“Levi,” he grinned and waved the purple dildo around, smacking it lightly against his own cheek. “I got your surprise. I love these toys!”

Levi laughed. “I’m glad you like them! I wanted to give you a way to please yourself while I was gone. And those are unrelated; the real surprise is later.”

“Oh, I’ll _definitely_ be pleasing myself with these,” Eren daydreamed of the possibilities. “They’ll never be as good as that big fat cock of yours, but they’ll do the job until you get back.”

“You’ve never been afraid to speak your mind, huh, baby?”

“I might just try these tonight. Anyway, thanks again! What are you doing right now?”

“I’m just finishing up some work for tomorrow. Reports and presentations.”

“Oh, I’ll stop bothering you then. Good night, love you!”

“You’re never a bother, Eren. I love you, too, sweet dreams.”

Eren hung up and a slow smile spread across his face as he retreated to his room, his new toys in hand.

 


	21. Slowly

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren has a sluggish day at work. 
> 
> (Thank you guys for the continued cute comments and responses. The stats on this fic are climbing higher and higher, so thank you! Please don't be afraid to give me some feedback or suggestions!)

Thursday was a rather slow day at work. Eren leaned against the counter on his elbows, absentmindedly scrolling through his phone. The coffee shop was usually alive with the haggle of orders, conversations, and meetings; to idle behind the counter and get paid for it felt strange. He sighed and brewed a fresh pot of coffee, and went to refill an elderly lady’s cup. She sat at the back of the store, writing in a notepad. Eren recognized her face; she came into the store to write several times.

He smiled as he offered a fresh helping, loving the rich, scented steam that rose from the cup. Even after all his time working in the coffee shop, he never got tired of that smell. Eren looked over her shoulder and asked her what she was working on, a novel, perhaps?

She laughed and shook her head, her dangly earrings swaying. Not a novel, she said. She was no writer; she just wrote down her weekly chores and appointments because that’s the only way she remembers things these days.

“We get plenty of writers in here,” Eren explained. “Though, how anyone can focus here is beyond me.” And, as if on cue, the distinct jingle of the door bell was heard, and Eren pointed to prove his point. The old woman laughed again, and Jean walked back in from his cigarette break. The woman said she was lucky to have come in on such an empty day- this place was usually overwhelmed with people. Eren rolled his eyes and agreed. “Tell me about it.” He told stories of the most hellish customers, and the woman sat and listened in disbelief.

“I was a waitress way back when, so I have some experience in the customer service field,” she said. “Some people are unbelievable.”

They talked for a while, and Eren took a seat opposite her to listen to her stories and experiences. She was very motherly, giving advice and encouragements to succeed. It made him miss his own mother quite a bit. He should visit her soon.

He eventually returned to his post, waving good-bye to the elderly lady- Reese, her name was- and resumed scrolling his phone in boredom. He texted Mikasa, and then sent a selfie to Levi- to which he didn’t get a response to right away. Maybe he was in a meeting.

Business picked back up towards the end of their shift, and Eren was actually excited for the welcome influx of orders. He put his heart into the drinks, having been bored and restless for most of the day.

He and Jean got a handsome amount of tips, and at the end of the shift they split their earnings. Marco came in a bit early, and he walked in on them counting their tips.

“Hey, guys!”

“Hey,” Eren smiled and pocketed his money.

Jean pocketed his money as well, giving Marco a smirk that was a bit kinder than he would give to anyone else. “Hey, you’re a bit early for your shift, wanna walk me to my car?”

Marco blushed a bit and rubbed his arm. “Sure.” He looked at Eren.

“Don’t worry, I’ll stay until Sasha comes.”

Jean was already on his way out the door, and Marco looked back and gave an apologetic smile. “Thanks,” he mouthed.

Eren wiped down the tables of the shop, looking out into the parking lot. He saw Jean’s and Marco’s profiles from a distance, and saw that they were making out against Jean’s car. Jean had Marco trapped in his arms, leaning his body flush against the car, and kissing him hard. Even from this distance, Marco looked overwhelmed and trying his hardest to keep up. Jean finished his attack, smirking once more, and Marco stroked the side of his face. Without much else, he got into his car and drove off.

Marco hid his face in his hands, and Sasha’s car rolled in. She hopped out, clutching her bag of fast food, and rubbed his back; and Eren assumed she was asking him what was wrong. He shook his head happily and said something to her, and they both walked back towards the shop.

As they entered the shop, Eren looked down and pretending that he didn’t see all that. Marco was still blushing furiously, and he bit his lip. “Sorry to keep you waiting, Eren.”

“No big deal, I was just finishing up.” He took off his apron and clocked out, inhaling the scent of Sasha’s fries. “Hey, Sash’, can I have some?”

Sasha looked defensive but she reluctantly held her bag out. “Only a little.”

Eren reached in and took a small handful, shoving them in his mouth and escaping before Sasha had a chance to say something.

“EREN!” he heard her voice call, “That was WAY more than a little!”

He swallowed the fries and his stomach growled at the appetizer; he was truly starving. He was already thinking of places to eat before getting into his car.

He had a slice of pizza for lunch, so he decided on burgers. He had two cheeseburgers, fries, and took a third burger for the road. The burgers reminded him of Armin, and he felt a surge of nostalgia. As he buckled his seatbelt, his phone pinged with a message from Levi, in response to his selfie.

 _Sorry for the late reply, I was in a meeting._ So Eren’s theory was right. _You look adorable as usual._ _I miss you._

Eren’s heart fluttered, and he typed back. _I miss you too! Do you have any more work today?_

_Another meeting. Then I can call it a night._

_Aw. Keep working hard, I’m rooting for you!_

As if someone as successful as Levi needed encouragement from Eren, but he figured it was the thought that counted.

_Thank you, darling. That means a lot coming from you. I’ll call you tonight if it isn’t too late._

Even through text message, Levi sounded exhausted. But he still committed to making time for Eren, and Eren’s heart squeezed.

_OK, talk to you then. Love you!_

_Love you, too, baby._

Eren checked to see that his gym bag had some clean clothes, and then drove to the gym to meet with Reiner.

-

Two hours of gruesome workouts later, and Eren weakly collapsed into his car; drenched in sweat and possessing little control of his muscles. His head fell back into the headrest with a _thump_ , and he panted harshly as the blood rushed back into his head. Reiner was ruthless. But Eren already felt much stronger, so he couldn’t complain. He’d be back in shape before long.

It took a Herculean effort to lift his arms to the wheel, but he managed to get back home in one piece.

Eren ate some sugary cereal when he got to his apartment, and it felt strange once again. Had he been with Levi, he would probably be dining at an expensive restaurant or being hand-fed pasta or something. Levi always made sure he ate like a king, and he was becoming quite comfortable with it.

He played some video games to wind down, and he wasn’t sure if it was the endorphins from his workout or simply because his sex drive couldn’t be tamed, but he started craving sex. If Levi was here, Eren would pounce on him until he got some sort of satisfaction.

But masturbating alone like he used to seemed so _boring_ ever since he met Levi. He craved more- he craved Levi’s deep, chocolatey voice; his strong, reassuring hands that handled him with expertise; his body that was solid and built like a rock, like a home, as Eren climbed down from orgasms or craved affection.

He craved Levi, in all aspects. It was 11:39 pm. He didn’t want to bother Levi after his long day of meetings, but he really did miss him and wanted some action.

He called him up in his bedroom, silently crossing his fingers that he didn’t already fall asleep.

“Hey, Eren. I was just about to call you.”

“Oh, I’m so glad. I thought you fell asleep. I didn’t wanna bother you.”

“I already told you, baby, you’re never a bother to me. I just finished my last meeting of the day. I’m just having coffee and finishing up some work. I’m not too busy.”

“Where are you right now?”

“I’m in my hotel room.”

“Levi… I miss you so much. I already told you that, but I do.”

“I miss you, too. More than you know. It feels a bit lonely not having your lovely face to come home to.”

Eren’s face heated, and his erection grew even harder. “You really think that?”

“Of course.”

“Levi… could you… put me to sleep over the phone?”

“…Eren. Are you horny right now?”

“Wha- h-how could you tell?” Eren pulled the phone away and groaned, rubbing his face at how obvious he was.

“I know you, darling. I know when you need to be satisfied. How about this, take your toys out and-“

“They’re already right here,” Eren said.

Levi laughed at Eren’s eagerness. “I’ll help you release. Just follow my voice. I’ll walk you through every step.”

“O-okay.”

“I want you to stroke yourself, slowly.”

Eren put Levi on speaker and set the phone beside him, shedding his pants and underwear. His erection was rock hard, and the head was reddened with arousal, much like his ears and face. He gripped himself, willing himself not to finish himself quickly and aggressively like he usually did.

“Take the purple dildo, and I want you to suck on it,” Levi’s voice instructed.

Eren kept his grip on his length, and took the purple toy into his mouth. He pretended it was Levi, and his mouth watered around it. He sat on his heels and kept stroking himself, listening for Levi’s next instruction.

“I like those moans, I want you be as loud as you can,” Levi said. “Now, I want you to touch your body. Think of what I would do.”

Eren took the purple dildo out of his mouth, and channeled Levi’s techniques. He ghosted his fingers over his nipples, startling himself at the sensitivity. He rubbed his fingertips against them and pinched them, yelping a bit when they hardened under his touch.

“Just like that, baby,” Levi said. “I want you to touch that beautiful body you have for me.”

Eren moaned loudly, arching his back as he kept stroking himself and playing with his nipples, weak to Levi’s voice.

“Now, I want you to take some lube and put it on your fingers.”

Eren sucked on his fingers desperately as he reached and uncapped the bottle of lube. He dragged his fingers out of his mouth, a trail of saliva following their path. He drizzled the lube onto his fingers and got into a more comfortable position on his knees.

“Make sure you warm it up in your fingers,” Levi said.

Eren was used to the cold sting of lube from past experiences, so when Levi used warmed up lube on him when they had sex, it was even more heavenly. He rubbed the liquid to a warm temperature and aligned his fingers against his entrance.

“Now, I want you to use just one finger on yourself.”

Eren inserted one finger, his breath hitching uncomfortably as he forced himself to relax around it.

“Slowly, baby, as slow as you can.”

Eren took Levi’s advice, taking his sweet time in driving his finger in. Setting aside his impatience, it actually did feel a lot better this way, and his body was a lot more responsive. He sighed in content, and felt some of his sexual nerves ease.

“Good boy,” Levi cooed. A loud whine ripped from Eren’s throat from Levi’s praise. He starting working his finger, loosening himself up bit by bit.

“Keep going, Eren. I love hearing your voice.”

Eren got himself comfortable with one finger, and rested the side of his head into the sheets, ass up into air. He awaited Levi’s next instruction.

“Alright, now I want you to start using a second finger. Be very slow. Really feel yourself and absorb the pleasure,” Levi said.

Eren took his time again introducing a second finger, holding his breath on its way in. He eased it back out, then in again, establishing a steady pace. _Really absorb the pleasure_ , Levi’s voice echoed.

His breathing deepened as he worked himself open, curling his fingers and scissoring them against his walls. He tried to find his sweet spot like Levi could, to no avail.

“I think you’re ready now, time to play with your toy,” Levi said.

Eren reached for his purple dildo and sucked on it a bit, proceeding to pour some lube on it.

“When it’s all lubed up, I want you to put only the head in,” Levi said.

Eren normally would’ve just put the entire thing in, so he relished Levi’s technique of taking it slow. He introduced it to his entrance, really letting himself feel every moment. He was already quite comfortable with this toy, he’s spent ample time with his new gifts last night using his own quick and dirty techniques. He was familiar with its size and shape, so he put his pleasure into Levi’s hands.

“Just keep it there, feel it inside you,” Levi said. “Now, push in one more inch for me.”

Eren pushed the toy in a little, letting the girth fill up his walls just right. He prevented himself from pushing the whole thing in, and instead savoring the moment.

“Good boy, you’re doing just fine,” Levi soothed. “You can have another inch.”

Eren pushed the toy in a bit more, and moaned at the fullness. It was like having sex with Levi- the fullness he wanted to trap in for as long as he could. He took a deep breath and used his other hand to play with his nipple again.

“Excellent. You can put the whole thing in now.”

Eren adjusted the grip of the toy in his hand, pushing the toy’s flat bottom into himself slowly, and he felt himself spill some precum onto the sheets with inch.

Another loud moan filled the room, and Eren buried his face into the sheets. “Fuck…”

“You’re doing great. I want you to take it out again, leaving just the head in.”

Eren did as he was told, taking the hand that was playing with his nipple to wrap it around the base of his cock, allowing himself to spill precum freely.

“Now I want you to push it in and out, as slow as you can. Let me hear those sweet moans,” Levi said.

Eren drove the dildo in and out of himself using a controlled patience, challenging himself to take it slow to please Levi. If he took it any faster, his moans would sound a lot different, and Levi would know.

It did feel good to take it slow, though. If Eren went at his own personal pace, he would’ve been long done by now and the memory would’ve already faded away.

“Keep going, just like that, baby,” Levi continued. “Just listen to my voice and keep doing what you’re doing. What pretty sounds you’re making. It feels good, doesn’t it?”

Eren felt himself nearing his limit; pretending the dildo was actually Levi while listening to his voice was overwhelming. His moans increased, his sighs got louder, his body heating up as he hissed through his teeth.

“You can go faster now, baby. Do you like it when I say your name, Eren?”

Eren responded in a slutty moan, lifting his head off the sheets and arching his back.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” Levi chuckled. “You’re such a good boy, Eren. I love you so much, you were very obedient for me. Eren, you sweet, sweet boy.”

Eren’s body was twitching as he approached orgasm, now thrusting the dildo against himself at a blinding speed, pumping his length to match his fervor. He needed just one more push, one more push over the edge.

“You may come now, Eren.”

The moment Levi uttered his name, Eren’s body ripped apart in orgasm, his cock spilling ribbons of hot white into the sheets, his hole twitching against the toy, and his knees buckling. He whined loudly as he came, spewing a string of profanities and unintelligible words.

Levi waited as Eren rode out the waved of pleasure, absorbing all the sounds that he was making. Eren was a collapsed, boneless mess on his bed, and he whimpered against his pillow as he pulled the dildo out.

When Eren’s whimpers were reduced to heavy breathing, Levi spoke again. “You did an amazing job, Eren. You did everything I asked. You’re such a good boy.”

Eren was too sated to speak, so instead he let out a breathy laugh, reaching to touch his phone.

“You’re exhausted now, aren’t you sweetheart? I’ll let you sleep now. Sweet dreams, my darling boy.”

“’Night. Thanks for helping me, love you.” He would’ve said more, but frankly, sleep was approaching him at an incredible pace.

“I love you, too, Eren.”

And minutes after the phone call ended, Eren had curled up under messy sheets and fell into a fast and deep slumber.


	22. Party Boy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Connie's party is lit! 
> 
> (Hey hunnies, I'm back! I'm finally done with school, so updates will be a lot more frequent! THANK YOU to every single one of you for reading my work. And bless your soul if you've left me a kudos or a comment. I love me some feedback- please let me know your thoughts or suggestions. I love hearing what you guys have to say!)

Eren woke up a stiff, sticky mess. There was a pool of dried cum on his stomach and on the sheets, and some dried drool on the side of his mouth.

He groaned loudly as he peeled himself up, stretching his aching muscles and yawning some life back into his body. But even amidst all his discomfort, he smiled. Levi made him release so _good_ last night. _And it was only going to get better when he came back from his trip,_ he thought as he threw his soiled sheets in the wash.

\--

After work, Eren went home to clean up for Connie’s party. It’s been so long since he’s seen the usual entourage, and he’s been working so much that he hardly hung out with his friends anymore.

Anything Connie planned was either a good time, or illegal. Sometimes it was both.

And when Eren rolled up to Connie’s place, clearly marked by the bass thumping from within the house and the colorful strobe lights pouring out the windows, he already knew there was going to be something illegal.

He entered the unlocked door and was greeted by the hard-hitting smell of alcohol and something else. Eren took a minute to absorb his surroundings: people chugging beers; smoking; grinding bodies dancing to heavy club music; and a crowd gathered around the Dance Dance Revolution tournament in front of the TV.

Connie approached Eren and smiled, smacking his arm in greeting. “Hey, I’m glad you came through!” he spoke above the loud music. He held out a bottle of cheap beer and Eren took it. “Just like old times, eh?”

Eren clinked his bottle to Connie’s and took a gulp. The alcohol burned pleasantly down his throat and he laughed roughly. “Just like old times!”

Connie went to greet another guest, and Eren went further into the house to scavenge for some food. Sure enough, Sasha was in the kitchen among a few others, inspecting some pizza and appetizers.

“Eren! I’m glad you could make it!”

“Hey, Sash’!” Eren reached for a slice and devoured it three bites. And then another. And then a third. He washed them down with his beer, and he could feel himself becoming steadily more drunk and cloudy.

Sasha made him try some of the guacamole she made, feeding him the chip with a hand underneath his chin to catch the crumbs.

It was the first thing he tasted all night. It was fresh and zesty, unlike the pizza he inhaled without much of a second thought. “I like it!” he said, reaching for a second beer.

Sasha grinned proudly. “That’s what I thought! No one dislikes my world-famous guac!”

Eren went back to the living room, getting a glimpse of people in the back porch huddled around a bong, simultaneously passing around a joint. In the living room, he saw a few more familiar faces- Reiner and Bertholdt, Jean and Marco, and some other people he recognized from the coffee shop.

Jean and Marco sat at the end of one couch, Jean’s arm wrapped possessively around Marco’s neck as he smoked his cigarettes quietly. Marco leaned back against Jean’s chest, talking to a girl on the other end of the couch.

Marco seemed happy, Eren thought. Reiner walked up to Eren, with Bertholdt tagging along right behind.

Reiner clapped a large hand on Eren’s shoulder, a loud laugh vibrating his chest. “Hey, bud!”

“Hey, Eren,” Bertholdt said nervously.

“Hey, guys!” Eren said. “Party’s turning up, huh?” he took another gulp of his beer and burped.

Reiner took Eren aside, and told Bertholdt he’d be right back. “So listen, Eren,” he began. Eren closed his eyes and leaned in closer, trying to concentrate on Reiner’s words through the haze of the alcohol.

“You were right about bringing Bert to the party. I think this is good for him. He’s already meeting new people.” He pointed to Bertholdt talking shyly to a girl.

Eren nodded slowly, the words registering after a few moments of his eyes closed. “Yeah. I know what I’m talking about. Just make sure you stay close to him the whole night, and make him feel safe.”

“Gotcha.” Reiner raised his bottle and patted his hand on Eren’s back.

Eren found himself in the Dance Dance tournament. He didn’t expect to do so well, but a few beers really brought out the dancer in him; he let his body do the talking, and he ended up making it to the final championship round to be narrowly defeated by a guy he didn’t know. He felt victorious nonetheless, the cheers of his friends and whistles from strangers fueling his ego.

He was now fully drunk, and the music was louder than ever. The party was in full swing, and everyone was on their feet dancing. The electronic vibes pounded the room, and personal space was non-existent. Eren found himself dancing with a girl that he didn’t know. She took his hands and led them to her hips, and he pulled her closer to him as the beat dropped. He didn’t take it any further than that, remembering even through the alcohol that he only wanted Levi.

The dancing lasted a few hours, Eren having grinded against and danced with the majority of the party goers. He glanced around and saw Reiner and Bertholdt kissing on the couch, Bertholdt’s blushing face clear even under all the colorful lights and the dark room. Reiner’s strong arm was wrapped around Bertholdt’s shoulders, and his hand on his thigh kept him in place. They seemed unaware of everyone else in the room.

The beers have worn away a little bit, and Eren went to search for the bathroom.

There was a hallway with several closed doors, and he tried each one of them. He tried two bedrooms unsuccessfully, and in the third bedroom, he walked in on Jean and Marco about to have sex. Luckily, Eren realized what was going on when he saw that Jean was leaning over a naked Marco, unbuckling his belt lazily as he took a sip of beer. Neither of them noticed Eren walk in and out.

The next room was a bathroom, and relief washed over Eren. He peed standing up, sighing heavily and lolling his head back as he released. He hasn’t gotten this drunk in a while, but it felt good to let himself go like this.

He shook himself out for the last remaining drops, and struggled to zip his pants back up. Back in the living room, he saw that the music was stopped temporarily as Connie was speaking to a police officer, who was telling him that the neighbors were complaining that the music was too loud.

“But sir, it’s only midnight!” he pouted.

The officer crossed his arms and threatened to shut down the party if Connie didn’t control the music. Connie regretfully complied, telling the officer to apologize to the neighbors on his behalf. This wasn’t the first time Eren was at Connie’s party and the police got involved. But Connie always complied in the end, since there were plenty of drugs and underage drinking and he couldn’t afford to have them check the house.

The officer left, and Connie shut the door gently behind him. The room was quiet for a second, looking at Connie for some kind of feedback. He grinned and raised a beer. “Turn that shit back on!”

Everyone raised their bottles and cheered. The music was not as loud as before, but some people got back to dancing. Eren took a pack of beer from the kitchen to the couch, where he tried to wind down. He watched the grinding bodies, the crowd around the TV, the different couples making out on the other couches as he went through one beer, then two, then a third. The world began to feel thick and heavy, and at this point Eren was just drinking because it was something to do. He went through his phone as he drank even more, the words on the screen hardly registering. The most important thing he saw were a couple missed calls from Levi and a text, but he was too wasted to reply.

Over the next few hours, Eren watched as people slowly left the house, or curled up on the couches and floors to sleep. He lost track of how many beers he had, and he fell into a woozy slumber.

-

Eren crawled out of sleep at an ungodly hour. His mind was still cloudy and when he tried to get up, and he winced as his head pulsed with a headache. Someone put a blanket on him while he was sleeping, and he ripped it off while he rubbed his temple.

Looking around, there were a few other people in the living room, their bodies draped over one another and passed out blissfully. Red party cups, chips, and shoes were littered on the floor. The dank smell from last night dissipated, and the only sounds were birds chirping outside.

He got up slowly, needing a coffee boost to get him started. He found Sasha in the kitchen again. She was quiet, too.

“Good morning, Eren,” she said blankly.

Eren rubbed the bridge of his nose. “’Morning.”

Sasha prepared a glass of orange juice and a packet of painkillers. “Take these first, and then we’ll have coffee.”

“I saw how many you had last night,” she crossed her arms and watched him down the pills. “I don’t know how you managed.”

Eren couldn’t say much; his tongue felt heavy and useless in his mouth. The coffee was finally done brewing, and the rich scent made him much more alert. Sasha poured them each a mug, and they sipped silently.

By the time he was finished, he felt more like himself. The memories of last night flooded back, and he chastised himself for having that much to drink. Levi would freak if he found out. Speaking of Levi, he decided he would message him later when he got home and cleaned up.

Connie emerged from the hallway with a thick blanket draped over his head, and it was clear that he wasn’t a morning person. He joined Eren and Sasha in the kitchen.

“Could you hit me up with some of that?”

Sasha poured him a mug, and he drank it silently alongside them.

“That hit the spot. Jesus, I was so fucked up last night.” He went to the living room and woke everyone up, urging them to go home.

Eren thanked Connie for the good time, and waved his good-bye as he made his way home.

\--

Eren had a long, indulgent shower, washing the scent of alcohol and smoke off him. And with his newly cleared head, all he could think about was how hungry he was.

After his shower, he had a few breakfast burritos that he found in the freezer. Now he was in the right mindset to reply to Levi.

The two missed calls were followed by a text:

_Hey, Eren. I called you a few times last night. I’m assuming you already fell asleep. Call me back when you get the chance, baby._

Eren called him, but Levi didn’t reply. It was noon. Maybe he was in another meeting. He sent a text instead:

_Hey, Levi! I was at a party last night. I fell asleep there. I miss you!_

Eren attached two pictures with his message; one was him winking as he flirtily bit the hem of his shirt to reveal his abs, and the second was a close-up of his cock peeking out of his boxers, his fingers grasping his bulge.

He smiled at his work, and then went to the coffee shop for the rest of his shift.

\--

Levi was sitting through this pointless meeting, more for formalities, really. He wrote some notes absentmindedly, sighing and tapping his pen against his jaw.

Erwin sat beside him, alert and attentive, asking questions to the presenter and making sure everyone’s ideas were being heard.

As people talked, Levi checked his phone. He silenced his phone for meetings, so there was a missed call from Eren. He opened the text message from Eren, and a smile pulled at the corner of his lip. He really did miss that boy.

He opened the pictures that were attached, expecting the usual selfie, but there was also a second picture. Eren’s nude popped up, and Levi fumbled for his phone and put it in his lap calmly, praying that the Erwin and the executive on his other side didn’t see it.

Erwin noticed how flustered Levi was, even underneath his usual calm and collected exterior. He leaned in and whispered “Are you okay, Levi? Do you need to excuse yourself?”

Levi coughed and shook his head, double-checking to make sure his phone was shut off in his lap. “No, I’m fine. As you were.”

_Oh, Eren. You mischievous little thing._

\--

Eren felt bad for leaving Jean and Bertholdt for dead during the Saturday morning shift, but he apologized to them by holding down the fort while they took a longer lunch break than usual.

It’s been a long time since he’d been that wasted. And when he was of age, he would be getting drunk a lot more often.

Armin sent another wave of pictures from Africa. He looked adorable, as usual. There was a giraffe licking him on the cheek in one of them, and in another, he was finally at the ocean, his blond hair whipping against his face against a vast dark sea.

Eren could tell he was having a blast, but he missed his best friend dearly and couldn’t wait for him to get back home.

After his shift, he went to the gym with Reiner, blowing off steam and stress. They went for a bite afterward, since Reiner said he knew a place.

It was a steakhouse that served massive portions; very fitting that Reiner frequented this place.

“You need your protein,” Reiner smirked as their waitress placed huge slabs of meat in front of each of them. They tore into their meat, and they each sent a picture of their meals to Sasha to tease her, who replied “JEALOUS!” with several angry emojis.

Eren never thought he’d be happy to be back at his apartment. It was a long and eventful weekend so far. He missed Levi and Armin, but reconnecting with his other friends was fun, too. He really craved Levi’s presence. Not even so much in a sexual way; he just wanted to be held.

He called him up again, hoping he was out of his meeting.

“Hello, Eren.”

“Levi! I miss your voice.”

“And I miss yours, sweetheart. By the way, I got your pictures in the middle of my meeting.”

Eren laughed. “Did you like ‘em?”

Levi chuckled, too, but he tried his hardest to be stern- to no avail. “They were adorable, but you’re going to get me in trouble one day.”

“That’s my plan!”

Levi sighed, defeated. “What am I going to do with you? Oh, how was the party?”

“It was alright. It was fun to meet up with some friends after working for most of the days. How were your meetings?”

“Between you and me, they’re quite boring,” he said.

“When will you be back?”

“I should be back by Monday afternoon. Monday night at the latest.”

Eren stomach fluttered with butterflies. “Will you see me as soon as you come back?”

“Of course.”

“Good,” Eren smiled.

“Okay. I have some more work to do so I will let you go here. Goodnight, darling boy.”

“Good night! Talk to you soon!”

Eren ended the call and crawled into his bed. Soon enough he won’t have to sleep alone. He smiled at the thought of it.


	23. Welcome Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> LEVI FINALLY COMES HOME! +Prepare to drown in utter fluff

The rest of the weekend went by without much event. Eren spent it at the gym and relaxing alone, mostly. His workouts were becoming a lot easier with each passing day.

And Mondays usually made Eren work for his money, but he couldn’t help but feel chipper today- Levi was finally coming home!

“A fresh Americano, sir, enjoy!” Eren was all smiles as he worked the finishing and ready stations. Even Jean, who was busy on prep and register duty, wondered what’s gotten into Eren.

“What’s with that cheese, Sparkles?” Jean asked.

“Nothin’.”

Jean pumped some energy shots with a dubious expression. “Whatever.”

\--

Eren ended his shift a bit later than usual; there was an influx of customers towards the end of the day and he wanted to lighten the load for Marco and Sasha. The minute he clocked out, he called Levi.

“Hey, Eren.”

“Levi, are you home yet?” Eren could hardly contain his excitement.

“Yes. I arrived minutes ago.”

“I’m coming over, and I’m spending the night!”

Levi secretly loved that Eren invited himself. It made him think that he really did enjoy the time they spent together. It warmed his heart, and he smiled through the phone.

“Understood. I can’t wait to see you,” he said.

Eren fixed a medium black coffee- Levi’s signature order- and took it with him to go. This would be his welcome-home gift.

-

Eren rolled up to Trost Tower and rushed himself up the elevator to Levi’s apartment. He was practically vibrating with joy.

Levi opened the door, and after a week of not having seen him, his appearance seemed deliciously strange to Eren. Eren fell in love all over again, and he grinned.

“I brought you some coffee!”

Levi took the cup and stroked Eren’s chin. “Thank you, darling. That’s very thoughtful of you.”

Eren shut the door behind him and waited for Levi to set his drink down, and then immediately launched himself into Levi’s arms. Levi caught him with a solid “oof!” and wrapped Eren tight. He effortlessly lifted him off his feet and spun him around in the living room, and Eren laughed loudly and carefree.

“I missed you so, so much, baby.” Levi set Eren down on his feet and held his face in his hands, squeezing his cheeks together and showering his face with kisses.

Eren basked in the kisses, placing his hands over Levi’s. Levi looked into those brilliant eyes in adoration, remembering that this embodiment of sunshine was all his.

Eren went to go change into his pajamas, and Levi waited for him on the couch. The coffee was perfect, and still quite hot. He let it fill and soothe his body after such a trying week. The truth is, he was rather exhausted and a bit cranky. He hoped that Eren didn’t notice; even though seeing Eren immediately lifted his mood.

Eren entered the living room in his boxers and loose tank top, sliding into the couch besides Levi and settling his head in his lap. He wrapped his arms around Levi’s waist and tucked his legs in.

Levi was grateful that Eren wasn’t a draining presence. He loved that he could sip his coffee and watch TV in silence, and Eren wouldn’t bother him one bit. After a long week of meetings, presentations, and talking to clients, he was relieved to be in his element. Silence and having Eren at his side was a combination that couldn’t be beat. And he knew that Eren could tell this was what he needed.

He stroked Eren’s hair, relishing sifting through those soft locks in his fingers. It was therapeutic to touch and pet Eren. And the lovely brown-haired boy responded wonderfully, sighing as he got his scalp massaged and nuzzling his face into Levi’s lap.

He finished his coffee with one last sigh, letting his head fall back onto the couch and closing his eyes. He felt Eren stir beneath him, and saw that he was getting up to straddle him. He had been waiting patiently for Levi to finish his drink, but now it was his turn to have his way.

Eren desperately craved Levi’s touch and love. That much was clear now. He wrapped his arms around Levi’s neck, resting his forehead against his. He closed his eyes, just feeling and absorbing. Their breath mixed as they sighed together, Eren’s lips just barely brushing against Levi’s.

“Sweet boy,” Levi whispered to him. He felt a tinge of guilt that he left his young boyfriend alone, and now the poor thing was touch-starved. He was going to make sure that Eren regained all his satisfaction within the next couple days.

Levi trailed his hands up the sides of Eren’s thighs, inching just beneath his boxers and raking his nails gently against his skin. Eren shut his eyes and slowly rubbed his nose against Levi’s; just giving those eskimo kisses showed that he was innocent and young, and he wanted the simpler things.

They stayed like that for what seemed like hours- hardly speaking at all, and instead letting their touches communicate their thoughts. It was the way Eren placed his hand on Levi’s firm chest, right over his heartbeat, watching his own finger trace little shapes. It was the way Levi took Eren’s face into his hands ever so gently, bringing him down and placing firm kisses on his closed eyelids- such a fragile and intimate gesture. It was the way Eren would sporadically lift his head up and place smooches on Levi’s cheek that lasted several long seconds. It was the way Levi would pull Eren’s hips closer, his hands rubbing the small of Eren’s back, his fingertips edging along the waistband of Eren’s boxers playfully.

It was the way they managed to achieve an astronomical level of intimacy in pure silence and not a mention of sex.

\--

Eren wanted a snack, and Levi had a plan in mind. He washed a bunch of grapes and strawberries and brought them over to an eager Eren.

He had Eren lie on his back, resting his head on a pillow that was on his own lap.

Levi fed Eren grapes directly from the stem like he was a greek god; like he was royalty. He alternated between grapes and strawberries, telling him stories of his business abroad.

Levi got a notification on his phone, and he put his hovering hand of grapes down as he read through it. He got a bit distracted, wiping his hands on his pants to reply to emails.

“Why did you stop?” Eren pouted.

“Just a minute, dear,” Levi replied absentmindedly.

Several minutes passed and Levi was busy answering emails. Eren gazed up at his profile with his arms resting behind his head- the strong jaw and porcelain skin and the smoky steel eyes that were fixated on the phone.

“Leeeeeeviii…” Eren whined quietly.

Levi’s eyes found his, and he clicked off and put his phone away. “Okay, okay,” he consoled gently. “Aren’t you a spoiled little prince?”

Eren had on cocky grin and opened his mouth for another grape.

-

It was very late now. They’ve been watching a movie in the dark for a while, and the world felt a bit surreal.

“I think it’s time for bed now, don’t you think?” Levi prompted, rousing some energy into Eren by tousling his bangs.

“Yeah. I’m tired.” As if for emphasis, Eren released a huge yawn and stretched his arms out above him.

They made their way into Levi’s bedroom, and they brushed their teeth together. Eren crawled into Levi’s bed and waited patiently for Levi to change into his pajamas.

Levi joined him in bed, and he was reaching over to turn off the bedside light.

“Wait, Levi,” Eren said.

Levi paused and turned to him. “Hm?”

“At the beginning of your trip, you said that you had a surprise for me when you got back.” He looked expectant and excitable, like a child on Christmas Day.

“Oh,” Levi chuckled. “Well, it’s not so much a present as it a question…”

Eren sat on his heels patiently and waited for him to continue.

“Eren… I was wondering if you’d like to move in with me?”

Eren’s face lit up, his eyes sparkling.

“If you’re comfortable with it, that is.”

A wide smile broke out on Eren’s face and he answered by tackling Levi to the mattress, bouncing up and down so that the springs creaked quietly.

“Yes, yes, yes, yes!” Eren gushed with every bounce.

Levi smiled weakly from beneath Eren’s body. “I’m so glad. I figured you were here so often that we might as well make it official.”

Eren got off Levi’s body, still beaming as he got underneath the covers. Levi shut off the bedside light and got close to Eren. He pulled him closer so that his nose was buried in that chocolate hair, which smelled like pine trees and baby powder- the scent that was exclusively Eren’s.

They looked neat and comfortable now, but Levi knew by morning Eren would be splayed out every which way, and he smiled at the image.

“I love you, Levi. So much,” Eren whispered.

Levi squeezed his hands around Eren’s middle. “I love you, too, sweetheart. More than anything.

“Good night,” he uttered in that hauntingly rich voice of his, but by then, Eren was already happily sound asleep.


	24. Let The World See

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Morning routines are my favorite thing to watch our boys go through. :3

Levi woke up a bit later than usual- the caffeine from his coffee last night kept him up for a little while longer after Eren drifted away. It wasn’t too bad though; he liked reflecting on his thoughts in the quiet of the night as he held Eren, inhaling the scent of his hair, and Eren’s snores became quite soothing after having slept with him for a while.

Eren wasn’t latched onto him this morning like he usually was. Rather, he was curled up in a tight ball underneath the comforter, his hair peeking out of the covers just a bit. Levi sat up and rolled his neck around, wincing at the cracking and the stiff stretch. He peeled the covers off Eren to lay a smooch on his head, and then covered him back up. Eren didn’t stir.

Levi fixed himself some black tea, and then retreated to his study to work. He filled out paperwork, replied to emails, and looked over schedules and to-do lists. After the business trip, he had some slack- so this week wasn’t awfully busy. He figured he would fit a few workouts in.

After about an hour of working, Levi went to the kitchen to have some breakfast. He found Eren perched on the counter, eating a bowl of cereal.

“’Morning,” Eren chirped between crunches.

Levi went up to him and squeezed his thigh gently. “Good morning, love. Please sit at the table and eat properly.” He opened the fridge and peered inside.

Eren hopped down from the counter and took his cereal to a barstool. Levi made some toast and spread some jam, letting Eren have a bite. He held his hand beneath Eren’s chin as he tasted. There was a bit of sweet jam on Eren’s lip as he chewed, and Levi wiped it up with his thumb, sucking it off his finger. Eren grinned adorably.

Levi finished eating, and then went to work vacuuming the rug in the living room. Eren watched patiently as he went on to sweep up the wooden floors next. Eren liked watching Levi clean- it was relaxing to see. Come to think of it, Levi always kept the place immaculate. He turned on the TV and watched the weather as he wiped the coffee and glass tables with lemon-scented cleaner, and he dusted the bookshelf- all with speedy efficiency.

Levi packed his cleaning supplies up and put them away in a small closet near the door. Eren stayed sitting on the barstool with his legs crossed until Levi returned.

“Levi,” Eren called, lifting his arms for a hug. Levi came to him and uncrossed his legs, standing between them as Eren wrapped his arms around his strong shoulders. Levi rubbed the sides of Eren’s legs vigorously, warming them under his hands, and Eren giggled. His hands traveled up Eren’s hips, squeezing the skin right underneath the waistband of his boxers. Then his fingertips found Eren’s abdomen, tight and warm. Levi rubbed his tummy for him, trailing kisses along his jaw and throat. Eren closed his eyes and sighed, lifting his head to give Levi more access to his throat.

He took Levi’s hands and pecked a kiss on his lips, then hopped down from the stool, taking Levi to the couch. He had Levi lay down and he sat on him, rubbing his hands on Levi’s pecs slowly as they looked into each other’s eyes. It was no secret that Eren loved Levi’s body, how solid and built it was, and he liked to touch it whenever he had the chance.

But he liked to be touched, too, and he guided Levi’s hands up his own body, up his stomach to his chest beneath that flimsy tank top that left little to the imagination. Eren arched his back, Levi’s fingers leaving trails of electricity as they dragged up his torso. He felt himself getting hard, his erection straining a bit against the cloth of his boxers. He leaned down and his lips met Levi’s, their lips molding and tasting, Levi’s hands moving from Eren’s stomach to knead his ass. Eren’s breathing harshened, sighing from his nose as his tongue entered Levi’s mouth. He ran his tongue over the roof of Levi’s mouth, over his teeth, down his throat. Levi caught Eren’s tongue in with his lips, sucking on it gently. Eren had never experienced that before. They separated after a while, a trail of translucent saliva connecting them.

Eren stole one last hard kiss quickly before getting off of Levi’s body, taking him to the bedroom.

“Not here,” Eren stated. He fished the bottle of lube out of the bedside drawer and took Levi back out to the living room. Levi expected them to settle on the couch again, but Eren took his hand and led him to the area in front of the large glass wall.

“Let’s do it here,” Eren said. “I want the whole world to watch while you fuck me.”

Levi laughed at his young boyfriend’s grandeur. “I hate to ruin your fantasy, my dear, but the glass is tinted from the outside. No one can see inside.”

Eren frowned, and he looked genuinely disappointed. “Aw. Well, let’s do it here anyway. It’s the thought that counts.”

“You are a wild card, Eren Jaeger,” Levi chuckled. They sat down, and he helped Eren shed his clothes. Eren lay down on the cold wooden floor, squirming a bit in discomfort. Levi took him and pulled his body closer so that Eren’s hips were resting on his crossed legs.

“Better?” Levi asked.

Eren nodded, bringing his arm behind and resting his head on it. Levi uncapped the bottle of lube, and Eren watched the clear liquid squirt onto Levi’s fingers. It was a bit mesmerizing. Levi rubbed his fingers together to warm it up, and found that Eren was staring. He smiled at him, and Eren beamed back.

“Okay,” Levi exhaled, and adjusted Eren’s hips. He lined his finger against Eren’s entrance, tracing it around the rim to get him used to the feeling.

He pushed his index finger in slowly, noticing that Eren was taking a little while to ease himself around him. Faster than their first time, of course, but Eren did still have trouble taking things slow. He seemed a bit on edge whenever he needed to be prepped, Levi noticed, probably from those last douchebags he was with before.

“Relax, baby. Relax,” Levi whispered and patted Eren’s leg, his finger held still waiting for those muscles to unclench. Eren took the hand that his head wasn’t resting on and held onto Levi’s strong forearm, breathing deeply, and visibly attempting to unclench.

Levi waited patiently, and he finally got the response he wanted. He patted Eren’s leg again. “That’s a boy. Take your time, this is all about you.”

He inserted his finger deeper and pulled it out, feeling around Eren’s walls until he felt that he was ready for a second finger. Eren sighed and Levi watched his stomach rise and fall with each breath.

Levi finger fucked Eren for quite some time, even after he was plenty prepped. He loved watching Eren’s face mold into those lewd expressions, those teeth that bit that soft bottom lip in restraint, those cute little mewls whenever Levi brushed against his sweet spot- the spot that only Levi knew how to find.

Eren’s grip on Levi’s forearm grew tighter; he wanted touch, wanted any and all closeness to him. His legs were now draped past Levi’s hips, his pelvis resting on Levi’s thighs. He watched the veins in Levi’s forearm twitch as he worked him open, loving the way his bicep curled with every movement.

Levi finally pulled his fingers out slowly, and Eren whined at the empty feeling. Levi removed himself from beneath Eren’s hips, reaching into his shorts to pull his cock out, drizzling lube onto his hand and slicking himself up before hoisting Eren’s hips back up with his arms.

He aligned himself, his underwear and shorts slung low on his hips so that Eren had a view of those delicious veins that reached up to his belly button, not to mention those protruding hips that formed a sharp ‘V’ into his legs.

Eren grinned at the sight of that sinful body as Levi aligned himself, sitting back on his heels as he held Eren’s legs in the crook of his arms. He pushed himself in, and a moan spilled from Eren’s lips. He went in smoothly- like cutting butter with a knife- after all that time spent loosening him up with his fingers.

Levi pushed his hips back out, swallowing thickly and shutting his eyes. Even after getting worked open, Eren felt so fucking wonderful and tight and _hot_ around him- that sweet heat that Levi lived to bury himself into. He pushed back in, watching precum spill from Eren’s cock onto his stomach like a faucet.

He groaned when his cock was fully engulfed in Eren, then he slid back out to really start fucking. He snapped his hips with skilled and quick precision, over and over, the sound of skin slapping against skin echoing around them.

Eren was reduced to a babbling mess like usual, his head turned away and his back arching off the floor. “Yes, yes, yes, yes, Levi, _fuck_ , just like that, just like that… mm, I’m-I-I… oh! _Fuck_! Yesyesyesyesyes, right there!”

Levi felt himself getting closer, too, Eren’s responses only riling him up even further. He aimed his hips so that he would slam into Eren’s prostate. With one steady hit, he rammed into Eren in that one lucky spot, and Eren screamed as he saw stars and colors and explosions behind his eyelids as cum shot out of his cock in an orgasm untouched, splattering onto his stomach and reaching all the way up to his chest and neck. He was overstimulated as Levi moaned and let his head fall back as he slammed into Eren desperately and released into him. He was quiet as he screwed his eyes shut and held onto Eren’s legs tightly, his Adam’s apple twitching as he groaned deeply. When he was all finished, he pulled out of a liquid Eren, sitting down and running his hand through his hair as he climbed down the remnants of that surge of pleasure.

They finally came to their senses, still panting, the smell of their sweat becoming apparent between them. Eren looked into Levi’s eyes as he scooped some of his own pleasure off his chest and sucked his fingers unashamedly. He wagged his eyebrows at Levi and smirked.

Levi brushed his own hair off his forehead again, shaking his head at his naughty boyfriend with a low chuckle. “Gross.”

Eren sat up and crawled over to Levi, licking a small trail on his jawline. “That was fucking amazing. I missed you and that fantastic dick of yours.”

Levi laughed out loud. “I missed your body, too. You’re absolutely exquisite, you know that?”

He stroked Eren’s cheek with his hand, and Eren adorably nuzzled into it. “Let’s go get cleaned up, shall we?” Levi said softly.

They showered together; Levi scrubbed Eren’s back and scooped him out clean. Eren was excited to scrub Levi’s back, happy for the opportunity to touch and feel his sculpted back. He asked Levi to wash his hair for him, and he happily obliged. He sat quietly on the marble ledge as Levi worked expensive shampoo into his locks, scratching his scalp gently.

The two emerged from the bathroom, steam billowing out behind them. Levi wrapped his towel around him slung dangerously low on his lips, which drove Eren crazy. Levi’s wet hair was matted over his forehead, making him look a lot younger.

They dried and dressed together. Levi took Eren’s towel and ruffled it over his hair, and they sat in front of the floor-length mirror. Levi used a special oil in Eren’s hair, and combed it for him.

The morning had to come to end, however. It was almost noon, and Eren had to go to work. He requested one more cuddle session before he left. Levi held him close to his chest on the couch, his nose buried in Eren’s freshly washed hair.

Eren craned his neck around. “Levi?”

“Hm?”

“Rub my tummy again?”

“Of course.”

Levi snaked his hand up Eren’s shirt, using his palm to apply warm pressure to Eren’s stomach. He rested his head back on Levi’s shoulder, closing his eyes and relishing Levi’s sweet touch.

In a little bit, he reluctantly peeled himself off Levi and gathered his keys.

“One more thing,” Eren said before he left.

He took Levi’s face in his hands, moving them down to his shoulders to hold him still. “I want everyone to know that you’re mine.” Soft lips latched onto Levi’s pale throat, sucking the delicate skin there until a wet, red spot marked up his skin. Levi leaned his head back and held Eren’s head in his hand, a soft groan releasing as Eren sucked at his throat.

Eren let go of his throat with a gentle kiss, admiring the foundation of his work. Levi took his face and kissed him one last time on the lips, getting one more taste of his delectable Eren for the morning.

“Love ya, see you later,” Eren waved as he left the apartment.

“Love you, baby, have a wonderful day at work.”

The door shut with a resonating click and Levi felt his heart slam in his chest. It was a feeling he’s never experienced before Eren.

He was absolutely, definitely, and undeniably in love.


	25. Eren's Pick-Me-Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren surprises bae at work! 
> 
> (Please continue to let me know your thoughts and feedback, dear readers!)

Levi later told Eren that he’s hired a moving company to help him pack and move his things to Trost Tower. _This was real,_ Eren thought. _I’m moving in with Levi._ Now he was just waiting for his lease to expire towards the end of the month.

\--

A few days have passed, and Eren busied himself at the coffee shop. He wanted to surprise Levi at work, and he was curious to see what the company looked like.

The shift came to a close at around 4, and after he clocked out, Eren loaded a medium black coffee and a large Earl Grey onto a styrofoam cup holder- a treat for Levi, and another for Erwin, respectively.

He got into his car, inputting the Survey Corporation address into his GPS. It was on the outskirts of town, which he wasn’t awfully familiar with. Eren watched the city hued by oranges and laughter of the late summer pass him by as he drove through the city.

He rolled up to a tall, magnificent building, made with dark glass and a modern exterior. The late afternoon sun made the windows sparkle. Eren circled around the parking lot for a spot. He tried to find Levi’s car, but there were so many luxurious and expensive sports cars around him that it was like looking for a needle in a haystack. His beat-up, dull blue car stuck out like a sore thumb.

Interesting geometric bushes that were trimmed to perfection lined the walkway to the building, and Eren saw people in sharp suits exiting out the thick glass double doors. He craned his neck up to the top of the building, eyes squinting against the sun, and the words “Survey Corporation” in sleek steel lettering shone proudly. He entered the building, coffee in hand.

Eren was welcomed with crisp air conditioning, and a white marble floor that was so thoroughly polished that he could see his face reflected in it. Square couches lined the edges of a spacious lobby, and the chatter of businesspeople on their phones echoed in the room. Everyone was dressed immaculately- sleek pressed suits and pencil skirts; shiny Rolexes and heels that clicked on the floor with every step. Suddenly Eren felt a bit self-conscious in his simple black t-shirt and work pants. But then again, he thought with a small smirk, his boyfriend was one of the CEOs of this company. No one in this lobby could say the same, so he had the upper hand.

He walked up to the welcome desk, and saw a familiar bob of strawberry blonde hair. Petra sat typing away at her computer, clicking her pen against her lip. She looked up and a warmth spread across her face when she saw who it was.

“Eren! How are you? What an unexpected surprise!” she gushed.

“Hi, Petra, I’m doing well!” Eren was a little flattered that she remembered his name since the party.

“Are you here to see Levi?” she eyed the cup holder in his hands. “How cute!”

“Yeah. Can you tell me how to find him?”

She looked at a planner on her desk and nodded. “He’s not in a meeting right now, so you have good timing. Take those elevators over there to the very top floor”- she pointed to large chrome elevators- “and there should be a door with his name on it.”

“Got it. Thanks!”

Eren pressed the elevator button and it lit up a bright blue. He waited patiently and the doors opened, and a few people exited it with their heads buried in either their tablets or their watches.

There were 30 floors. The elevator dinged to the uppermost one, and he walked out to a different kind of lobby. He saw printers and see-through conference rooms, charts and flat-screen TVs that showed stock numbers and information. Several people he didn’t recognize were walking and talking, unaware of his presence. The sides of the lobby were lined with dark wood doors and chrome nameplates.

“Eren!?” a familiar voice screeched. Before he knew it, Eren was being smothered by Hange, and he reeled to keep the coffee in his hand from spilling.

“Hello, Eren,” another voice approached them. It was Moblit, he remembered from the party. “Hange, let the poor boy go, we have a meeting in a few minutes.”

“Oh, boo, you’re no fun!” Hange pouted at him. She let Eren go and pinched his cheek. “I’ll talk to you later, my young friend!” They retreated into one of the conference rooms.

Eren looked around for the door with Levi’s name on it, and he found it. He knocked on the door, feeling a bit dumb. Maybe people weren’t supposed to knock; maybe people needed to make an appointment first? What if he was busy?

A moment of silence, and then a “Come in,” in Levi’s business voice- the one he only heard when Levi was talking on the phone while he was working.

But before Eren could reach the handle, the door swung open, startling Eren. Erwin’s large body blocked the view to the inside of Levi’s office, and he smiled down at him.

“Eren, what a pleasant surprise.” His soothing voice was complimented his impeccable suit wonderfully.

“Hey, Erwin,” Eren reached for the larger cup. “This is for you. You like Earl Grey, right?”

There was a brief shooting of surprise in Erwin’s striking blue eyes, but it turned to a fatherly sort of gentleness. “Oh, for me? You remembered my favorite! Thank you, Eren.” He rubbed Eren’s back in gratitude.

“You’re welcome!” Eren grinned. He lowered his voice: “Were you and Levi in the middle of something? I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

Erwin shook his head and waved his hand down. “Not at all. I was just dropping something off. Your timing is perfect. I’ll leave you two alone.” He walked away, sipping his tea and grunting approval as he retreated back into his own office.

Eren ducked into Levi’s office with a cheeky grin and shut the door behind him with a click. Levi looked up from something he was writing, and his face instantly softened. Hi voice switched from his commanding and serious work voice to the gentle tone he always used with him. “Eren!” he breathed.

Eren went to his desk and set the coffee down, throwing the styrofoam cup holder into the wastebin nearby. “Surprise! I brought you your usual!” he grinned.

Levi stood up from his leather chair and took held Eren’s cheeks. “You, my dear, are a saint.” He peppered his face with hard kisses all over, and Eren giggled.

“I hope I’m not bothering you, I was a bit nervous to come here,” Eren confessed.

“Why were you nervous, baby? You’re the best surprise I could ask for.”

Levi sat back down on his chair, and Eren joined him on his lap. “Everyone here is dressed so nice. I look like shit. It’s a bit intimidating.”

Levi gulped his coffee and sighed as it warmed his throat. “You are a handsome young man no matter what you wear,” he said. “I assure you.”

“Really?” Eren asked, just to hear Levi said it again.

“Really. You know that,” he stroked Eren’s face with the backs of his knuckles.

Eren went in to place an innocent kiss on Levi’s cheek, then got up to scope out the office. It was decorated very simply- a huge curved, dark, wooden desk, a few plaques and certificates lined on the shelves and walls, some tall plants, a modern-looking couch and ottoman, and some chairs in front of the desk- all above a glossy floor.

But the real showcase of the room was the glass wall behind Levi’s desk, much like the one back in Trost Tower- but this view was a lot higher and a lot more majestic.

Eren stared out the window in awe- he could see the beach and the ferris wheel like he could back at the apartment, but from here he could even see the border that met with Sina- marked by the smaller and fancier buildings.

“Nice view, huh?” Levi asked from his chair, admiring the way Eren’s eyes sparkled.

“Levi, you sure know how to get some sights around here,” he breathed. “…Wow.”

He tore his view from the window and returned to Levi. “Are you gonna be at work for much longer?”

“Yeah. I have a meeting that starts at 6. Then I can go home.” He sipped his coffee and sighed with his eyes closed.

“I’ll give you something to get you through your meeting,” Eren purred in his ear. He walked around the desk and disappeared beneath it, crawling into the leg space and nestling between Levi’s thighs. He deftly unbuckled his belt, unzipping his slacks and reaching into his underwear.

He gave Levi a soft blowjob, low-maintenance and slow. Levi drank his coffee and groaned as Eren’s head bobbed up and down beneath the desk, lapping his tongue around his length. He stroked Eren’s hair with his other hand, spreading his legs a bit further.

“Mmm, _fuck_ ,” Levi sighed.

Eren rested his arms on Levi’s thighs as he continued licking and kissing the side of his length, rubbing his balls softly. It wasn’t long until Levi released warm pleasure down Eren’s throat with a low grumble.

Eren swallowed and zipped him back up, crawling back out from beneath the desk. He took Levi’s face and smooched him on his temple.

“You always know how to pick me up, love,” Levi said softly, a bit sated. “Thank you.”

Eren gave him one last hug around his shoulders, squeezing hard. “No problem! I love you, have a nice rest of the day.”

“I will. Bye, sweetheart.”

Eren left Levi’s office and closed the door behind him, making his way to the elevators. _I’m a pretty good boyfriend_ , he thought with a cocky smile on his face.

In the elevator, he saw a man gripping onto a mail cart. He was a mountain of a man- blond, shaggy, and bigger than even Erwin.

He leaned into Eren and inhaled. Eren leaned away a bit and raised an eyebrow.

“You’re Eren,” the man stated.

“…Yeah. Who’re you?”

“I’m Mike. Nice to meet you finally.” He extended a huge hand in greeting.

“Hi, Mike.” He held his hand, and Mike shook it hard. Eren’s entire arm and shoulders shook weakly.

“How do you like the building so far?” Mike asked.

“It’s nice! Everyone’s really friendly, too.”

Mike nodded in satisfaction. “That’s good to hear. Please don’t hesitate to find me if you ever need help navigating. I’m at your service.”

 _He seemed like a gentle giant_ , Eren thought. _Trustworthy_. Maybe he would ask him for a tour of the building one time. “Thanks, Mike, I appreciate it!”

The elevator dinged and Mike pushed the cart out. “Goodbye, Eren.”

Eren went back to the welcome desk and thanked Petra for her help. She told him to come back whenever he wanted: “We’re all excited to see you!”

He waved her goodbye and pushed through the heavy glass doors. That was a successful trip, all things considered.

In his car, Eren texted Levi:

_I met Mike in the elevator. He seems nice, but I think he sniffed me at first???_

Levi replied with a chuckle:

_He does that to everyone he meets. Think nothing of it. He’s a great man._

\--

When Eren got back to his own apartment later that night, he saw that Armin sent another round of photos- now he was smiling at the back of a caged pickup truck with lions roaming in the distance. In another, he had a colorful cockatoo-looking thing perched on his arm. The last picture in the album was captioned: “Back home in a week!”

Eren smiled- Armin was coming back home soon! A month really did pass by quickly.

He then texted Mikasa, letting her in on the latest juicy details of his life lately. Among them:

_Levi asked me to move in with him!!!_

Her reply was cautious, but then again, that was just her personality:

_You seem happy, so I’m happy. Remember to take things slow. And introduce me to him one day!_

_I will, I will! I love him so much!_

Eren didn’t spend the night with Levi tonight, so he sent him a selfie to make up for it. He smiled sweetly and captioned it “Love ya!”

As he awaited a response, he reached over and clicked off the dull bedside light that was illuminating his room. He stared at his phone under his blanket, a dreamy smile curling his lips. Levi replied:

_You’re simply too cute, Eren. Thank you again for your wonderful surprise earlier. You made my whole day. What did I do to deserve a precious thing like you? Sweet dreams, I love you dearly._

Eren clutched his phone to chest as his heart fluttered, and in just a little bit, he slipped into a warm, fuzzy sleep.


	26. Sweet Lovin'

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren and Levi get sappier and sappier every day. <3
> 
> (A lot of you guys are asking to see Levi's badass/possessive/protective side, and don't worry, I hear you loud and clear! You'll definitely see it soon! I have just the thing to share! 
> 
> Please continue to leave comments and interact with me! A lot of the things I write are inspired by your comments, so don't be shy!)

Eren found himself at Levi’s after place after work one day, like he usually did. He was fed a wonderful dinner of lasagna, and he watched movies on the couch as Levi worked in his study.

His beige blanket that he so loved was wrapped around him, keeping him warm in the apartment that Levi kept on the colder side. The night was quiet and peaceful, and Eren liked to get a taste of what life would be like when he moved in soon.

Several movies later, Eren was getting a bit bored. He wanted some of that sweet lovin’. So, he shook his blanket off and padded his way into Levi’s study.

It was dimly lit- most of the light coming from Levi’s laptop and a small lamp that glowed nearby. Levi was oblivious to how in control he looked- his legs crossed and his expression serious and all-business as he reclined in his leather chair; Eren called it his work face. He was speaking to someone on the phone as he typed, sipping from a glass of red wine between pauses. He never bothered to change out of his work clothes today- he simply undid his cuffs and a few of the top buttons of his shirt. Eren wanted to take the rest of that shirt off and feel the strong chest underneath.

Eren approached Levi from behind, leaning down to slowly wrap his arms around his neck. He rested his head on Levi’s shoulder, looking at the screen with him. Levi kept talking on the phone, but he absentmindedly rubbed Eren’s arm as a greeting. Eren watched his own hand travel down to Levi’s chest, scratching it seductively with his fingertips. He wanted attention- a bit selfish, sure- but Levi has been working for several hours and they had to go to bed soon anyway.

“Leeevi…” Eren purred in Levi’s unoccupied ear, blowing cool air into it.

Levi held the phone away from his face and unwrapped Eren’s arms from his neck. “Babe, I’m busy. I’ll play with you later.” He resumed his conversation on his cell.

But Eren was relentless, and he put his hands on Levi’s shoulders again, leaning down and licking a soft stripe on the shell of Levi’s ear.

Levi excused himself to the person he was talking to once again, and he turned his head around. “Eren, I’m serious. Behave.” He tried to be stern, but Eren’s mischievous face was irresistible.

He went back to his conversation again, but it was useless. Eren whispered in his ear, “Or else what…?” followed by a soft nibble on Levi’s earlobe.

That, apparently, was the final straw. Levi sighed and said “Sorry, one minute,” into his cell, and before Eren realized it, he was tackled swiftly to the ground, and Levi commenced with the most brutal tickle attack ever.

He pinned Eren down by sitting on his hips, digging his fingertips ruthlessly into his ribs. He dodged Eren’s flailing punches with ease, enjoying the way he squirmed helplessly beneath him. The room echoed with his squeals and pained laughter as he was reduced to a wheezing mess.

Levi jabbed Eren’s armpits and exposed neck, and he smiled sadistically as Eren’s face turned redder and redder as he unsuccessfully tried to compress and protect his neck from Levi’s relentless tickles.

Eren was screaming for mercy now, his body numb and weak. “Okay! Okay! Please, I’ll stop! Levi, _PLEASE_! I’ll behave, I promise!” he wheezed.

Levi granted him sweet relief and withdrew his fingers, watching Eren panting and staring at him cautiously with his hair tousled messily over his face, praying that Levi wouldn’t go in for a follow-up attack.

“Or else that,” Levi stated. He leaned over Eren’s face, closing his lips into a soft kiss on his forehead.

Eren took Levi’s hands into his, lacing their fingers together. “Let’s go to bed,” he uttered innocently. “You’ve been working for hours.”

“It is pretty late, isn’t it?” Levi mused. “Alright. Go get ready; I’ll just finish this last phone call.” He climbed off Eren, and he watched rather humorously as Eren struggled to get up and walk properly- hobbling away weakly like a newborn deer.

-

Levi changed into his pajamas and climbed into bed to an awaiting Eren, shutting off the bedside light. He held his arms open, and Eren crawled into them routinely, tucking his arms in and burying his face in Levi’s chest. Levi wrapped his arms tight to hold him closer, laying one last loud smooch into his hair.

But his young boyfriend was right- he’d been working for quite a while, and he hadn’t realized how exhausted he really was. Plus, the wine has settled in, making him feel woozy and heavy-lidded. He fell into a much needed sleep fast, even faster than Eren for once. Eren smiled into Levi’s pec cleavage, and soon enough he was a victim to clutches of deep slumber as well- weathered away by a head filled with movies and a stomach filled with a heavy dinner.

\--

And it was very evident that Levi was exhausted because in the morning, Eren found himself awake first. He gazed lovingly at a sleeping Levi- his jet black hair splayed over his forehead, his full, plush lips open slightly as he breathed deeply and steadily- his muscular bicep curled beneath his pillow. Eren has never woken up first- he thought Levi looked extra hot when he was fast asleep.

Levi woke up a while later, ever so slowly opening his eyelids to his favorite sight- a smiling, bed-haired Eren.

“Good morning,” Eren grinned and scooted closer.

“Hey, sweetheart.” Levi yawned and stretched his arms, wincing when his back cracked.

Eren got up and sat next to him, the sheets pooled around his hips, and he rubbed Levi’s chest with his palms to warm him up. It was such a sweet gesture; what a lovely way to wake up, Levi thought.

“Mmm,” Levi sighed, and put his arms behind his head as Eren touched him.

“How’re you this sexy even in the morning?” Eren asked incredulously, more so thinking out loud.

Levi’s chest rumbled with a low chuckle, his hand reaching up to stroke Eren’s bottom lip with his thumb. “You flatter me, baby.”

Eren climbed on top of him, going back to gently scratching his nails along his chest. Levi brought his arms down from behind his head and trailed them up Eren’s thighs to grip his hips.

“What do you want for breakfast today?” he asked.

Eren looked upwards in thought. “Hmm… can you make french toast today?”

“I can,” Levi smiled at him.

\--

After they both finished work, Eren’s idea for date night was to finally take Levi to the beach- he’s been meaning to take him since they first met. Eren told him to wear swim trunks beneath his clothes.

“You’ll really love it,” he gushed. “I always go after work to wind down. I’m so excited to share it with you!”

They drove to the pier, and Eren was bouncing up and down as he took Levi to the water’s edge. They shed their shoes and stored them underneath some beach chairs along with their change bags, and they walked along the shore.

Eren curled his toes in the sand, laughing as the waves licked against his ankles. Levi rolled up his jeans and snapped pictures of Eren, smiling at the way the wind whipped against his adorable face.

As they walked and talked, a couple coming towards them in the opposite direction waved to them in greeting, and their dog tugged at his leash to meet them. Eren crouched down and held his hand out to the dog, ruffling his ears and hugging him around his neck. The dog wagged his tail furiously as Eren petted him, and his owners said he liked Eren a lot.

“Have a good one,” the man said to them as they walked away with their dog. Eren and Levi waved and continued walking.

“How was work today?” Eren asked, taking Levi’s hand into his.

Levi ran his hand through his hair to push it back. “It was alright. I only went in for two hours to give a briefing, and then I went back home and spent some time at the gym. How was the coffee shop today?”

“Oh…” Eren exhaled. “Same old.”

The 5 pm sky was hued a pastel spill of oranges, periwinkle, and pinks. With September just around the corner, the temperatures were dropping and the wind was starting to pick up earlier in the day. Eren swung his arm between them playfully and kicked some sand up with every step, and Levi was reminded of how young his boyfriend really was.

They’ve been walking for a while, and they reached a stretch of the beach that was empty of people and far away from the pier. Umbrellas and ice cream stands were replaced with cliffs and boulders. Eventually they came across a small, open-faced cave, and Eren took Levi inside.

The cave was damp and shallow and the ceiling dripped with water. “What if there’s hidden treasure in here?!” Eren’s eyes widened.

“Perhaps, love,” Levi laughed, scoping out the cave.

Eren ran his fingers along the walls to feel the rocky texture. He turned to Levi with the cheeky grin that meant only one thing. He sauntered over to Levi, pressing his body closer until Levi was backed up into a wall. He wedged his knee between his legs to keep him still, and he dragged two fingers along Levi’s jawline, touching noses with him.

“Isn’t this romantic, Levi?” he said dreamily. “Just you… me… alone in this empty cave…” He ran his other hand up Levi’s neck, up his undercut, and fisted his hand in his hair to gain some control. His lips met with Levi’s in a smirk, and he sucked at his bottom lip until it swelled.

“Eren…” Levi breathed between kisses. Eren silenced him with another kiss. And then another. “Eren,” Levi tried to protest.

But Eren didn’t want to hear it, and slid his tongue into Levi’s mouth, licking and tasting, wrestling his tongue against Levi’s. Levi didn’t want to admit it, but he was becoming incredibly aroused. He just didn’t know if this was the right place. There were so many factors- the ground was probably filthy, it was wet…

“Levi,” Eren said into his lips, “I want you to fuck me in this cave.” He went to work unbuttoning Levi’s shirt, leaving light kisses on the exposed skin.

“Eren, my boy, people could walk past and see. And it’s dirty in h-“ his sentence turned to into a hiss, since Eren had already unzipped his jeans and was giving him a sloppy blowjob.

“ _Fuck_.” Levi grabbed Eren’s hair and threw his head back against the wall. Eren’s soft lips were wrapped around the head of cock as he vigorously pumped the shaft up and down. All caution was thrown to the wind in those brief moments because Eren was just _so damn good_.

Eren let his mouth water all over Levi’s length, hoping that would suffice for lube. He got up and stepped out of his shorts, coming back to suck on Levi’s lips again.

“Are you prepped?” Levi asked breathlessly when Eren came up for a breath.

“Uh-huh. I kinda fucked myself before you picked me up.” He wrapped his arms around Levi’s neck.

Levi took him by the thighs and hoisted him up with a grunt, and Eren wrapped his legs around his waist. He pressed him up to the wall, reaching down to aim himself into Eren. He was a bit worried that it would hurt without lube, so he eased himself in slowly.

 _I can’t believe I’m doing this_ , Levi thought. _I can’t believe I’m fucking in a goddamn cave_. But then again, Eren made him do many things that surprised himself at the end of the day.

He gave Eren a chance to open up, and held his legs in the crook of his elbows as he bounced him up and down onto his cock. Soon enough, the cave’s walls echoed with their moans and sighs.

Eren gripped the back of Levi’s shirt and head, screwing his eyes shut as he Levi reach into what felt like his stomach.

“You like this, don’t you?” Levi growled. “You like that someone can walk by at any second. You dangerous boy.”

Eren laughed unashamedly and pointed his toes. “Yup! Now fuck me harder!”

Levi let Eren drop onto his length harder, and Eren squealed happily with each thrust. In no time at all, Eren’s cock leaked sticky white onto his stomach as he came, and Levi held Eren still as he filled him up with his own.

They stood like that for a few seconds as they climbed down from their orgasms. Levi put Eren down and took his unbuttoned shirt off to clean him up.

“This whole thing was so fucking filthy,” he shook his head and wiped cum off Eren’s stomach and dick.

Eren grinned as Levi cleaned him up. He always got what he wanted, he thought proudly.

The two of them decided to take off all their clothes and go back to the beach in just their swim trunks. When they emerged from the cave, the sky had turned into a dusty purple.

Back at the beach, Eren sat on a beach chair with his legs crossed as Levi rubbed baby oil on his back. When he was done, Eren stretched his arms to the sky, absorbing the cool evening wind against his sweaty skin. Levi said he would go buy them some drinks.

He returned with glass bottles of Coke, and they sipped in a comfortable silence as they watched the waves crash on the shore. Levi lay in his chair with his arm resting behind his head, his knee drawn up as he rocked his leg from side to side. Eren stared at him from his chair- the way his muscular chest rose and fell as he breathed, the way his bicep bulged as it was curled behind his head, the way his abs glistened in the neon lights from the pier behind them.

When Levi reached over to place his empty bottle beside him, he caught Eren staring. “Enjoying the view?”

“Yeah, and I ain’t talking ‘bout the beach,” he snorted. “Damn, you’re way too fucking hot for words.” He got up and took Levi’s hand. “Let’s get in the water!”

Levi followed him into the water, the beach now mostly empty except for a few. It was dark now, and that meant all the more privacy.

As they waded in to about waist deep, Eren shivered and laughed. “Shit, cold!”

Levi splashed some of that cold water on Eren, making his breath hitch and freeze up in shock. “Levi!”

Levi got closer and splashed another small wave on him, and Eren squealed at the cold night water. “Not fair!” He splashed some towards Levi in retaliation, and Levi countered, resulting in a splash fight.

Eren tried to block his face with his arm, but Levi was relentless. He flicked water on Eren until he was soaking wet, his brown locks matted over his face. He uselessly tried a surprise attack as a last resort, but Levi dodged it by diving into the water and swimming a small lap around Eren.

When he emerged, he shook his head to get the excess water out, and ran his fingers through his hair to brush it off his face. Eren- bless his pure, lovestruck heart- was mesmerized. He stared at the wet Levi, his hair slicked back and looking delicious as ever.

Eren went over to him and wrapped his arms around his shoulders, pressing their wet lips together. Levi returned the kiss, his hands against the small of Eren’s back. He exhaled through his nose, tasting the sweet Coke from earlier on Eren’s tongue. Eren hopped up and wrapped his legs around Levi’s waist like he did in the cave, feeling so free and alive as the nighttime wind cooled his wet skin. They kissed desperately, harder than they ever have before- masked by the sexy anonymity of the night but simultaneously fueled by the public setting. Eren bit gently at Levi’s lips, just on the brink of breaking skin, and Levi attacked Eren’s throat with nibbles and hickeys.

Having marked up Eren to his liking, Levi separated and looked into his innocent eyes with adoration. He brushed Eren’s wet bangs off his face, half shining from the nearby fair’s colorful lights, and smiled. “You’re so tempting, love. You make me lose all control, did you know that?”

Eren responded by grinning and running his hands through Levi’s hair, pecking a small kiss on his nose. He was so silly in love, and his heart still pounded at the aggressive makeout session. He’s seen it all, sexually, but with Levi, everything felt so new and wonderful and _explosive_.

Levi kneaded his ass as he walked them back to the shore, and they went to the bathhouses to shower and change. After, Levi took Eren to a nearby café for dinner, and they laughed about their cave sex. It was the last thing they expected today.

Back at Trost Tower, Eren waited as Levi threw their soiled clothes from the beach into the wash right away. When he joined Eren on the couch, Eren straddled him and rested his extended arms on Levi’s shoulders, clasping his hands together.

“Let’s make out again,” Eren said.

-

The living room was silent save the sounds of their smooching lips and soft moans. Levi’s phone vibrated in his pocket. Eren tried to ignore it and continued to taste Levi’s lips, but it kept vibrating obnoxiously against his leg. His brows furrowed in annoyance.

It vibrated yet again, and Levi pulled away to reach into his pocket. He looked at the screen and accepted the call.

“Hello, Erwin.”

Eren was less annoyed that it was Erwin who interrupted their makeout session rather than someone else, but he was still annoyed.

“Yes, I’m home right now,” Levi said. “I’m with Eren.”

It was silent as Erwin talked, and Eren kept on kissing Levi along his jawline.

“Uh-huh….. now? Yeah, I suppose….. Okay.” Levi pulled the phone away from his face and Eren looked at him. “I’m going to Erwin’s right now, would you like to come with me?” he asked softly.

“Erwin’s?” Eren asked. “Yeah! I’ll come!”

Levi brought the phone back to his ear. “Yes, we’ll be over soon… Okay. Bye.”

He ended the call and stroked Eren’s thigh. “Erwin wants to rehearse a proposal with me. He has to present it tomorrow, so he wants to run it by me,” he explained.

“Alright. I won’t bother you guys then.”

Levi patted Eren’s thigh and they drove over to Erwin’s apartment.

\--

“Come on in! Welcome, welcome,” Erwin greeted them at the door.

Eren walked in to a large, impressive living room and was greeted to the smell of… vanilla?

“I baked some cookies,” Erwin said. They all gathered at the kitchen. “Please, help yourself, Eren.”

Levi rolled his eyes and smirked. “You’re such a sap, Erwin.”

Eren reached for the plate of freshly bakes cookies, and took a bite. He eyes widened and he nodded his approval. “Damn, Erwin! These are delicious!” He didn’t expect someone as powerful and commanding as Erwin to have a talent in baking. He had another one.

Erwin smiled proudly. “Thank you, Eren.” The kitchen wall was lined with a honeycomb shelf that was filled with all sorts of wine. He reached for one and took down some glasses.

“Uh, Eren, are you of age?” he asked.

Levi answered for him. “No, he still has a few more months.” Eren pouted and stuck his tongue out at Levi. If it was just him and Erwin, he would’ve lied and said he was 21 so that he could get a little drunk.

“That’s fine. I have some root beer or perhaps milk for you, Eren,” Erwin offered. He poured Eren a glass of milk, and then he and Levi sipped from their wine.

“I have a shelf full of Blu-Rays if you want to watch a movie,” Erwin said to him. “You can help yourself to anything in the fridge or have a look around. My home is yours now.”

“Thanks, Erwin,” he said between bites of cookie.

Erwin and Levi began walking towards the study with their drinks in hand, and Levi whispered in Eren’s ear “I’ll see you in a little bit, dear.”

Eren took the plate of cookies and his milk to the wooden coffee table in front the flat-screen TV. He inspected the shelf of DVDs nearby and was a bit overwhelmed at the selection. He decided on one and put it on the table.

Looking around, Erwin’s apartment was really nice. It was admittedly less sterile than Levi’s, filled with overflowing bookshelves and colorful trinkets and vases. There were shelves of antiques and collectibles- historical-looking stuff. Armin would like it here, Eren thought.

The soft tan carpet gave the room a cozy, homey feel, contrasted to the modern, clean vibe of Levi’s furnishings. Having inspected around, Eren settled into the soft velour couch, popped the Blu-Ray in, and watched the movie as he dunked his cookies into milk.

-

Eren was really comfortable, wrapped in a soft white throw that he found on the couch and his stomach was heavy with milk and cookies. As the movie came to a close, his eyes were beginning to grow heavy, too.

Erwin and Levi emerged from the study, and saw Eren on the couch.

“Ready to go, Eren?” Levi asked gently.

“Mm-hmm.” He unwrapped the throw and got up, taking his empty glass and plate to the kitchen. “Thanks for the cookies, Erwin. They were the bomb.”

Erwin laughed and watched as Levi and Eren put on their shoes. “You’re very welcome. And you’re welcome back here at any time.”

They waved their good-byes to Erwin and headed to the car.

As Levi drove, Eren felt himself drifting away against the cool window. Levi stroked his thigh. “You’re exhausted, aren’t you, baby?”

Eren nodded, and sat up in his seat. “How was Erwin’s proposal?”

“It was spectacular, just like all his work,” he said. “He just likes to run his ideas across other people before proceeding. Makes him feel better about his work. Although, he really didn’t need my help.”

-

It was about 1 am when they finally got home, and Eren changed into pajamas and went straight to bed.

Levi joined him, and kissed his cheek goodnight.

“I had tons of fun today, thank you, Levi,” Eren said softly.

“You’re very welcome, sweetheart. I had a blast, too. Sleep well, you have a big day tomorrow.”

Tomorrow, the movers were coming over in the afternoon to Eren’s apartment to help him move his things to Trost Tower. And in the morning, Levi wanted to take Eren clothes shopping, because there was an upcoming event. It was going to be a busy day.

“Good night, I love you,” Eren nuzzled into the crook of Levi’s neck.

“Good night, I love you, too.”

Eren began snoring in just mere seconds.


	27. Home Sweet Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren moves into his new home, and Armin finally returns from his travels! Welcome, welcome!
> 
> (Thank you for your continued support, dear readers!)

Levi woke up bright and early. It was going to be a big day; starting with taking Eren to the mall. His adorable boyfriend was snoozing away loudly beside him. He felt a bit guilty having to wake him up- they had an eventful day yesterday and then stayed up late at Erwin’s place. Plus, he enjoyed watching Eren sleep. But, he thought, Eren could sleep in all he wanted when he moved in to his new home.

Levi reached over to the snoring boy and ruffled his hair a bit. “Eren… time to wake up, darling.” The usual coaxing words.

Eren, so very, very tired, furrowed his eyebrows in irritation. “Ugh.” He turned the other way and pulled the blanket over his head, going back to sleep.

“Erennnn…” Levi tried again, rubbing the back of the curled ball beneath the comforter. “Rise and shine.”

Eren whined and wrapped the blanket tighter over his head. “Five more minutes!” His voice was muffled beneath the thick covers.

Levi smiled a bit. Eren was NOT a morning person in the slightest. Luckily, he knew just the remedy.

He went to the kitchen and fixed up his favorite- french toast- and brewed coffee. If the smell didn’t wake Eren, the taste definitely will. He couldn’t make as good a cup as Eren could, but it did the job.

Levi took the tray of food back to the bedroom and set it aside to climb back into bed. He patted Eren’s butt and brought the tray into his lap. “Erennn…” he sang lowly, “breakfast in bed~.”

Eren pulled down the covers from his face and looked to see if it was the truth. It was! He got up and rubbed his eyes with a reluctant smile spreading on his face. “Not fair, Levi. Not fair.” He yawned and stretched his long arms as Levi moved the breakfast tray onto his lap. Eren dug in right away.

What a lovely sight he was- his unkempt hair tousled by a toss-and-turn filled sleep, his cowlicks untamed. Even with bags beneath his eyes, his bright green eyes glinted with a child-like innocence. His cheeks puffed as he chewed, and when Eren turned and smiled at Levi, Levi just wanted to take those cheeks and pinch them.

“How does it taste?” Levi asked.

Eren had a gulp of his hot coffee and nodded. “’s yummy.”

“I’m getting in the shower, I’ll be back soon.” He stroked Eren’s face with his knuckles.

“’Kay.”

\--

At the mall, Levi bought Eren several new outfits. The real incentive was to get Eren another suit for an event coming up. It was a charity dinner, and many higher-ups of companies Survey Corp. collaborated with would be there as well. He had no doubt Eren would be the life of the party like he was at the Garrison event.

They returned to the same tuxedo store as last time. A familiar petite lady greeted them at the door.

A bright smile lit up Lynne’s face. “Ah, if it isn’t Eren and Levi! Welcome back!” she gushed. She pinched Eren’s cheek.

Eren was actually a bit surprised she remembered his name. He noticed that people had a higher tendency to memorize his name when he was with Levi- he felt a bit famous.

“Hello, Lynne,” Levi said. “We’re getting another suit for Eren today.”

“Understood!” she said, walking them through the store. “Custom fitted, or store pick-up?”

“Store pick-up,” Levi said. They reached the back of the store, and Levi sat on the couch with a small groan.

“Tell me about the event,” Lynne inquired as she measured Eren again.

Levi told her it was a charity dinner. He wanted to get Eren into a suit that had some color and would be easy to move around in.

Lynne retracted her tape measure with a _snap_. “I have just the thing!” She circled around the store and picked up some options.

As they waited for her to return, Eren took Levi’s hands in his and rocked his hips from side-to-side playfully.

“You’re adorable,” Levi mouthed, and then his phone rang. “Hello, Petra.” He stroked Eren’s hand with his thumb as he held his phone with the other. “That’s fine. Thanks for letting me know.”

As Levi hung up, Lynne returned with two garment bags. “Okay, Eren- try these two options and we’ll have a look. Let me know if you need help.”

Eren shut the curtain of the dressing room and put on the first suit. He overheard Lynne asking Levi about the company’s latest news. She also asked how Eren’s other suit held up at the event.

Eren emerged in a deep purple corduroy suit and stood on the platform for inspection, hands in pocket. Lynne chewed her lip and angled her head in different places to get more perspective. Levi twirled his finger to have Eren turn around. It was a very indecisive few seconds.

“What do you think, Levi?” Lynne asked.

“It looks good on him, but… it’s a bit too gaudy.”

“I agree,” Lynne went up to Eren and fixed his collar. “Perhaps a little too playful for a dinner party. Let’s see the other one, hon.”

The next selection was a simple but charming dark blue pinstripe suit. Eren walked out and modeled it. Levi thought it complimented his long legs and firm ass nicely. The material was lightweight and the pants had a slim fit- perfect for Eren’s youthful, athletic body.

“I really like that,” Levi said. “I think we’ll take it.”

“I like it, too! You are quite handsome, Eren,” she brushed some lint off his shoulder and fixed the hems of his pants. “Change out of it for me and I’ll ring you gentlemen up.”

Eren hung the suit up in its bag to make Lynne’s job easier. They followed her to the register where Levi took out his shiny black credit card and payed for it. Eren remembered the last time they were here- his black suit cost several thousand dollars and he argued with Levi to pitch in. But, many shopping sprees and fancy dinners later, Levi made it clear that he enjoyed spending money on him, and that as his boyfriend, he deserved anything in the world.

“Bye, now! Come back anytime!” Lynne walked them out and waved them off.

At the food court, Eren opened his email to find out that Armin sent one more picture- a selfie in a hotel- captioned: “Finally returned to civilization! Back home in two days!” He would need to be picked up at the airport, and Eren happily volunteered. He gushed and bounced in his seat as they put down their trays of Chinese takeout, and Levi raised his eyebrow amusedly.

“What happened?”

“It’s Armin! He’s arriving in two days, Levi! God, I miss him so much!”

“I’m happy for you, darling, that’s very exciting!”

“I’ll be going to the airport to pick him up,” Eren said. He unwrapped the plastic from his fork and took a bite.

Levi ate and answered some of his own messages. “Oh, the movers will be arriving in about two hours. I have to go to work for a last minute meeting, so I can’t be there with you.”

Eren pouted.

“But I’ll try to make it over as soon as I’m done,” Levi finished, rubbing Eren’s hand. “The movers will do everything for you; just tell them how you want it.”

\--

“Come on in,” Eren ushered the team into his apartment. They carried flattened boxes, tape, and bags of packing peanuts.”

“I’m Eren,” he introduced. “Umm…” He didn’t know what else to tell them.

One of the burly men stepped forward. “We know who you are, sir. Mr. Ackerman filled us in on the task. Just walk us through each room and tell us what you want to leave or pack. I’m Joe, by the way.”

His mind was still stuck on the fact that he was called “sir”- something he’s been called more frequently the more time he spends with Levi. He kind of liked it, though. _Sir…_ he thought with an internal smile.

“Okay, Joe. Let’s start at the bedroom.”

-

The team was busy folding and putting away the contents of Eren’s closet as well as the bookshelf and desk. Eren opened his bedside drawer to figure out if there was anything he wanted.

Useless trinkets and gadgets were the most of it. This drawer- no, this whole apartment- felt a bit strange and unfamiliar since he spent most nights at Levi’s place; soon to be his place, too.

He fished out his glasses case. He hadn’t worn them in a while- he usually only wore them when he was reading or playing video games. He put it in the personal box Joe gave him.

Next, he found a half-empty bottle of lube. He looked around, and thankfully the team was busy packing to notice him. He slid it into his pocket quietly.

There was an old framed photo of him and Armin when they were a lot younger. They were hugging and Armin was making a peace sign. His heart felt really heavy all of a sudden- he couldn’t believe his best friend would be back in a few days. He remembered that day from the photo very clearly for some reason: Eren’s mom took them to the park on a chilly fall day. She insisted they stand beneath a large apple tree for a photo. Eren reached for an apple and it fell on his head with a _thunk_ , and Armin couldn’t stop laughing. Eren was pouty, but Armin’s laugh was infectious and soon enough Eren was laughing, too. It wasn’t long before Eren’s mom was laughing along with them. Armin and Eren were hugging in a giggle fit when she snapped the picture.

 _What a nice memory_ , he thought with a fond smile. He put the frame into the box.

The rest of the drawer was just random batteries, opened mail, pencils, wires, most likely expired condoms, slips of papers with people’s numbers on them. Eren looked around and was pleasantly surprised that the team had just about stripped his entire room. They stretched out tape and stacked the finished boxes in the living room.

Eren took them to the living room. “You can throw away anything in the bathroom or the kitchen,” he told the men. He hardly cooked so he didn’t have much cookware or silverware. “The fridge is pretty empty but if you find anything in there, just trash it.”

He unplugged his Xbox and put it into the personal box, wrapping up the wires.

“Uh, Eren, sir,” one of the men said. Eren turned his head. The man had a funny look when he noticed the hickies along his shirt collar from last night. “Do you want to keep the television?”

The TV his Xbox was connected to was pretty shitty, so he just decided to leave it for the next tenants as a gift. The flat screens at Trost Tower were much better, anyway. Plus, Levi said to leave all big furniture and appliances.

“Nah. Leave it here,” he said.

He never spent that much time at home; he usually only returned at the end of a long work day to sleep, so the apartment wasn’t that personalized. Most of the packing was for the bedroom. In fact, the movers were just about done. His laptop was sitting on the edge of the couch, and that was about the last thing that he put away into his personal box to wrap the whole thing up.

“Alright, Eren,” Joe said. “Everything should be put away nicely. My men are moving the packed boxes into the truck as we speak, and I think they’re just about done stripping the rest of the apartment.” Eren saw a few of them hauling boxes out the door. “We’ll get rid of all the trash for you. Just keep your personal effects with you and take it to the destination. We’ll transport all the boxes to Mr. Ackerman’s place.”

“Thanks so much!” Eren told him. “You guys did a good job here.”

“Thank you, sir. We’ll be off.” He waved and joined the rest of his team, shutting the door behind him to leave Eren standing in the bare apartment.

Just a few moments later, there was a knock on the door. Eren thought that maybe one of the movers forgot a box, but it was Levi.

“Hey, darling,” Levi’s keys jingled in his hand. “Looks like I caught you just in time. I ran into the movers on my way in. How were they?”

“They did an awesome job,” Eren shut the door.

“Seems like it,” Levi said as he looked around. “It’s nice and empty in here, huh?”

Eren took his hand and laced their fingers together. “I’m kinda gonna miss this place,” he said quietly. Memories of him eating cereal for dinner on that couch came back, watching TV in the dark and falling asleep on the couch, and the nights he spent in his bed jacking himself off to Levi’s voice before they started dating. And look where he was now.

Levi rubbed his back soothingly. “I know, baby. It’s bittersweet to start a new chapter. I understand.”

Eren smiled at him. “But y’know, I really love you, and I’m pumped to live with you. I never thought this would happen to me.”

Levi squeezed Eren’s cheeks together in his hand and shook his face a bit. “I feel the same way.”

Eren took his hand again and walked him to the bedroom, now completely stripped, including the bed’s sheets.

“So, umm…” he began, quite casually, “I want you to fuck me in this apartment one last time.” He pulled the small bottle of lube from his pocket and wagged his eyebrows flirtily. “Gotta leave my mark,” he said, matter-of-fact.

Levi shook his head and laughed, taking the lube from him. “Oh, Eren. Ever prepared, I see.” Eren hopped on the mattress and stripped his shorts, sitting on his heels very innocently and patiently.

Levi happily obliged in his request.

 --

Back at Trost Tower, they spent the rest of the day unpacking the boxes. Eren’s new bedroom would be the old guest room. Levi said it was important for him to have a space all to himself.

He’d only been in here a couple times before. It was like Levi’s bedroom- similarly oriented, but the furniture’s designs were slightly different and the room was a little smaller. He refilled the bookshelf, hung up his clothes and posters, and emptied his personal box.

A while of unpacking later, Levi helped Eren plug in his Xbox into the TV in the living room. Eren’s room was broken into and officially had his name on it. The living room had a collection of empty boxes that they would get rid of later.

“And, I think that’s it,” Levi cleaned up the last of the packing peanuts. He opened his arms wide. “Welcome home, sweetheart.”

Eren jumped into his arms and Levi picked him up off the ground, spinning him around in a tight hug. He laughed loudly as he was attacked with Levi’s flurry of kisses.

“You must be hungry,” Levi said once Eren was his feet again. “Let’s get dinner, shall we?”

\--

It was the long-awaited day that Armin arrived from Africa. Eren told his boss that he would be taking the week off because he was moving, even though the moving process only took one day. No harm was done, though. It was going to be a busy week and he needed a break anyway.

Eren sent Levi off to work with love, and then began his journey to the airport, coffee in hand.

He waited at the terminal Armin told him about in his email, pacing around as he waited. It was strangely empty- maybe he was too early?

But slowly, more families and people began gathering in the terminal’s seats, and he relaxed a bit when he overheard someone saying the plane had a 30-minute delay.

The gates finally opened, and travel-weary passengers exited. There was a haggle of hugs, kisses, gushing… but Eren couldn’t find Armin in the crowd.

And suddenly-

“Eren!!”

Eren turned his head in the direction of the voice and a certain blue-eyed blond abandoned his luggage and threw his arms around his neck.

“Armin!! Ohhh,” he breathed, “welcome back!” He held Armin tight for several long minutes, inhaling the scent of his hair, letting the memories flood back.

They separated finally, and Eren held Armin’s shoulders at arm’s length to have a good look at him. His normally pure blond hair was now bleached several shades lighter from the intense sun, and his skin had a gnarly reddish tan. Tiny freckles peppered his cheeks and nose. But that smile never went anywhere, bright as ever against his darkened skin.

Eren pulled him back in for another hug, holding his head into his shoulder. Armin said nothing, and instead clasped his hands against Eren’s back. They didn’t have to speak, they let each other know they missed each other in the warm embrace of their hug.

“What a cute couple,” someone whispered as they walked by. Neither of them bothered to correct them- they were too busy catching up.

“Let’s get you outta here,” Eren finally said, dragging Armin’s heavier luggage. “I’ll take you to lunch. We have so much to catch up on!”

-

“Mikasa was busy this morning, so she’ll meet us at the restaurant,” Eren explained in the car.

Getting to the grill, Mikasa’s car skidded in just about the same time they rolled in. They all hopped out of their cars frantically.

Mikasa marched right over and pulled Armin into an almost strangling hug, rocking back and forth. “Armin… I’ve missed you so much. Welcome home.”

“Mikasa… Mikasa. Can’t really… breathe,” he wheezed as he rubbed her back. Hurt flashed in her eyes and she loosened her grip.

“Cut your hair?” he rolled some strands in his fingers. “I like it.”

“Uhh,” Eren opened his arms and approached with a cocky grin. “I wonder who that stranger is.” He hadn’t seen Armin in a month, but he hardly saw Mikasa these days either.

She tried to hide her smile as she walked into Eren’s open arms, resting her head in the crook of his neck. “And I’ve missed you, too, Eren.”

-

Eren tore into his steak as he listened to Armin’s wild stories about Africa. Mikasa rested her head on her chin and sipped her drink as she listened.

“Did you guys get my pictures!? I was worried they never went through.”

“We got ‘em,” Eren said. “You looked good in them… but not _nearly_ as good as those elephants in the background.”

Armin punched his arm. “Ass.” Eren laughed wolfishly. “What did you think, Mikasa?”

“I especially liked that beautiful bird,” she said. “How did you get it to behave?”

“That was a scarlet macaw!” Armin’s eyes sparkled as he spoke. “The trick is to keep your arm still and steady. Like a tree trunk!

“But enough about me,” he said. “How was your fight this morning?”

“I fought Annie of all people,” Mikasa said.

“Really?” Eren mused. “Who won?”

“I did, but barely,” Mikasa said. “I need to sharpen my regimen if I want to keep up with her.”

“As if you need to spend more time training,” Armin shook his head. “You’re hardly around anymore!”

“I agree,” Eren said. “You’re ripped. You can carry a grown man on your shoulders. You should take a break.”

“Thanks, but, no.” Mikasa sipped her drink. “A day spent with no training is a day your opponent is gaining the upper hand. I can’t afford that.”

Armin and Eren shared a look and a small snicker.

“What about you, Eren?” Mikasa asked. “How’re things with Levi?”

Armin’s eyes sparkled again. “Oh, yes! Do tell!” He rested his chin on clasped hands and leaned forward.

“Hmm. Well, I moved in to his place yesterday.”

“Oh, my God!” Armin gushed. “Third base!”

“Oh, I hit a home run a long time ago, my friend,” Eren said.

Armin’s jaw dropped in scandalous disbelief. The last time Eren had been been with Armin, all he’d gotten from Levi was a handjob. But now, they had an ongoing checklist of places they’ve fucked. _Quite the pleasant turnaround,_ Eren mused to himself.

Mikasa rolled her eyes at Eren’s vulgar implications. “You still have yet to introduce him to us.”

“I know, I know, I’m working on it,” Eren said.

Armin leaned in even closer. “So tell me, is he, y’know… well endowed?”

“Oh, you have no fucking idea-“

Mikasa shook her hands and shut her eyes. “No. You both can talk about that when I’m not here. Jesus.”

Eren winked at Armin. They would definitely finish discussing that later.

“And don’t think we haven’t noticed all those hickies on your neck!” Armin laughed.

“But more importantly,” Mikasa said, “is he treating you well?”

Eren rolled his eyes. “Yes, Mikasa,” he said with forced patience, like a child would to their overprotective parent.

“I have to be sure. I care about you.”

“I care about you, too, Eren!” Armin chimed in. “But I think this is the happiest I’ve seen you, so I’m not too worried!”

 _Armin was right about that_ , Mikasa thought. And as much as Eren’s past jerks tainted his relationship record, she knew deep down that Levi was the one.

\--

It was hard dropping Armin off at home. After not having seen him in a month, he wanted to spend every waking minute with him for a few days to really get the feeling that they’ve caught up. Eren would’ve invited him to spend the night, but he lived with Levi now. Well, he could just stay at Armin’s… that was an option. But at the end of the day, they both decided that Armin was severely jetlagged anyway and the best cure for him was a hot shower followed by sleeping for two days straight.

Mikasa promised to try to make more time for them, seeing how she spent most of her waking moments in training. Eren knew how much getting stronger meant to her, so he really appreciated her effort.

And now, Eren would return home to Levi. In _their_ apartment. He was still in disbelief. He was falling in love ridiculously fast, like a dreamy, rose-tinted slippery slope.

 _He was falling in love_. He couldn’t say that about anyone else he’s been with.

-

Even though Eren had his own room now, he crawled into Levi’s bed anyway. He had trouble sleeping without Levi’s touch anyway.

“Hey, darling,” a freshly showered Levi pulled the covers down and climbed in. “Come here,” he whispered and held his arm open.

“I love how wrecked that pretty neck of yours looks right now.” Levi admired his own work from their day at the beach, running his fingers along Eren’s collarbones and up his throat.

Eren giggled and scooted closer so that his head was resting underneath that curled bicep, centimeters away from Levi’s chest. Levi leaned down and kissed him, inhaling the scent of shampoo from his damp hair. He strained a bit to reach over and turn off the bedside light.

“How are you holding up? You’ve had a busy few days.”

“I’m tired, but I’m happy,” Eren grinned.

Levi stroked his face with his thumb. “I’m glad. How is Armin?”

“He’s back in one piece! We had a blast today. Got a lot of stuff to catch up on. They really want to meet you, y’know. Armin and Mikasa.”

“We’ll make that happen. I would love to meet them, too.”

“Can you tell me about the charity dinner? What’s it about?”

“It’s similar to the Garrison event. There are auctions and exhibitions.” Levi stroked Eren’s hair as he spoke. “This time, it’s not just two companies- people from all over are invited. Maybe we’ll meet some new people. Everyone insists that I take you again- you charmed the pants off everybody and their mothers last time. I have no doubt you’ll do the same again.”

Eren grinned, but then bit his lip and looked down. “But this event is a lot bigger… what if I mess up? Or embarrass myself?”

“Hey,” Levi breathed. “You’re not going to embarrass yourself. You said that last time, and look how well you turned out.” Eren met his eyes with a renewed admiration. “I love bringing you along to these. You light up the whole room.”

Eren smacked Levi’s chest and sucked his teeth. “Levi, you’re such a liar! Stop saying such cheesy things!”

“I’m a liar, huh?” Levi smirked with a predatorial gleam in his eyes. “I’m a liar?” he growled and attacked Eren’s stomach with a jabbing tickle. When his stomach became immune, Levi moved his tickles to Eren’s exposed neck, and he begged for him to stop amidst squealing laughs.

“No, but I’m serious,” he said, and Eren crawled back into his arms. “You have nothing to worry about. Be yourself, and everything will work out. Understand, dear?”

“Understood.” Eren nuzzled his face into Levi’s chest. “Good night!”

“Good night, my love.”


	28. Protective

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a very pivotal chapter- You guys wanted a glimpse into Eren's past, and you also wanted to see an unexpected reunion and Levi's darker side. I listened, and I delivered. Enjoy~
> 
> (Please let me know your thoughts!)

Eren waited patiently in the couch for Levi to finish getting ready. He was all cleaned up for the charity dinner, and his leg was bouncied in anticipation. He drank from a water bottle absentmindedly.

Levi entered the living room, buttoning his cuffs. His hair was slicked back and the top of his shirt was unbuttoned, giving Eren a visual taste of that porcelain skin. His all black ensemble contrasted spectacularly with his milky white complexion.

He approached Eren and held his face in his hands. “Look at you, all dolled up,” he said. “You handsome boy.” He pressed a long kiss into his forehead.

“Levi,” Eren averted his gaze. “I’m a bit nervous. I know I shouldn’t be, but I am.”

Levi sat down beside him with a sigh, taking Eren’s head to his chest. “We talked about this, darling,” he said softly. “You’ll be just fine. You’re charming and adorable. Everyone will love you.”

Eren wrapped his arm around Levi’s waist, nodding in understanding. Maybe he was just overthinking it. He just needed a little encouragement. “Okay,” he whispered. “I feel a little better.”

“Good boy,” Levi said, and Eren’s heart fluttered. He got up and straddled him, pressing their hips especially close together. With a cheeky smile, he placed a hand on the bare skin of Levi’s chest. It was warm beneath his touch, and he could feel his heart beat steadily. Leaning down, he took Levi’s lips in a slow, appreciative kiss, rubbing his chest with long, graceful fingers.

They separated, holding their gaze into each other’s eyes. Levi gripped his waist. “Ready to go?”

\--

The Aston rolled up to an impressive venue. The building itself was unmarked for the most part, embellished by a few simple glass sculptures on the outside. Men in sharp suits walked women in stunning dresses into the doors. Levi touched Eren’s lower back assuringly.

While the venue was a bit lackluster on the outside, it made up for it in the interior. They walked into a grand room, with sparkling fountains and ice sculptures of mermaids. Skewers of chocolates and fruits were arranged like bouquets of flowers, and deep, rich burgundy curtains lined the wall, giving the room a seductive mood.

“Whoa…” Eren breathed, a bit starstruck. Loud laughter from rich people and the clinking of glasses filled his ears.

“I quite like this venue,” a clear, familiar voice said from behind. Levi and Eren turned around.

Erwin was dressed in a powerful black suit, and his hair was slicked back as well. At his bent arm, he escorted a beautiful Petra, who was wearing a sparkling pastel gown with a slit up the leg.

“I’m so glad you’re here, Eren,” Erwin smiled. “You were truly delightful at the Garrison event.”

Petra let go of Erwin’s arm for a second and stroked Eren’s face. “Ooh, you are simply adorable. That suit is absolutely charming on you.”

“Thank you. Both of you,” Eren grinned politely.

Petra approached Levi next, touching his elbow. “And you’re as handsome as ever, Levi.”

“Thank you, Petra. You’re quite stunning as well.” He took her waist gently and placed a chivalrous kiss on her cheek.

Petra rejoined Erwin and held onto his arm. “We need to go reserve our spots,” Erwin explained. “Let’s get a better view this year.” Eren wasn’t sure how bad the view was last year.

Petra and Erwin left, and Levi turned and stroked Eren’s cheek. “I have to go get our seats as well. You can walk around and explore a bit, and I’ll call you when the main event is starting. Okay?”

“Okay.” Eren gave his hand one last squeeze and Levi turned on his heel and walked away into the crowd.

He was pretty alone now, but he didn’t mind it too much- if Levi wasn’t around, Eren had zero chance of embarrassing him. Plus there were tons of food and desserts here. He would manage.

A server approached Eren with a tray of bubbling champagne flutes. “Sir.”

“Don’t mind if I do,” Eren smiled as took one. The glass looked so delicate that he felt he could shatter it if he gripped it too tightly. The server left and he downed the glass in one go.

This would loosen him up a bit. He drank it so fast that he didn’t remember what it tasted like. It was probably delicious, though. And really expensive.

Eren was gazing at one of the ice sculptures. This one was shaped like a dragon sitting atop a frozen brick. He wondered what would happen to it later. Do they wait for ice sculptures to melt, or do they shatter it…? Maybe they use pickaxes and salvage it into a different sculpture…?

“Sir,” a voice startled Eren and dragged him out of his thoughts. A different server held out a tray of hors d'oeuvres for him.

“Oh. Thank you.” Eren took a sample by the toothpick and munched at it. It was some sort of tomato and cheese stack. It was very flavorful; he wouldn’t mind another.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” an older woman asked as she looked at the same dragon sculpture.

“Yeah. I like them a lot,” Eren nodded. “They’re fascinating.”

“Did you know that different cultures from around the world each have their own portrayal of them? In some, they’re evil. Some, they’re good. In some, they’re watchful guardians and in others, they’re vengeful beasts. They even look different depending on which region they originate.”

 _How interesting_ , Eren thought. “What region do you think this dragon is based on?”

The old woman smiled and thought for a moment. “Hmm. Well, based on the armory scales and the bat-like wings, I would guess that’s it’s perhaps Welsh.”

“Huh.” Eren frowned his mouth and nodded slowly in thought.

The woman reached out and touched his arm. “I apologize for talking your ear off. You’re a good listener.”

Eren waved down her apology. “Not at all. I learned something. You seem wise.”

“What’s your name, doll?”

“Eren.” He flashed her one of his 100-gigawatt smiles.

“I’m Margie. Thank you for listening to me, Eren. I hope to see you around.” She touched him one last time and left quite abruptly.

He felt a bit guilty about being thanked for being polite. She probably had her share of rude people in her day. He was just being himself, like Levi instructed. That seemed to attract all sorts of people to him.

Eren wandered the lobby a bit more after that, conversing with several more people. They asked who he was affiliated with; he seemed awfully young to attend an auction. He said he was just a guest; he was accompanying representatives of Survey Corp. They were impressed by him- they said he was well-spoken. Eren knew how to play the game well.

He downed another champagne and munched on a few more appetizers. He got a bit tired of socializing, and went to a large hall with several art exhibits. Walking around, he saw all sorts of works- classical, contemporary… he was never a museum-crawler like Armin, but he developed a newfound appreciation for beauty. He saw similar designs in Erwin’s place when they last went.

He saw a canvas with a messy black stripe down the center named “The Folly of Man”. The price tag was $50,000. Eren did a double-take.

“No fucking way…” he breathed. If shit like that could sell for a fat stack like that, maybe he was an artist, too. _Shit…_

A young lady- not much older than Eren- was perusing the exhibit, and was drawn to his cussing in the otherwise quiet room. When he noticed her looking and met her eyes, she blushed, perhaps a bit smitten by his looks, and she snapped her gaze back to the painting she was inspecting.

He continued walking around, looking at strange naked figures, busts of Greek characters, and paintings of blue skies. His phone vibrated in his pocket.

“Hey, dear. Come join us in the dining room now.”

“Comin’.”

Eren exited the art gallery and followed a group of people to the dining room.

It was simply grand. Sparkling chandeliers… opulent Persian rugs… tables covered in freshly pressed white cloths. There was a stage with a podium, with a host preparing to hold the auction. The back half of the room had large tables for dinner, and the front half of the room closer to the stage had higher, smaller tables to hold drinks while the auction was taking place.

Eren looked around and found his party. Levi, Erwin, and Petra were sharing a table with some other people he didn’t know. Levi was leaning in close as Erwin was telling him something. He took the empty seat next to Levi. Erwin flashed him a smile as he sat.

Levi squeezed Eren’s thigh beneath the table. “Hey. Having a good time? So far, so good?”

Eren nodded and smiled. “Yup!”

“Come with me, I have something to tell you.”

Eren followed him to an empty hallway, quiet and private with some standing granite pillars. “What is it?”

Levi smiled at him. “Have you talked to a lady named Margie tonight?”

Eren’s face lit up. “Yeah! We were looking at the sculptures together!”

“Well, she was so happy that you talked to her that she found our group and wrote the company a check for two million dollars.”

Eren’s jaw dropped to the floor and his eyes widened cartoonishly. “T-two million!?”

“Yes! Turns out her rich husband is about to kick the bucket and she’s just looking for reasons to spend his money.”

“I’m-I’m speechless! All I did was talk to her; that’s a shit ton of money! What are you going to do with it?”

“Erwin and I agreed to raise our employees’ salaries first thing. They deserve it. And, I can get you anything you want, sweetheart!” He picked Eren up in one of his spinning hugs and Eren laughed out loud. “My little charmer, winning everyone over. What did I tell you before?”

They returned back to the table just in time for dinner. Servers flooded from swinging doors along the sides of the room and set down dinner in front of guests. Eren happily dug into his alfredo pasta right away, and Levi slapped open a cloth napkin and placed it on Eren’s lap so he wouldn’t ruin his suit on accident.

The auction commenced, and the host spoke on a small mouthpiece to deal out art from up-and-coming artists. Erwin smoothly reserved and bought a $12,000 vase, which got Eren to thinking that all those trinkets in his place were more expensive than he thought. Then, there was a section where representatives from different companies could auction on donations to sponsor the charities of their choice. It was a bit of an aggressive sport. Eren overheard gossip and shit talking about the current auctioneers trying to one-up one another; apparently they were from rival companies and neither were going down without a fight. The charity of the moment was a non-profit that helped kids with terminal cancer pursue mentorships under famous athletes and entrepreneurs. At this point, the bid was at $70,000 and climbing. It was becoming less about helping terminally ill kids and more about showing off the budgets of the auctioneers’ companies. _Kinda fucked up_ , Eren thought.

Dinner ended and the servers cleared their plates. They came back around with coffee and wine before dessert. Eren settled on coffee while everyone else at the table sipped away from their red wine.

The auction for the non-profit for terminally ill kids ended, with a final donation of $280,000. The host announced the next one; a volunteer non-profit that provided meals for children in impoverished communities. Levi tapped Erwin’s arm.

“That’s our cue,” Erwin said, and went to stand at one of the taller tables near the front. As he waited for it to start, he sipped his wine nonchalantly. He stood casually, but he looked so powerful and a bit intimidating.

Eren looked at Levi. “Aren’t you gonna join him?”

Levi shook his head. “Erwin’s better at that kind of stuff. He knows how to manipulate people. He has a strong reputation at this event. And that’s our favorite organization to work with. So I just have him go up and represent the company for us.”

Petra nodded in agreement. “It’s a great cause. And Erwin will win any auction he enters.”

They watched as the bidding commenced. Right off the bat, Erwin offered a startling base bid: “80,” he said smoothly.

Eren learned that the numbers in the auctions were in thousands. The fact that people here could afford to give away thousands of dollars that easily blew his mind. But then again, there were people here that could afford to spare two million like it was nothing, so he wasn’t too shocked anymore.

Another man standing at an opposite table of Erwin’s spoke up. “100.”

Erwin smiled at him, a bit condescendingly, like his number was cute. “150.” Normally, people would increase the bid steadily, but Erwin cut right to the chase and jumped the amount.

The man looked a bit flabbergasted. “170.”

A man from yet another table raised his hand. “200.”

Erwin took a long sip from his glass, savoring it and taking his time. Confidence. He bled confidence. He was aware that the majority of the room was watching. “300.”

 _Wow… Erwin was an aggressive bidder_ , Eren thought.

“Jeez…” the first man that challenged Erwin, a wiry shell of man, wiped his sweaty hands on the side of his pants. Eren noticed that he didn’t speak up for the rest of this auction- maybe 300 was his whole budget.

But several men from surrounding tables pursued Erwin’s challenge, hiking up the price little by little to figure out Erwin’s budget and beat him.

Their stances and expressions withered under Erwin’s radiant charm. They were sweaty, nervous, and annoyed. “500,” Erwin said with finality, his icy blue eyes daring anyone to challenge him.

But no one did, and the winner was clear from the beginning. The other auctioneers wiped at their foreheads with handkerchiefs, and downed their wine to ease their nerves.

“$500,000 going once, going twice…” the host said. “Sold, to Mr. Smith! Congratulations!”

That was the quickest bidding all night so far, Eren later learned. Some biddings took hours; uncomfortable mind games and displays of power. But Erwin came to win, and he ended it in five minutes.

He came back to the table, a smile gracing his chiseled face. “Perfect. I planned on giving 500, anyway.”

Petra patted his arm proudly. The servers came back around with platters and little plates of desserts, and refilled wine glasses.

Erwin left again to socialize, and the next time Eren looked at him, a flock of ladies crowded around him, touching his forearm flirtily, laughing just a bit too forcefully at his jokes. He was such a lady killer.

Levi and Petra left the table as well, talking to some people Eren didn’t know. He used the opportunity to curb his sweet tooth; munching away at different treats while catching up on texts on his phone.

He was minding his business for the most part, but he suddenly heard a vaguely familiar voice.

“Jaeger?!”

Eren looked up and his hear jumped into his throat. Shit. Shit, shit, shit.

“M-mark?” he stood up, trying to swallow his heart back down. It was his ex. Here, of all places. The one he left hanging, simply because he couldn’t take it anymore. He cautiously pocketed his phone. “What are you doing here?”

“What are _you_ doing here? There’s no way you can afford any of the shit here. Who are you kidding? I bet you didn’t even buy that suit.” He flicked Eren’s collar.

“Don’t touch me.”

“Oh,” Mark smirked. “Developed a little bit of lip, huh? What happened to the obedient little slut that I used to know?”

Levi looked up from his circle of conversation, noticing that Eren was talking to someone. But Eren, who usually stood up straight and tall and talked easily with people, rubbed his arm nervously and submissively, his head ducked and his eyes fixed on the ground. He was clearly uncomfortable. The man he was talking to had on a shit-eating grin and loomed over Eren aggressively.

He excused himself absentmindedly and walked over to them. “Who’s this clown?” Levi asked flatly.

Eren lifted his head. “It’s fine, Levi. I can handle it.”

Levi nodded silently, giving the man another chance to redeem himself. He walked away, returning to sit on a chair near the wall to inspect them from a distance. He couldn’t hear what they were saying fro here, but his mind raced with assumptions. Maybe it wasn’t a big deal; maybe they were just having an argument. An old friend, maybe?

Petra joined Levi on the chair next to him, rubbing his back soothingly. She had two glasses of wine in her hands, and held one out for him. “You seem on edge.”

Levi sat with his elbows on his knees, hands clasped over his mouth as he watched Eren and the man tensely. He held up a hand to decline her offer. He needed to be stone sober if he was going to deal with whatever was about to happen.

“Is that midget your sugar daddy, Eren?” Mark asked. “Is that how you weaseled your way into this place?”

Eren looked him in the face, a fire flashing in his eyes. In a time when Eren was still looking for work, Mark would pay his bills in exchange for sex. It was a humiliating part of his life that he never told Levi about; or anyone, for that matter. Mark would have his way with him, fucking him roughly and recklessly, and Eren would cry into the mattress as he was torn into night after night. Mark never bothered to prep him. But Eren would put up with it, his humanity withering away with each session. He remembered nights of lying on his bed, bites on his neck, face red with slap marks, and cum splattered over his stomach disgustingly. Nights where all he could do was curl up, alone and cold, craving affection, too embarrassed to tell anyone about his situation. And Mark wasn’t the first man that he had this arrangement with- making him feel all the more used to it.

“He’s not my sugar daddy,” Eren growled. “He’s my boyfriend. And he treats me right.”

“Come on, Jaeger. You know no one could give it to you as well as I could. Is that any way to talk to me, after all I’ve done for you?” His voice was eerily gentle, but his smile dripped with deceit, and his hand stroked Eren’s face. His hand was cold and uncomfortable against Eren’s cheek, unlike Levi’s touch that was warm and soothing.

Eren slapped his hand away. Mark looked fake hurt, surprised at Eren’s ability to stand up for himself. “Come on, Eren, how ‘bout we get outta here and I give you nice fucking just like old times? And you deserve a spanking after that act you pulled with me.”

From his chair, Levi was watching with a piercing stare, a slimy feeling crawling on his skin. He was looking, _looking_ for a reason to get up. Petra looked at the focus of his gaze, trying to connect the dots.

“Fuck you, Mark,” Eren spat lowly, keeping his voice down so that Levi wouldn’t worry. “You’re an abusive asshole. And your dick is tiny. No one wants to be with you, motherfucker.”

And in a split moment, Mark’s hand wrapped around Eren’s throat in a choking hold, lifting his feet off the ground as he cut off his air. Eren’s hands shot to his throat, trying to loosen Mark’s grip on him desperately.

And that was the last fucking straw for Levi. He burst out of his seat, brisking into the scene with his hands clenching and unclenching as a poisonous anger overtook him.

“Levi!!” Petra cried.

It all happened in a second: Levi pushed Mark’s chest, knocking him back a few steps and releasing his grip on Eren, who crumpled to the floor with a harsh gasp. He swung back and his fist connected square on Mark’s face in a blinding punch. There was an audible _crack!_ and a splatter of blood as Levi broke his nose and sent him to the floor in a daze.

The whole room was looking now. Levi pinned Mark down with his knee on his chest, his face twisted in a toxic rage, and landed punch after punch on Mark’s face. A crack. More blood. Teeth. Red. Red. Red. Even more blood. A split lip. Levi alternated his blows with each hand, and he was possessed as he exacted revenge on the monster that dared lay a hand on his Eren. He growled lowly with each punch, hitting harder each time until he was satisfied.

The women in the room were paralyzed in shock, their hands covering their gaping mouths as they were unsure what to do. They winced with each loud crack they heard. The men noticed the scene, and rushed over to hold Levi back; Erwin among them.

It was only when Mark was a bloody, unconscious mess that Levi got up from him and carried a shell-shocked Eren to his feet from under his arms. He brisked him away into what seemed like a spacious coat closet and shut the door behind them. Luckily, there was a small cushy couch to collapse on. Eren fell out of his shock, and when he realized what just happened in the last minute, he started sobbing uncontrollably. He cried openly and loudly into Levi’s shirt, and Levi fished out a handkerchief from his breast pocket to wipe Mark’s blood off his hands.

“Shh, shhh, it’s okay, baby, you’re safe now,” Levi soothed. He wrapped his arms around Eren firmly, stroking his hair to calm him.

But the tears kept flowing, Eren’s body quaking as he cried. “Shhhh, shhh. Don’t cry, sweetheart. Everything’s okay now. Everything’s okay. I’m here.” He held Eren’s face to his chest, rubbing his lower back soothingly.

He kept reassuring him. “Don’t cry, precious. You’re safe. Shhh, shhh.” Eren clutched at his shirt as he cried himself dry, his body shaking as he took difficult breaths.

It was a long time until Eren’s sobs eventually subsided. He now sat on Levi’s lap, his arms wrapped around his neck, and he kept sniffing quietly. Levi bounced his leg up and down to soothe Eren, like someone would a distressed child. He kept whispering _shh, shhh_ into Eren’s hair until he was calm.

Levi’s phone vibrated, and he fished it out. He kept whispering _shh_ as he read the message. It was from Erwin:

_Is Eren alright? I spoke to management and had that degenerate removed from the premise. Though, his next destination is the hospital._

Levi replied:

_Thank you for that. I’m taking Eren home now. I think he’s had enough for today._

He took the bloody handkerchief and folded it to the clean side, pressing it against Eren’s nose. He blew into it weakly, and Levi pinched his nose to clean up the snot. Eren took a shaky breath.

Levi looked down at his face and wiped his tear-stained cheeks with his thumb. He pressed a soft kiss into his hair. “Let’s go home, baby boy.”

\--

Back at the apartment, Levi peeled Eren out his clothes and they got into the shower together. Levi cleaned himself up first, scrubbing the blood off his knuckles, and then he cleaned Eren up gently. Eren was silent as his back was scrubbed.

Levi dried and dressed him, and without much else, they got into bed. Levi sat against pillows and Eren sat on his lap, laying the side of his head against Levi’s shoulder. He had stopped crying, but now he was emotionally numb and his eyes were lifeless.

Levi rubbed his back beneath his shirt to soothe him to sleep, and he noticed faint hand prints on Eren’s throat. His blood boiled at the sight of it. No one on this fucking _earth_ could touch Eren like that. And tonight was a sobering reminder that his precious baby had been through a lot.

Eren spoke for the first time all night since the incident, his voice low and flat. “I’m sorry I ruined your night. And Erwin’s and Petra’s.”

Levi took his face into his hands, and looked into those green eyes. Those eyes that lost their sparkle. “Hey, listen to me,” he whispered. “You didn’t ruin anyone’s night. Don’t you dare tell yourself that.”

“None of that would’ve happened if I wasn’t there,” Eren said. “Admit it.”

Levi held his head into his shoulder again. “No, precious. No matter where you go in life, there will be assholes. Assholes that try to take advantage of sweet things like you. It’s not your fault.”

Eren was silent for a moment. “…I want to say that-“

Levi silenced him. “You don’t have to say anything, sweetheart.”

Eren nuzzled into his shoulder in appreciation, grateful that he had Levi to protect him. Grateful that he didn’t have to explain anything; at least not until he was ready.

He fell into a much needed sleep against Levi’s shoulder, his cheek squishing against it. Soon enough, he was drooling a bit and his breathing steadied. Levi drew the covers over him.

Levi held him all night, holding him tight and rubbing his back. He would protect Eren with every fiber of his being, because he was the love of his life and deserved nothing less.


	29. Kiss It Better

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi gives the baby boy some sweet lovin' after what went down last night :3  
> \+ Armin gets struck by Cupid's arrow
> 
> (Also, thank you hunnies for such vibrant responses last chapter. You guys encourage me to keep writing, so thank you <3 )

Eren sat on his heels and swallowed every drop like he was asked.

“Good boy.” Mark struck Eren in the face. Hard. It stung like the color red. But then Mark took Eren’s cheek and rubbed the pain away. _How confusing…_

Mark buckled his belt and left the apartment, leaving Eren cold and naked and alone as he sat on the bed and wondered what his life has come to. He touched his stinging cheek with long fingers, and then he felt something else; water. Salty tears flowed down his cheeks silently. He didn’t sniff or sob. He just didn’t have it in him.

-

Eren opened his eyes slowly, struggling to come to his senses. He touched his cheek. _It was just a dream. Just a dream._

He lifted his head, and the trip to sit up was a lot shorter than usual. He looked around. He was on Levi’s lap. There was a small pool of drool on his shoulder where his mouth was. The bedside table, the bed post, and then the room came to focus.

Eren placed his hand on Levi’s chest, still silent.

“Hey, sweetheart,” Levi whispered.

“Was I… Did you hold me all night?” Eren wiped the drool from the side of his mouth.

“Yes.”

Eren was hit by a pang of guilt, and his face softened in concern. “Levi. No. You have to go to sleep!”

Levi chuckled lowly, and Eren was filled with a warmth that pulled at the corners of his lips. “I’m fine, love. I’m not tired. I drifted away a few times.” In reality, that was a bit of a white lie. Something to make Eren feel better. He held Eren and rubbed his back all night, contemplating and using the quiet of the night to reflect on his thoughts.

And Eren seemed a little more at ease after hearing that. He yawned into his hand and wrapped his arms around Levi’s neck. The world was coming back into focus now. He inhaled the familiar scent of musk and sandalwood- the scent that came to feel like home.

“I’ll be back.” Eren whispered and went to the bathroom to wash and brush. Levi heard the sink running, and he got up and stretched- his bones cracking a bit after sitting in that position all night. He changed out of his shirt that was soiled with Eren’s drool.

Levi got breakfast started; eggs and toast. He brought the tray back to his bedroom, where a freshly washed Eren was lying down and cuddling a pillow. He sat up when he saw breakfast coming.

“I’ll feed you,” Levi said. Eren held the pillow to his chest as he was fed forkful after forkful, realizing he was actually famished.

By the time he was on a full stomach, he was starting to feel more like himself. Levi’s heart warmed when he saw that cute smile that he missed after last night. The sparkle was back in those emerald eyes.

Levi wiped Eren’s mouth with a napkin, and as soon as the tray was set aside, Eren found himself back in his lap.

“Feeling better?” Levi asked him softly.

Eren nodded sweetly, and then took the side of Levi’s face and pulled it toward him, puckering his lips and laying the softest kiss upon his cheek.

“Thank you for protecting me last night,” he whispered.

Levi wrapped his arms around him, rocking him back and forth. “It’s my job, precious. What good am I if I can’t make sure you’re safe? …And I’m sorry if I scared you.”

Eren placed his hand on his chest again. “You didn’t. You’re really badass!” he grinned.

Levi chuckled again and kissed Eren’s bangs.

-

They spent the morning cuddling while watching a movie. Eren sipped hot chocolate with both hands (with mini marshmallows, Levi remembered) and leaned back against Levi’s chest, his head nestled in the crook of his neck. Levi rested his chin on Eren’s head, his strong arms wrapped around him. He reached over to his bedside table to take gulps of his black tea, occasionally burying his nose into that messy brown hair and sucking loud smooches into it.

Eventually, the sour memory of last night had lifted away from Eren’s mind. Levi set their empty mugs aside, and wrapped his arms tigher around Eren. Eren held onto his forearms, feeling safe and secure and _warm_. _So warm_. He smiled richly and nuzzled into Levi’s neck.

-

The credits rolled, and Eren craned his neck and looked up at Levi with that cheeky smile of his. Levi turned the TV off and looked back at him.

He patted Levi’s knee. “You have to go to sleep now,” he stated.

“I already told you, dear. I got some rest in last night.”

“No. You need like, actual sleep. It’ll make me feel better.”

Levi was silent for a second. The insomniac in him pouted a bit. “But-“

Eren got up and shook his head, massaging those bulky shoulders to get him moving. “Nope. No buts. You’re going to sleep now.”

Levi chuckled a bit, surrendering and getting beneath the covers. He loved how Eren could go from a sweet, innocent kid to a seductive plaything to a motherly force at the drop of a hat. He was so wonderfully complex, and he loved him for it.

Eren pulled the covers tighter around Levi’s shoulders with those elegant fingers of his and leaned down, pressing a long kiss into his temple. “I love you. Go to sleep!”

“I love you, too.” He heard Eren collect the mugs from the bedside table and walk out the door.

And damn, his young boyfriend was right once again. He didn’t realize how tired he truly was. Yesterday was a long day, and holding Eren through the night gave him incentive to stay awake. But now that he knew that Eren was feeling himself again, he could rest easy. He was out like a light in no time.

\--

A few days later, Levi told Eren that Erwin was holding a barbecue cookout for the executive team of Survey Corp. and that Eren could bring a few people along. So, he invited Armin and Mikasa. They would finally get to meet Levi. Eren gushed with excitement.

Armin and Mikasa happily accepted, and they would be driving to the park separately. Eren and Levi went to the supermarket to get drinks and plates.

Levi wore shorts and flip flops, which made him look so ridiculously casual compared to his usual suits and slacks. But even still, he was not lacking in any aspect as his bulging biceps flexed beneath his tight black t-shirt and his cargo shorts showed off his sculpted calves.

Getting to the park, Erwin was adding charcoal to the grill and lining up his ingredients. He was also wearing shorts and flip-flops which Eren laughed at.

“Ah, welcome!” Erwin said when he noticed them approaching. “I’m glad you could make it!”

Levi went to help Petra set up, and Erwin took Eren’s shoulders. “Are you doing alright, Eren? I was worried after the incident.”

Eren nodded. “Yeah. I was kinda shaken up for a while but I’m all good now. Thanks for worrying about me, Erwin.”

“Of course. You’re important to me. Just as Levi cares for you, you’re my responsibility as well.” He pulled Eren close and rubbed his back with his large hand. It was a fatherly sort of touch that Eren missed. He smiled as his back was rubbed.

“EREN!” a voice screeched. Eren turned around and was tackled into a smothering hug by none other than Hange.

“Watch out, the grill is getting hot,” Erwin scolded her, and held his arm out to protect it.

“H-hey Hange…” Eren laughed weakly and patted her back.

“How have you been, my young friend!?” she gushed. “Let’s bring you over to everyone else! We’re going to start a volleyball game soon!” She yanked him away by his arm.

“Be careful with him, madwoman,” Levi called to her, not looking up from the plastic utensils he was unwrapping. Erwin laughed and shook his head.

The executive team gathered around Eren and caught up with him, patting his back welcomingly. It was nice to see the familiar faces from the Garrison event: Gunther, Oruo, Erd, Moblit… even Mike was here.

“Eren!” Armin waved as he approached the picnic with Mikasa.

“Armin!” Eren excused himself and went to go greet his friends. He gave each of them a quick hug and took their plates to Petra. He took Levi’s hand and led him to meet his friends at long last.

Eren was grinning. He placed his hands on Levi’s shoulders as he introduced him. “Guys, this is Levi Ackerman, my boyfriend that I’ve told you so much about!”

Levi took off his sunglasses and held his hand out. “A pleasure to finally meet you two. Eren has told me wonderful things about you both.”

Eren walked away to let them acquainted. As he greeted Petra and helped her in setting up, he looked behind to see how Levi was faring with Armin and Mikasa. Both his friends were taller than Levi. He giggled at the sight of it. But they seemed to be listening intently to what Levi was telling them, so he thought things were going well.

“Okay. All set.” Petra smiled and admired the set-up. “Eren, honey.” He looked at her. “I have to ask, how are you feeling? After the incident,” she clarified.

“Erwin asked me the same thing. I’m okay now, really. I appreciate your worrying, though.” He smiled for good measure.

Petra returned the smile and stroked his face. “Oh, I’m glad,” she breathed. “It’s my job to worry about you. Both Erwin and I care about you.”

Mikasa and Armin arrived at the table.

“Levi’s great, Eren.” Armin smiled. “You reeled in a good one.”

“I like him, too,” Mikasa said. “I think he’s good for you.”

Relief washed over him that his friends approved of his boyfriend. He cared about what they thought more than he let on.

“It looks like they’re trying to set up a net over there,” Mikasa pointed to the executive team assembling the volleyball net. “I’ll help them out.”

Eren debated on whether he should tell Armin about the incident at the charity dinner. They agreed to never keep secrets from each other, but this wasn’t Eren’s proudest moment. He didn’t really want to admit that he couldn’t defend himself. There was no way in hell he would ever tell Mikasa; if she found out, she would go to the hospital Mark was staying at and finished what Levi started. But he felt bad keeping such a big event from Armin.

 _Fuck it_. Eren decided to tell him. He told him everything that happened that night. From the dragon to the two million dollars to the way Levi beat Mark unconscious. Armin’s eyes were wide as he listened.

Eren finished the story, and Armin was speechless. “Oh, my God! Why didn’t you tell me all that right when it happened!? Are you okay?”

“Yes,” Eren laughed. “I was in shock after it happened, but I’m fine now.” He looked around. “And don’t you _dare_ tell any of that to Mikasa. I mean it!”

Armin put his hands up in surrender and shook his head, his blond hair swishing back and forth. “I won’t, I won’t. Thanks for entrusting me with all that. Levi doesn’t, umm… he didn’t look like he was capable of doing that to someone. At least when I was talking to him. I’m kinda shocked.”

“Yeah, I know what you mean,” Eren said. “He surprised me, too. It kinda makes me wonder what else he’s been through before.”

They gazed at Levi, who was talking to Erwin next to the grill with his arms crossed.

Mikasa and Hange returned from where they were setting up the net. “It’s all set up,” Mikasa said. “Do you guys want to come play?”

“Yeah.” Eren got up and took his shoes off. “Armin, you comin’?”

“Ahhh… I’ll pass. Go ahead without me.” Armin was never really much for sports. He pulled out a book.

Hange took a seat across from him. “You must be Eren’s friend!” she said cheerfully and stuck out her hand. “I’m Hange Zoe. Accounting exec at Survey.”

Armin smiled and shook her hand, tucking his hair behind his ear. “Armin Arlert. Pleasure to meet you!”

“Not really into the physical endeavors, huh? I can relate.”

“Yeah. I’m more of a bookworm, to be honest.”  He held up his book.

“Whatcha reading? I recognize the author’s name.”

Hange and Armin got along pretty well. She was a bit too talkative for his liking- well, everyone’s liking- but she was very knowledgeable and they shared many theories and ideas.

At the volleyball game, Eren impressed everyone by becoming the ace of his team. It was no surprise he was athletic, but his success was attributed more to the fact that he was insanely competitive.

However, the other team held their own as well, with Mikasa and Mike acting as strong anchors. They all played fiercely as Erwin cooked, and in the end, Eren’s team came out on top.

Gunther took Eren into his arm and gave him a noogie as the rest of his team chanted his name. Levi looked over and chuckled at the sight. Erwin loaded up all the freshly cooked meat into a large aluminum tray and shut the grill. “Hungry, anyone?” he called as he set the tray down on the picnic table.

Petra, poor thing, squealed as people swarmed around her to dig into the food. “One at a time, people! There’s plenty for everyone!”

Eren bit into what he thought was the juiciest hot dog he’d ever tasted in his life. He groaned as he chewed and finished it three bites, going in for a second, then a third. Levi approached him from behind, placing his hands on his shoulders and leaning down to his ear. “Slow down, baby.”

Armin gulped while in Levi’s presence, after what Eren told him he was capable of doing to a man. But he was also strangely comforted by it. Eren’s last few… companions… were questionable. Not that he knew much about them. They introduced themselves through the mysterious marks and bruises they left on Eren. And Eren kept them a secret. Armin was relieved that someone as strong as Levi was there to protect him.

Eren was tearing away at his fourth hot dog with forced control and patience after whatever Levi said to him. Even Mikasa couldn’t get enough of the hamburgers and hot dog on her plate. Whoever cooked these clearly knew their stuff. Armin looked at the grill to see who was manning it.

_Oh. Fuck him sideways with a chainsaw, why don’tcha._

The tall blond hunk of a man was calmly flipping the burgers for round two. His sharp cheekbones chiseled his face, and his jawline was strong and sculpted by the gods themselves. He had thick, dark eyebrows that gave him a serious look, but his shapely lips were curved in a gentle smile. His nose was strong and straight. _FUCK!_ Armin thought, willing his beating heart to be still. Scraping his eyes greedily down the man’s body, he was incredibly built for the age he seemed to portray. He had a nice, broad chest, and toned arms that were perfect to hold Armin if he ever fainted in public, which might be very probable today. His back was large and muscular, just waiting to be touched, Armin thought. He spent a little too long staring at the blond hunk’s ass, then staring at his crotch to imagine what he was working with underneath. _He was probably hung like a fucking horse,_ Armin thought.

 _Get a hold of yourself!_ He then scolded himself. He’s probably married with kids or some shit. His eyes darted to the man’s hand, squealing internally when he found no ring.

“Are you gonna eat that, Armin?” Eren pointed to his plate.

Armin’s eyes were still fixated on the man at the grill, completely ignoring the question. He smacked Eren’s arm in repetition. “Eren. Eren. Who is that?”

Eren followed his eyes and then turned back to him. “Oh, that’s Erwin. He’s Levi’s best friend. And Co-CEO,” he said nonchalantly.

 _Fuck!_ Armin squealed again internally. _He was handsome and he was damn CEO?!_

He took Eren’s face in his hands, his cheeks squeezing together. Eren’s eyes widened in confusion.

“Eren,” Armin practically moaned. “He is suuuuuch a daddy!”

Eren laughed, having forgotten momentarily that his friend had the biggest daddy kink if he’d ever seen one. “You have the hots for Erwin?” He swung his legs over the wooden bench and wiped his mouth. “Come on,” he waved his hand to get him to stand.

Armin stood up. “Why?”

“I’m gonna introduce you.” Eren took his arm and started walking.

Armin yanked his arm away, his face looking mortified. “Eren! No! I’m-I’m… I can’t!”

“Don’t be shy. He’s really nice. You’re gonna win him over with that big brain of yours,” Eren said. He could already feel his face getting hotter.

They got to the grill, and Armin’s heart pounded like a drum. “Erwin,” Eren got his attention.

Erwin turned and when he noticed Armin, he flashed a large, pearly-white smile. Armin was going to faint. Or throw up. Whichever came first. _Fuck!_

“This is my best friend Armin,” Eren pushed him forward a bit. “He just came back from visiting Africa. He loves to travel and he’s a genius.”

“Africa?” Erwin breathed, automatically intrigued. He hung up his tongs and shut the hood of the grill, sticking his hand out. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Armin. I’m Erwin, as you may have heard.”

Armin stuck his hand out and Erwin took it in his, shaking it gently. Armin felt his knees beginning to buckle. Erwin’s hand was huge and engulfed his. And it was really soft and warm.

“It’s a p-pleasure to meet you, too.” Armin was a blushing fool now, his face hot and red.

“So tell me about your visit abroad,” Erwin said cheerfully, his icy-blue sparkling with fascination.

“I’ll leave you two to it,” Eren said, and walked away.

 _Don’t leave me, you ass!_ Armin pleaded internally. Erwin beckoned him to sit with him at two nearby folding chairs near the grill.

Eren went back to his spot at the table, squeezing Levi’s shoulder along the way. Mikasa was eating salad.

“Hey. Did you have any matches today?”

“No matches. Just training,” she said between crunches.

“Thanks for being here, Mikasa. I know how busy you are. It means a lot that you made time for me.”

Mikasa looked up and set her fork down, and then wiped her mouth. “You’re welcome. I’m really enjoying it here. And I finally got to meet Levi. I’ll always try to make time for you, Eren.”

Eren grinned and started munching on chips to hold himself over until Erwin was done cooking seconds. He looked over to see how Armin was holding up with him. Erwin was leaned in, elbows on knees, enraptured by what Armin was telling him. Armin seemed to be less shy now, talking and gesturing animatedly with his hands.

Good. No one could resist Armin. Plus, he and Erwin seemed like a good match. It was going to work out wonderfully.

“Did you figure out if you and Levi were related?” Eren asked Mikasa.

“I asked him about it,” she said. “We couldn’t find any connections, though. When I was little, my mom told me I was an only child and she never mentioned any cousins.”

“Hm. Interesting.” _They looked awfully similar, though._

“Round two!” Erwin came over and set down another aluminum tray of meat, and even included some corn this time.

Eren bolted out of his seat and fixed himself a few burgers. If they were as any good as those hot dogs, he would be in for a good time.

And they were. Erwin’s grilling game was on point. He willed himself to take his time, Levi’s voice echoing in his head.

Damn, now he was stuffed. He downed it all with some Coke, which only made him feel even more sluggish.

He looked over to the grill, and Erwin was holding out a kebab for Armin to try. Armin nibbled at it shyly. _Shit! He was in there! They were hitting it off!_ Eren thought happily. And they were absolutely adorable together, Erwin laughing at something and Armin tucking his hair behind his ear.

The executive team was debating about something again; a crisis in a neighboring company. Eren was too tired to join the conversation so he just listened. He rubbed his stomach to soothe it.

Mike and Mikasa got up and started dissembling the volleyball net. The event was coming to a close, and people were beginning to clean up and leave.

Armin rejoined Eren at the table, looking radiant and rosy.

“Well?! How did it go, Romeo?” Eren asked.

There were people busy putting plates away and wiping things down around them, so Armin took Eren’s arm and led them to a nearby shady tree that had some folding chairs underneath.

“Eren,” Armin looked down glumly. “It’s hard to say it, but…” his face instantly lit up again, “He gave me his number!!”

Eren punched his arm and laughed. “Jerk. You scared me for a second! Look at you, you had nothing to worry about!”

Armin held his phone to his heart and gushed. “I’m so excited! He’s so fucking hot! And he’s insanely smart.”

“And he makes the best meat,” Eren rubbed his aching stomach again. “I feel like I’m pregnant.”

“Gross,” Armin said. They both looked over to the picnic, where everything was neatly cleaned up and people were walking back to their cars with leftovers in hand.

Mikasa made her way over, and Eren stood up. “Thank you both for coming today,” he said. “I loved seeing you guys.”

They each took a turn giving Eren a hug. After their goodbyes, they waved Eren away and made their way to Mikasa’s car.

Eren walked back to the site, where only Erwin and Levi remained.

“Hey, dear. Ready to go home?” Levi asked.

“Yup. And thank you for the food, Erwin. You work a mean grill!”

“You’re very welcome,” Erwin laughed. “Come visit at work more often!”

“I’ll try!” Eren followed Levi back to the car. He collapsed into his seat, letting the back of his head fall on the headrest.

“Levi… I think I had too much too eat.”

Levi started the car. “What did you have?”

“Four, actually five hot dogs. And like two or three burgers. Maybe four, now that I think about it…”

Levi laughed and rubbed his thigh. “This is why I tell you to slow down. It takes time for your body to register how full you are.”

Eren rubbed his stomach and pouted. “Whatever.”

“I’ll rub your tummy when we get home,” Levi said.

Eren looked at him and grinned. “Thank you. I’ll love you forever.” He said gratefully.

\--

A car ride and shower later, Eren has had some time to digest and his stomach ached less. Levi gave him a can of ginger ale to help settle his stomach. Then, they watched some TV in Levi’s room, and he upheld his promise by rubbing warm circles into Eren’s stomach underneath his shirt. Eren was now a pile of mush, his head lolled back on Levi’s chest and his arms were draped around Levi’s legs as he got his treatment. His eyes were shut and he was straining to listen to the TV at the same time. Levi thought Eren was adorable when he was incapacitated.

Eventually, Eren’s stomach finally settled and he could fully enjoy the TV. He lay on Levi’s lap and got his scalp massaged. The day was coming to an end.

Levi turned off the TV after a while, and ruffled Eren’s hair. “Darling.”

Eren smiled mischievously and got up to straddle Levi. He put his hands on his shoulders.

“Hey, Levi, guess what?”

He looked at him expectantly.

Eren leaned closer and placed a light, innocent peck on Levi’s lips.

He came back up, looking into those steely grays. Then, he went in again, this time delivering a deep, sensual kiss. He licked and lapped at Levi’s lips, and then inserted his tongue into his mouth, where he explored slowly. He closed his eyes and breathed through his nose, tasting and sucking and taking all the time in the world.

He finally separated, letting go of Levi’s lips with a loud smooching sound. Levi looked into those green eyes that were hazy with lust, and his heart was struck.

Eren giggled innocently. “That’s what.”

Levi smirked and tackled him into the mattress, and it was no surprise that he made love to him after that.


	30. Remember Your Roots

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (30 chapters, 70k words, and 10k hits later... and here we are! All I can say is THANK YOU HUNNIES! You warm my heart <3 Please continue to share this journey with me!)
> 
> We will learn a bit about Levi's past! This chapter does contain canonverse spoilers from the manga, so be warned!

-Three years earlier-

After a particularly non-eventful day of working, Levi drove through to the seedier part of town. Here in the outskirts, the streets were littered with illegal activities, garbage, and outlaws. It seemed chillier in these parts, too; the wind whipped around the cold concrete, banging at the metals of boarded-up buildings and picking cardboard strips off the ground.

Driving through these streets with his nice car made Levi stand out like a sore thumb. He was careful not to roll down his windows- prostitutes working the corners were eager to ask him for service. He didn’t blame them. Some of those girls have been through a lot- it was a nice change to provide a night of pleasure to a man that had some class. It was a little less degrading to provide service to a man that would treat them right. Those girls would throw away their humanity aside to provide for the little kids he sometimes saw running around these streets, so he secretly respected them.

His mother was one of those girls.

Levi rolled up to a decrepit little saloon in a dark corner. His uncle took him here all the time when he was a kid. Most children’s childhoods consisted of the scents of chocolate chip cookies and warm blankets; Levi’s, cigarettes and stale alcohol.

This place was filthy. It smelled rotten and it needed a thorough cleaning. The men that frequented this bar were hardened and rough around the edges. Dark tattoos climbed up their beefy arms and necks, gold chains hung from their throats, and their faces were weathered and harsh. If looks could kill, some people would be dead around here.

Levi walked past the glaring patrons and took a seat at a stool at the counter. He knew why they were staring. His tailored and pressed clothes contrasted harshly to the wifebeaters and jeans here. They didn’t take a liking to that.

“What’ll it be?” the elderly bartender asked gruffly. He was wiping a glass with a towel, and gave Levi a strange look. He wondered why someone like him would come to a place like this.

“Bourbon. On the rocks.”

“You got it.”

The bar had a hazy atmosphere from all the people smoking fat cigars. It was quite disgusting, actually. A normal person would begin to cough in this kind of air. Levi was used to it, though.

“Here ya go,” the bartender slid a glass towards him.

Levi sighed and swirled the glass around a bit. He downed it in two gulps.

He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and slid the glass back. “Another.”

The bartender had some surprise in his eyes, that this refined little man could knock one back so quick. “Uhh… sure.”

He refilled the glass, and Levi rubbed the bridge of his nose with a groan. He could feel the alchohol kick in harshly.

“Oh, hey, I know you,” the bartender said. Levi looked up. “You’re Kenny’s nephew! Li’l Levi!”

“…Yeah.”

His uncle Kenny was famous around these parts. He developed a reputation of not taking any shit from anyone, and he’s beaten many people unconscious before. And in that way, he was both feared and respected. Some people recognized Levi here, too. They made sure to stay out of his way.

“I used to serve you milk here when you was just a kiddie!” the bartender’s face softened as he laughed. “Now you’re havin’ the hard stuff! Where does the time go…?”

Levi knocked back his second round and closed his eyes. It burned down his throat- but he kind of liked the feeling.

“One more,” Levi said.

“You’re a heavyweight just like ya ol’ uncle, eh?” the bartender clicked his tongue and shook his head. “That man could outdrink a group of my hardest guys.”

Levi took his time with his third round, letting the alcohol really take its effect. He didn’t know why he came to this dump. It was grimy and classless just like its visitors. Nostalgia, maybe? This was where Kenny taught him how to fight. It was here that he put a knife to a man’s throat for the first time. If nothing else, Levi came here to remember his roots. He wasn’t above anyone else here. They were all the same diamonds in the rough.

But he also had some good memories here. Kenny brought him here so often that it was almost like the whole bar adopted him as their own. They picked him up and put him on their shoulders, and they slid $20 bills into his pockets with a wink. They clinked their glasses of whiskey to his cup of milk, and he really felt like man.

When Kenny would disappear to a nearby alley to have his way with a hooker, he would entrust the men at the bar to babysit Levi until he was done. They sat Levi on their knees, teaching him about different kinds of knives and guns using the letters of the alphabet. Even when bar fights broke out, leaving men bloodied and on the brink of death, it was an unspoken rule that little Levi had immunity and was not to be touched. He sat on the bar counter, swinging his short legs innocently as he watched men smash bottles of whiskey over each others’ heads in testosterone-fueled rage, beating the teeth down each other’s throats. It was like good TV to kiddie Levi.

Even when women and wives came in, they would gather around Levi and dote on him, kissing and cuddling him close, stroking his hair gently as cute little Levi showed them the shiny new knife Kenny gave him for his birthday. The void of losing his mother early was filled because of this.

Levi laughed lightly and took a gulp of his bourbon. He couldn’t say he had a bad childhood. Rough, maybe, but he became really street-smart early on.

And here he was now, who against all odds came out on top of the social food chain as a successful businessman. He owed part of his success to the way he was raised- he knew what he wanted and how to get it. He knew how people ticked.

The bartender topped him off once again and Levi nodded shortly in gratitude. Even though the alcohol numbed him up pleasantly, it also made him feel heavy in melancholy.

He had a nice job, a nice car, a nice place with a view that people would kill for… so why was he so fucking miserable??

Even the best things in life lose their meaning when you don’t have anyone to share it with. It was a bit of a routine at this point- Levi would work all day, and then he would sweat off his stress by boxing at the gym. He spent the rest of the night in his apartment alone, working for most of the night to keep himself too busy to feel anything. He would then drown his sorrows with countless drinks, falling asleep in a cloudy, insomniac haze. His bed felt too big and empty during nights like these.

The truth is, even with all the wonderful people he had in life- like Erwin and Petra and all the people at Survey Corp, even his adventurous friends Isabel and Farlan- Levi felt extremely lonely. He didn’t know what to do to solve this. He felt fucking ungrateful. All these people let him into their lives despite how much he pushed them away. He didn’t deserve them.

He knocked his glass back, relishing the burn again. He was a grown ass man. Why was he getting all soft about love all of a sudden?

He didn’t know how long he stayed at the bar. The alcohol was settling in like a blanket, and the smell of cigars wafted around him, making him sleepy. He massaged his temple and listened to the conversations of the people sitting around him.

Eventually, he decided to go home. He fished out his wallet to pay, but the bartender lowered his hand for him. He shook his head. “On the house,” he smirked. “Family privileges. Come back and visit more often, wouldja, squirt?”

Levi laughed and put his wallet away. He normally wouldn’t let anyone call him that, but this man was one of the many that raised him. “Thanks. I’ll try.”

As he hopped down the stool and walked to the doors, he looked around and saw the familiar sights from his childhood. Those wooden chairs and the low tables, the barrels of aging alcohol, the glints of knives peeking out of boots, the overflowing ashtrays.

A musclehead brushed past Levi’s shoulder gruffly. He and his entourage paused and looked at him ferally. “Hey, watch where ya goin’, shorty.”

The men chortled and smacked the musclehead’s back in encouragement.

Levi stopped dead in his tracks. “What the fuck did you just say?” he asked, eerily calm. He turned around with eyes glaring daggers.

The men stopped laughing. The alpha strode up to Levi with a masculine swagger, coming up close so that he was touching Levi’s chest.

It was a moment of silent squaring up, the tension growing thicker between them. “I said,” the man growled, inches from Levi’s face, “watch where you’re going. _Shorty_.”

And Levi wasn’t sure if it was all the alcohol he had, or if he was just in a shitty mood, but that was what did it for him. He drove the toe of his shoe into the guy’s shin, making him hunch over in pain. Levi used his moment of weakness to throw a slugging punch into his gut, effectively sending him to the floor. He straddled the guy’s waist and pulled his shirt, striking him with two swift punches to the eye.

The entourage was shocked for a split second. Their head honcho was taken down singlehandedly by some guy that barely broke five feet. They circled around him, stretching their necks and cracking their knuckles in preparation to fight.

Levi let go of the alpha’s shirt, leaving him to marinate in his own pain. He started with the guy closest to him, swinging his leg fiercely into the guy’s exposed side. He toppled over, clutching on to the place he was hit. Levi turned him over on his back using his toe, then stomped on the guy’s throat, knocking the wind out of him.

The bargoers were looking at the scene with interest, but no urgency. Around here, you don’t get involved in fights that don’t concern you. You let men handle their animosity the old-fashioned way: a classic fist fight.

The third guy ran towards Levi, his hands itching to strangle. Levi let him get close, then delivered a sharp uppercut to the jaw. The man staggered back several steps, and Levi walked up to him calmly. He drove the bottom of his foot directly into his chest in a front facing kick. The crash of broken glasses and toppling chairs was jarring as the man fell backward into an abandoned table, and he got soaked in a rain of whiskey and glass shards.

There was one more lackey. The pressure was all on him now to avenge his fallen posse. He took out a bowie knife from the back of his belt and charged at Levi. He slashed the air in a blind rage, and Levi was light on his feet as he dodged the knife. Backing up, he looked for an opening, just like Kenny taught him. In a moment of recovery, the man had his knife aiming straight forward to Levi’s throat and was about to retract it for another strike, and Levi saw his chance.

With blinding speed, Levi wrapped his hand around the guy’s forearm and knocked his wrist, which reflexively opened his hand up and dropped the knife to floor with a metallic clatter. He would be much easier to take care of now that he was unarmed. And the guy knew it, too, with the way his eyes begged for mercy. Levi turned on his heel and pulled the guy’s arm forward to bring him closer. He jabbed his elbow into the guy’s gut. Now that he was collapsed on Levi’s back in pain, Levi pushed him off and let him fall to the ground. He pinned the guy’s back down with his knee and took his arm, twisting it up and around his head. The man was screaming in pain and in a second, Levi heard a loud _crack_ \- he knew he dislocated the guy’s shoulder.

The man continued to scream and writhe in pain as Levi got off him. He picked up the fallen knife and returned the alpha, who was starting to come back to his senses and stirred to get up for another attempt. Levi swung a kick into his side to prevent him from getting up. And then another. He kept kicking the guy’s weakened body until it was a lifeless pile of limbs. With his freshly swollen eye, the alpha groaned helplessly. Levi put his knee on his chest and pressed the knife against his throat.

 _Don’t kill unless you need to. Make them your bitch_ , he remembered Kenny’s advice.

“Watch what you say to me, _bitch_ ,” he spat. He got up and threw the knife on the floor, fixing his collar and walking out the saloon doors.

The other bar patrons watched the scene casually. In most places, it was a team effort to dissolve a brawl like this. In this saloon, it was simply dinner and a show.

“Hey, ain’t that Kenny’s kid?” the bargoers began to inquire. “Nah, he had a nephew.” “I remember when he was just a li’l goober.” “He’s all grown up now.”

The bartender chuckled from afar at the men writhing on the floor from Levi’s work. _You raised a tough one, Kenny_ , he thought. The same little kid that drank milk five feet away from brutal fist fights and sucked his thumb as he took naps at the counter now subdued armed gangsters with ease.

Levi didn’t really like to fight unless he had to. He had to admit that this was the most eventful thing that happened to him all week.

There was a young lady, and though her hair was disheveled and unkempt, she was still quietly beautiful. She sat on the ground next the doors of the saloon, her knees drawn close. Her eyes met Levi’s. He could see some wads of bills peeking out of her top of her dress.

It all clicked together. Those men had a little gangbang with her. He could see a faint mark on her neck. Those sick bastards probably held a knife to her as she serviced them.

“W-would you like some c-company, sir?” she asked, still visibly shaken up from her last clients. Her cheeks were stained with tears.

Levi crouched down next to her, and she looked at him cautiously. She sniffled. Levi took out a handkerchief from inside his jacket and wiped her face. She froze up at the kind gesture, and then took the handkerchief from Levi.

He fished out his wallet, counting about $160 in twenties. He held it out to her.

She took it from him, her eyes widening. This was probably a lot more than she usually charged. “Th-there’s an alley around here that w-“

But Levi shook his head. “Just keep it,” he said gently. He walked away and drove home.

\--

-Present-

Levi and Eren were rolling around, violently making out on the bed. The room echoed with moans and creaks of the bedsprings as they wrestled around for dominance.

When Eren managed to get on top, he rolled his hips into Levi’s and held his face still with those graceful fingers of his. His breathing was harsh as he grazed his teeth gently on Levi’s lower lip. It was also his personal challenge to get his tongue as far down Levi’s throat as possible.

When Levi wanted control, he pinned Eren down with ease and drew his knee up to his crotch to trap him. He stole hard, irregular kisses from Eren’s plush lips. He let him hold on to his biceps as he sucked at his lips until they were red and swollen. When he wanted to hear those pretty moans again, he drew his knee up a little more and grinded it against Eren’s erection. He swallowed the sounds Eren made and groaned as he tasted and explored.

Something vibrated between them and they tried to ignore it. Eren’s eyebrows furrowed in annoyance as he pushed lightly against Levi’s chest to have him get off. He tried to stay latched onto Levi’s lips until the very last second. “ _Mmm_ who the fuck?!”

He dug around his pocket for his phone to see who was calling. His face lit up when he saw who it was. Levi rolled onto his back and rested his head on his arm as he caught his breath.

“Oh, hey ma!” Eren said cheerfully and innocently, like he wasn’t dry fucking Levi five seconds ago. He climbed onto Levi and sat on his hips. “I’m doing good! How are things down there?”

Levi held Eren’s hand and laced their fingers together as Eren talked. Eren grinned down at him.

“That’s good to hear. Is dad home?.....Aw. Well tell him I said hi next time he’s around…..He’s good,” Eren shook Levi’s hand. They were probably talking about him. “I will….. Okay….. okay….. I start in a few weeks….. okay….. alright. I’ll talk to you later. I will!..... Bye, ma. I love you!”

Eren ended the call.

“Was that your mom?” Levi asked.

“Yup. She wants me to call more often. And she wants me to visit her soon.” He took Levi’s hand and held it close to his own face. “Levi, I really want you to come meet her. It would mean a lot to me.”

“Sure, sweetheart. I’d love to meet her.”

Eren beamed and chucked his phone aside, then dove back down to continue the makeout session.

\--

That night, when Levi was busy working in his study, Eren left the apartment and drove to the grocery store to pick up a few ingredients.

He carted through the aisles and picked up canned chili, cheese, sour cream, Fritos, Hershey kisses, and a few cans of whipped cream. The rest of the ingredients he needed were at home.

-

At home, Eren was busy unpacking the ingredients when Levi emerged from his study and joined Eren in the kitchen.

“Went shopping?”

“Yup. I figured you always cook for me, so today I’ll cook for you. One of my signature recipes.”

Levi chuckled. “Alright. I’m looking forward to it.”

Eren smiled and playfully pushed Levi out the kitchen by his shoulders. “It’s a surprise! Go do something else while I do my thing.”

“Okay, okay,” Levi surrendered. He used the opportunity to thoroughly clean the apartment, even though it was already impeccable.

Eren heated the canned chili on the stove until it came to a slight boil. While it was cooking, he chopped tomatoes and lettuce on the cutting board.

This recipe had gotten him through times of low budgets and high hunger. He wasn’t the best chef, but he knew how to work with what he had. Since he’s met Levi, his palate has grown complex and he learned to appreciate fine dining and expensive cuts of meat. But he also remembered his roots. He will always love his comfort food.

Eren turned off the stove. He used a ladle to scoop some chili into two bowls. Some of it spilled on the counter. He would clean it later. He unwrapped two Kraft singles onto the chili, which would melt into a wonderful cheesy mess. Then, he reached into the bag of Fritos and added a layer of the crunchy chips to each of the bowls. Finally, he added the small salad of chopped lettuce and tomatoes on top, and one dollop of sour cream as a finishing touch. Beautiful.

“Levi! I’m ready now!” Eren called. He was excited.

Levi finished polishing the hardwood floors in front of the window and took off his gloves. Eren stuck some spoons in and took the bowls to the small matte black wooden table near the back of the room. They didn’t use this table much; they usually ate at the stools in front of the kitchen.

Levi sat down and scooted his chair in. Eren set a bowl down in front of him, and then set his own across the table.

“Hold on, I’ll be back.” Eren ran to the fridge and came back with two bottles of water and paper towels.

He sat down across from Levi and grinned. “Dig in!”

Levi smiled and mixed his bowl. “Oh, you made chili?”

“It’s not just chili, Levi. They’re ghetto haystacks,” he said, matter-of-fact.

Levi laughed. “Ghetto haystacks? Sounds delicious.” Eren watched in anticipation as Levi took the first crunchy bite.

“How is it?” Eren was hopeful and desperate for Levi’s approval.

Levi nodded and wiped his mouth with his paper towel as he chewed. “I quite like that, Eren. I’ve never had anything like it.”

Eren beamed. “Oh, I’m so glad!” He dug into his own bowl. “It’s a little thick, so you have to keep yourself well-lubricated.” He held up his water bottle.

“Understood,” Levi said. They ate their ghetto haystacks together. As he watched Eren eat, chip crumbs on his lips, Levi’s heart warmed. Eren was so young and pure. He remembered the way his eyes lit up as he took a bite of his food, sparkling with excitement. Even the food he made was so simple and filled with personality. He was simply adorable.

As they polished up their bowls, Levi leaned back into his chair and sighed. The ghetto haystacks ( _not just chili!_ Eren’s voice insisted) were really filling. He felt sluggish and lazy. Eren took their bowls into the kitchen and began doing dishes. Levi got up and joined him.

“No, it’s fine, Levi. You always do the dishes. Let me do them for once,” Eren said.

“At least let me help, dear. You cooked. It’s the least I can do.”

“…Fine,” Eren smiled. He let Levi do drying duty, which was usually his job.

They cleaned in a comfortable silence. “Oh, I forgot to tell you,” Eren said. “Ghetto haystacks are known to give you the shits, so be careful.”

Levi laughed and took a wet dish from Eren.

-

Eren exited the bathroom after brushing and washing, looking especially innocent in his light blue striped pajama pants that complimented his long legs and pooled around his ankles. He wore that flimsy tank top of his again.

Levi waited for him in bed, answering emails and looking at stocks on his tablet.

Eren climbed into bed. “Levi… let’s cuddle.”

Levi shut his tablet and put it on his bedside table. “Of course, darling. Come here.” He opened his arms and Eren ceawled into them. He drew his legs in and tucked his arms.

Levi wrapped his arms around him tight. “Sweet boy,” he whispered. He sucked some kisses into Eren’s hair, inhaling the distinctive scent of pine trees and baby powder.

Eren craned his neck up and lay a quick, unexpected smooch on Levi’s jaw. “I love you.”

Levi’s heart was struck like the hopeless fool he was. Three years ago- hell, one year ago- he didn’t expect to feel this strongly towards someone. And now, here he was, with an adorable young thing named Eren Jaeger living with him. Levi was absolutely weak to the enigma he was holding right now. He never expected to have someone in his life who surprised him with coffee and blowjobs at work, or kissed and rubbed his chest after a long day, or cooked him ghetto haystacks ( _NOT JUST CHILI!_ Eren’s voice echoed in his head, and he smiled). Fate has been kind to him, to allow him to meet Eren. And he would return the favor by cherishing the treasure in his arms.

“And I love you, too, my precious Eren,” Levi said into his hair. “More than you know.”


	31. Healer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our Eren baby falls ill and Levi nurses him back to health! He's a man of many talents :3
> 
> (I'm suffering from writer's block.)

It was September now. The lush green trees around Trost were starting to rust over with brown leaves. The warm temperatures were dropping every day. The beach, usually filled with laughing kids and sunbathers, was becoming more vacant.

Levi knocked on Eren’s bedroom door and waited.

“C’min,” Eren called.

Levi entered, unsure of what to expect. He’s walked in on Eren pleasing himself several times before. Sometimes he would ask Levi to help finish him off, and sometimes he just wanted him to watch. It just depended on his mood.

But today, Eren was just lying in bed- the covers drawn up to his chin as he browsed on his laptop. He was usually eager to get out of bed, so this was a bit out of character.

Levi went to him and brushed his bangs aside with his fingers. “Eren, are you alright? You haven’t left your room all day.”

He shut his laptop and looked up slowly. “Levi. I feel… like shit.” As if to prove his point, he hacked up a dry cough. He sighed and shut his eyes.

Levi’s face softened with concern. He put his hand against Eren’s forehead and felt around. It was a bit warmer than usual.

“It seems you’re coming down with a cold. Luckily, I don’t think it’s a fever. Eren, have you gone swimming lately?”

Eren was silent; which answered the question.

“Darling, I want you to stop swimming at the beach at night. It’s getting colder now.”

“I wanted to get my fill before winter comes,” Eren said.

“I understand. But this is what happens. We’re lucky it’s not worse.”

Eren sneezed twice into his blanket and groaned.

“And you wear this rag of yours,” Levi lifted Eren’s flimsy tank top, the one with material so stretched and scarce that Eren’s nipple showed.

“This happens to be my favorite rag!”

Levi laughed and went over to Eren’s closet and rifled through it. He found an oversized sweatshirt and took it back.

“Wear this for me,” he said gently.

Eren sat up with a groan and Levi dressed him. A messy chocolate bedhead popped out and he snaked his arms through the sleeves slowly. Levi pulled it down with a firm tug and lay Eren’s head back down on the pillow.

“I’ll be back with some soup, okay?” Levi fixed Eren’s hair and tickled his chest.

“’Kay.”

-

Levi drove through town and stopped by the supermarket. He picked up tissue boxes, cough drops, medicine, lemon juice, a humidifier, and some ingredients for soup.

Walking through the aisles, he saw a collection of life-sized stuffed bears. _That would be cute for Eren_. He took one and crammed it into his cart.

A mother walking past gave him a weird look. Maybe she was wondering what a short, muscular man with a dark expression like him was doing with a huge plushie in his cart. It was an endearing sight.

“Mommy, I want one of those!” her son pointed at Levi’s cart.

-

It was a struggle for Levi to get all the things back up to the apartment. The fucking bear was damn near as big as he was.

The receptionist looked from her desk when Levi entered the building. “Oh, would you like some help, Mr. Ackerman?” she smiled a bit at the sight of him with a plushie.

“No, I’m fine, thanks.”

He unlocked the door of the apartment and sat the bear down with a groan. Eren wasn’t in the living room- he was probably still in bed, the poor thing.

Levi got to work cutting and mixing the ingredients for the soup. As it was boiling, he unpacked the humidifier and added some water to the chamber.

When he entered Eren’s room with the soup, he was in the same position as he was a few hours. Now, he had a tissue stuffed in his nostril.

“Yaaaay,” he said in a monotone when he saw Levi with the soup. He sat up and took the tissue out of his nose.

Levi sat on the edge of the bed and placed the tray on Eren’s lap. “You must be hungry.”

Eren started eating right away. He closed his eyes and sighed when the warm soup soothed his throat. “Mmm.”

Levi rubbed his leg as he ate, then went to bring the humidifier. When he plugged it in and turned it on, it released a soft steam that startled Eren.

“Mm!”

 _He had probably never experienced a humidifier,_ Levi figured. Then, his face froze up in an incoming sneeze as he dropped his spoon with a clatter and flailed around for a tissue. They could both hear the snot hit the tissue. Levi twisted in disgust humorously. Eren groaned and opened his tissue to look at what came out. His face twisted in disgust as well.

“I’ll be back,” Levi said. He came back with the medicine and the stuffed animal.

Eren was sitting with his empty tray in his lap, but his face lit up when he saw the huge bear. It was like the one Mikasa won at the fair, but this one was even bigger. “Oh, my God! It’s huge!”

Levi sat the heavy ass bear next to Eren. “I saw it at the supermarket and thought you’d like it.” He took Eren’s tray.

Eren hugged the bear around its neck. “I love it. And I love you!”

Levi laughed and took the cough syrup out of its box. He poured the thick red liquid onto the spoon Eren used for his soup.

“Eren. Open up.”

Eren opened his mouth and Levi fed him the medicine. Eren’s face curled in distaste and he smacked his lips to get rid of the aftertaste.

“I know, it’s not the most pleasant thing,” Levi said. He poured another spoonful. “One more.”

Eren took a few deep breaths and quickly took it. He shivered.

“Would you like some more soup?” Levi asked.

“No, I’m good for now.”

“Alright.” Levi unwrapped a tissue box and put it on Eren’s bedside table, along with the cough drops. Eren settled back beneath the covers and took a cough drop. Hopefully this set up would make it a bit easier to heal.

“I’ll be back later to check on you,” Levi said. “If you need anything, just call or text.”

“Okay.” Eren’s eyes were already dragging shut.

“I love you, sweetheart.” Levi leaned down and pressed a kiss on Eren’s warm forehead. He took the soup tray and the wrappings and left the room.

-

After working for a bit, Levi returned to Eren’s room. He had another tissue stuffed in his nostril and was fast asleep with his laptop on his body.

Levi took the laptop and set it on the other side of the bed. After checking to see that the humidifier had enough water, he pulled the covers tighter around Eren’s body and then turned off the light.

His heart squeezed for Eren. Like all sicknesses, it was probably going to get worse before it got better.

\--

Levi’s prediction was right.

When he went in to check on Eren the next day, his normally glowy and bright face was flushed and sickly. His eyes had dark circles underneath, and his bangs were matted against his forehead in a cold sweat. This wasn’t just a cold, it was a full-blown flu.

“Hey,” Levi breathed. Eren’s eyes drew open a little. He swallowed thickly and groaned.

“Oh, you poor thing.” He rubbed Eren’s chest and elicted a coughing fit. The coughs were wet instead of dry now, which Levi thought was a good sign. The humidifier was working.

“I’ll be back with soup for you.”

Levi returned with water, hot soup, and toast. He helped Eren sit up. His body was weakened and heavy.

Levi spoon-fed him the soup, taking his time and making sure Eren was warming up. Eren, who was usually energetic and active, was sitting quietly with his arms wrapped around his own waist. Even his carnivorous appetite has decreased, and he could only manage half his soup and a few bites of bread.

Levi poured some medicine onto the spoon. “Open up, dear.”

Eren whined and coughed a bit. “No. It tastes like shit.” His voice was hoarse and muted.

“I know it does, baby, but it will make you feel better.”

The spoon was floating in front of Eren’s mouth, but he wasn’t opening up.

“It would make me really happy if you took this, Eren,” Levi whispered.

Eren slowly opened up and screwed his eyes shut as he swallowed.

“Just one more,” Levi said as he poured. Eren took it quickly, like he wanted to get it over with. He swallowed it roughly with a groan.

“Good boy,” Levi said and squeezed Eren’s cheeks together. “Such a good boy for me.”

Even with the way he was feeling, Eren couldn’t help but smile as his heart fluttered from Levi’s praise.

-

Levi came back later with a bowl of hot water and a small towel. Eren was watching TV with the covers drawn all the way up to his nose.

He wrung out the small towel and looked at what Eren was watching. One of his crime dramas.

He brushed Eren’s sweaty bangs back and placed the hot cloth on his forehead. This would help with the chills and help Eren sweat out toxins.

“Hungry, sweetheart?”

Eren shook his head slightly and sniffled. There was a hard clinking sound as he shifted a cough drop around in his mouth.

“Okay. I’ll be back to check on you in a bit.” He picked up the used tissue litter around Eren and threw it into the wastebin next to the bed.

Just as he was leaving, Eren spoke up weakly. “Levi.”

“Hm?”

“Kiss me.” Eren shut his eyes and puckered his lips.

Levi laughed and came over to Eren. “Not on your mouth.” He took Eren’s face and pressed two smooches on his cheek.

-

When Levi left and the door shut with a resounding _click_ , Eren was alone to marinate and reflect in his own thoughts. Even the ceiling seemed interesting at this point.

He felt like absolute garbage. And he probably looked like it, too.

He was horny. Or bored. He couldn’t really tell. But he did know one thing for sure: he wanted to be touched. But he didn’t want to make Levi sick with him by making him stay in the same room for too long. Eren smiled a bit. He couldn’t really imagine what Levi would look like if he got sick. His complexion was already pale. He was so strong that germs were probably scared of him.

Now that Eren thought about it, he wondered why some people never seemed to get sick. Germs were weird. How could they effect some and not others? A little movie of red and white blood cells fighting on a battlefield played in his mind. It was raining. The cells were wearing armor and war paint.

 _What the hell, Eren?_ This is why he shouldn’t be left alone; he starts thinking about stupid shit. Or maybe the cough syrup was making him loopy.

He looked at the big bear that Levi bought. It looked like it could keep a secret. Small, black, beady eyes and a smile stitched on said otherwise, but he had a large, soft tummy that looked cozy.

Eren took the bear and pulled him close. He was one big motherfucker. But he really was soft. Eren winced in pain as he attempted to get on top, and he held on to the towel on his forehead. Fuck it. The bear was like a damn mountain. Eren swung his leg over the stomach and nuzzled into the bear’s neck. Maybe if he pretended the bear was Levi, it would be easier to fall asleep.

-

Levi came by later to find Eren napping with the bear. He was cuddling it tightly. _The poor thing was probably touch-starved again._

He gently shook him awake for another round of medicine. Eren lifted his head weakly and the towel slipped off his forehead as he climbed off the bear.

“Hey, darling. Can you take this medicine for me, please?” he asked nicely.

Eren took the tissue out of his nostril. He opened up and took the cough syrup quickly. Not that Levi needed to know, but all he wanted was to hear that praise again.

“Good boy,” Levi cooed. “So obedient.” He stroked Eren’s cheek with his thumb.

Eren put a new tissue back into his nostril and popped a cough drop, his heart all aflutter and excited like he was a damn puppy. Levi redampened the warm towel and replaced it. Eren went right back to sleep.

-

When Levi made his last round of the night, Eren was awake and watching TV again silently. In the dark room, the flashing colors of the TV reflected on the exposed part of his flushed face. Tonight was tomato soup and Levi set up on the edge of the bed.

“’m not hungry,” Eren managed.

“You have to eat something, my dear. Come on, I’ll feed you.” He took the towel off his forehead.

Levi fed him in silence. As he ate, they watched the TV together. The star of the crime show Eren was watching was working on taking down an entire drug ring singlehandedly, Levi learned. The otherwise quiet room echoed with the sounds of a grisly protagonist’s voice and gunshots.

He held a spoonful of tomato soup in front of Eren’s mouth, but Eren was distracted and his eyes were fixated on the TV. Levi was intrigued as well.

He snapped out of it for a second. “Eren.” Lips wrapped around the spoon.

Levi made sure Eren polished off all the soup. He might not have felt hungry, but that was because the flu skewed his senses. He needed all the nutrients he could get.

He held out a bottle of water and stuck a straw into it. “Can you drink this whole thing for me, sweetheart?”

Eren nodded and began to sip slowly. His hand reached out to touch Levi’s. “Can you stay and watch TV with me?” his voice was raspy and quiet. That one sentence took a lot of effort.

Levi rubbed his thumb on his hand. “You’re lonely, aren’t you?” Eren nodded. “Of course I’ll stay with you.”

Levi made sure Eren finished all the water to stay hydrated. “You need to rest now, darling.” He rubbed Eren’s chest until he drifted off to sleep. When he was breathing deeply, Levi cleaned up the used tissue and garbage again, and then replaced the towel on Eren’s head. He sat the bear up further away so that it didn’t fall on Eren’s face while he slept.

 _Eren was cute while he was asleep,_ Levi thought. Well, he was cute all the time. But it was especially cute how cuddly and clingy he was when he wanted to sleep. He had a high need for affection.

\--

By the third day, Eren had completely lost his voice. His body was stiff and his skin was a ghostly pale.

For breakfast, vegetable soup. It took some work to get Eren to sit up.

“There we go,” Levi said as pulled Eren up from under his arms.

Levi took off the towel and felt around his forehead again. It was warm, but still not a fever, luckily. He spoon-fed a shivering Eren as they continued their crime show from yesterday. The protagonist was involved in a high-speed police chase. Eren couldn’t stop sneezing- wet, hacking sneezes that tore at his throat.

After Eren finished eating and taking medicine, Levi dressed him in a new shirt and sweatshirt. He had sweated through his last ones, which was another good sign.

He went to take the tray back to the kitchen and came back with more water for the humidifier as well as hot green tea and VapoRub.

“Hey, sweetheart. I have some hot tea for you.” Eren took the mug with shaky hands. Levi refilled the water in the humidifier and climbed onto Eren’s bed to keep him company.

Eren slowly crawled next to Levi and rested his head on his shoulder as he drank. He desperately craved touch. Levi wrapped his arm around his shoulders and held him close. He took Eren’s legs and draped them over his own, gently massaging his thighs.

“You’re strong, baby. You’ll get through this,” Levi assured. He kissed the chocolate brown locks sweetly.

When Eren finished his drink, Levi had him sit so that he could thoroughly massage that stiff neck. Eren groaned in appreciation. He sat with his clammy hands jammed between his own thighs.

Then Eren lay on his stomach and got his back massaged. After being holed up in bed all day lately, his body was knotted up.

“This feels good, doesn’t it?” Levi mused. He worked the tension out of Eren’s muscles. “I know it’s hard to stay in bed all day. You must be bored to tears.” He then used his strong, calloused hands to massage Eren’s feet with VapoRub, and covered them with thick socks.

He draped Eren’s arm around his shoulders and helped him back into bed. He smeared some VapoRub on his upper lip, and then hiked his shirt up to rub his chest with it. _Levi could touch him all day; there was something about that strong hand that just made him feel safe and taken care of,_ Eren thought.

The sharp, overwhelming scent of the ointment filled the room. Levi pulled Eren’s shirt back down and put the container underneath his nose. “Take deep breaths for me.”

Eren struggled to breathe. His nose was clogged and watery at the same time. But he tried to take deep breaths like he was asked. On an inhale, his face froze again at an incoming sneeze, and with impressive reflexes Levi pulled the container aside and turned his face away to dodge the sneeze. Eren groaned and there was some snot splattered out his nose.

Levi reached over to the bedside table and yanked a tissue, then pressed it against Eren’s nose. “Blow,” he said gently.

Eren gave a weak blow, but Levi worked with it and he pinched his nose as he cleaned up the mucus. He reapplied a new smear of VapoRub beneath his nose.

Eren kept inhaling the scent of the container to decongest his sinuses. He stared at Levi’s smoky eyes. He was starting to feel woozy again. His eyes started to drift close…

\--

By the fourth day, Eren was starting to regain the color in his face.

“Good morning, sweetheart,” Levi rubbed his chest with his fingers. “How are you feeling?”

“Better,” Eren whispered, having regained some of his voice back. He coughed a little.

“I’m so glad. How about some breakfast?” Levi stirred chicken noodle soup and Eren sat up a bit, his sweatshirt hoodie drawn up over his head.

“Open up.” Soft lips wrapped around the spoon.

They continued their show. The protagonist cornered the leader of the drug ring, who was flanked by henchmen. Eren’s eyes were glued to the screen and he ignored the floating spoon in front of his face. The boss drew a revolver from his coat, but the protagonist was sharper and quick drew a solid shot into the boss’s head.

“Damn!” Eren squeaked. He wrapped his lips around the spoon.

Levi laughed. “I was on the edge of my seat, too.”

Eren drew the strings of his hoodie tighter, so that only his face was visible. He shook his head in disbelief and accepted another spoonful of soup.

And it seemed he was starting to regain his appetite as well, because he easily finished all the soup as well as the toasted sandwiches Levi made for him, even though he couldn’t really taste it.

“Good boy; you finished your whole breakfast,” Levi said. Eren grinned.

It was cough syrup time. Eren braced himself and shut his eyes as Levi fed him the medicine.

“I also have some lemon juice. It’s a bit sour but it’ll help your throat.” He stuck a straw into a glass of fresh lemon juice and gave it to Eren. As he sipped, his lips puckered from the taste.

Levi squeezed Eren’s knee soothingly as he drank. He was so glad Eren was regaining his energy. Even his eyes were looking brighter.

Eren handed back an empty glass proudly.

“Such a good boy,” Levi murmured and stroked Eren’s cheek. “You make me so happy.”

When Levi left the room with the tray, Eren confided in his bear. He would fucking kill a man if Levi asked, if it meant that he would be called a good boy. Well… maybe not kill a man. That was the cough syrup talking. But his heart still pounded with joy when he heard those sweet words. And whenever Levi called him a good boy, a lovely little heat pooled in his stomach. He wanted to get on his knees and show Levi juuuust how good he can be. _That would be ideal_ , Eren thought with a cheeky smile.

 _You’re a good listener._ Eren climbed on top of the bear- all the way up- with his renewed energy, and hugged him tight. _I’m sorry I called you a big motherfucker earlier._ All of a sudden Eren felt really emotional. He just wanted to be held.

-

Levi came by again later for another round of medicine to find Eren sleeping very deeply atop the big bear. He wasn’t covered by the blanket, so his immediate response was worry that Eren might be too cold. But his second thought; his heart softened at the sight of the scene. Eren was too fucking adorable.

He sat on the bed and rubbed Eren’s thigh to wake him. “Hey, sweetheart.”

Eren lifted his head from the bear’s neck, and smiled when he saw who it was. “Leeevi.” He climbed down from the bear hugged him.

 _He’s gotten some more of his voice back_ , Levi thought happily. He returned the hug and rubbed Eren’s back soothingly.

“It’s time for some medicine, baby.”

Eren opened up eagerly, such a huge development from the first times he took the cough syrup. Lips wrapped around the spoon with the thick red liquid twice. He secretly actually kind of looked forward to medicine time now, eager to hear those words…

“Good boy,” Levi murmured and squeezed his cheeks together. Eren nuzzled his hoodie-covered head into his shoulder happily.

“I made some green tea that I want you to drink for me,” Levi told him. Just then, his phone vibrated in his pocket. He fished it out and looked at the ID.

Eren sipped his tea as Levi spoke to a client and rubbed his thigh. The hot drink soothed his sore throat wonderfully. Levi really knew his stuff.

Eren popped a cough drop and sucked on it as he listened to Levi. He finally ended the call.

“Sorry about that,” Levi said. He took the empty mug. “You’re looking a lot better, Eren. You fought bravely. I’m proud of you.”

Eren remembered the battlefield with the red and white blood cells. _Weirdo._

“Thanks,” Eren grinned. He held Levi’s hand in both of his.

“But I want you to rest now.” He rubbed his thumb over Eren’s hand. Eren pouted. _He knew why. The poor thing wanted to be cuddled. He knew Eren well enough to know that by now._ But it was important for him to get plenty of rest.

“I will stay here until you fall asleep, okay, baby?”

He helped Eren get under the covers and tucked him in. He smeared some VapoRub beneath his nose to clear his sinuses while he slept.

A slow chest rub later, Eren was fast asleep. Levi placed a kiss on his hoodie-covered head and left the room.

\--

By the fifth day, Eren was well enough to leave his room. He walked around the apartment with a blanket clutched around his shoulders like a cape, eager to stretch his legs after almost a week of being bedridden.

His nose was still a bit pink and he sneezed quite a bit, but he got back most of his color and his hair’s sheen returned.

After his final round of medicine, he crawled into Levi’s lap on the couch.

With the crime drama finished after the drug ring had been taken down, they had to find something new to watch.

Eren curled up in Levi’s arms, his body shaking as he sneezed or coughed into his blanket. He was so happy to be back in this warm, familiar place.

Emotions overwhelmed him. The bear was a good substitute, but he’d been craving Levi’s sweet touch for days now. And there was also the fact that Levi tended to him tirelessly day in and day out. He was so grateful that he had such a caring and protective boyfriend.

Eren’s body quaked in Levi’s arms. When he looked down, he realized that tears were rolling down Eren’s face.

“Oh, no,” Levi wiped the tears away with his hand. “Are you in pain, baby? What’s wrong?”

Eren sniffled and he cried even more. He didn’t know what to tell him. He just missed him so much.

“You just want to be held, is that it?” Levi asked. Eren nodded- he was glad he could put it into words. He buried his face into Levi’s chest.

“Don’t cry, precious. I’ll always be here, as long as you need me.” He wiped Eren’s tear-stained cheeks with his thumb.

 _What an innocent thing Eren was_. He hated being left alone. He wanted to touch and be touched. His heart was larger than life- he had so much love to give it was almost overwhelming.

Levi reached over and grabbed a tissue from the coffee table for Eren to blow his nose into. Several kisses were placed upon that chocolate brown hair.

“I love you so much, Eren,” he whispered. “I’m not going anywhere. We’ll stay here all night long if you want to.”

Eren could only respond by kissing Levi’s chest in appreciation and laying his head against it- right above that steady heartbeat, which was real and tangible and unwavering like so many things in their relationship; and Eren found himself undone all over again.


	32. What Makes a Man

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some WinMin to soothe y'all's souls. I know a lot of you guys have been looking forward to this chapter :3

Armin was reading in his room when his phone vibrated. His heart stopped when he saw it was from Erwin:

_Armin- I really enjoyed talking with you at the cookout. If you’re available tonight, I would love to have you over for dinner._

_HOLY SHIT!_ Armin squealed and flailed his legs in excitement. Eren had to know about this right away!!

 _OMGGGGGGG!_ Eren fake gushed through the text, leaving an abundance of heart emojis.

_Asshole. This is major!_

_I know I know, I got jokes. You better accept the invitation! And tell me how it goes!_

_I will._

He sat in his chair for a moment, and his mind began buzzing with questions. What was Erwin’s house like? What was he going to wear? What were they going to do after dinner??

 _Okay, relax._ He was easy to talk to at the cookout, and he’ll be easy to talk to at his home. With just the two of them. Alone. _Damn._

\--

Armin wore his best sweater tonight. When he looked at the address Erwin sent him, he realized that he actually lived in an apartment, not a house.

He rolled up to a quaint, but rather uptight complex. The infrastructure was a smooth beige, hidden by tall plants and large, leafy trees. There was a set of stairs that led to a row of doors, all overlooking a very well-manicured private park in the middle of the complex. The lampposts in the park glowed romantically over benches and a soft fountain.

Armin tore his gaze away from the park and looked for the thirteenth door; Erwin’s place. He stood in front of it with his eyes shut like a fool, trying to muster up the courage to knock on the door.

He whipped out his phone. _Eren! I’m here omg fuck meeee I’m so nervous!_

 _Keep me in the loop!! Go get em, cutie!_ And a kissy face, eggplant, and water emoji, respectively.

 _Dick._ Armin laughed. But Eren did make him feel better. He took a deep breath and with a pounding heart, he knocked three times on the door.

Time stretched out as he waited for Erwin to open the door. Anticipation crawled up his arms.

The lock clicked behind the door and it swung open to reveal Erwin in all his handsome glory.

“Armin. I’m so glad you could make it! Come in, come in,” he smiled brilliantly.

Armin clutched onto his messenger bag shyly as he entered. It smelled so warm and inviting in here; he couldn’t quite identify it. It smelled like a bookstore.

Erwin shut the door and locked it. “Can I take your bag for you?”

“No, it’s fine.”

“What would you like to drink? Water, tea, orange juice…?”

“Water’s fine, Erwin. Thank you.”

“Make yourself at home. I’ll get dinner started soon.”

Armin sat at the clothed table just outside the kitchen and took his bag off his shoulder. There was an unlit candle sitting in the center. Looking around, the kitchen was quite the sight. The counters looked like they were made of marble; not that he was surprised- Erwin looked like he could afford all of it just by the way he acted. The wall of the kitchen was filled with a neat geometric shelf filled with all sorts of wine.

“Do you actually drink those, or is it just for decoration?” Armin asked.

“I drink them. What good will they do just sitting on the shelf?” Erwin mused. He placed a glass of water in front of him. “You’re the first to ask me that.”

 _This is good,_ Armin analyzed. _It meant he wasn’t wasteful. He could appreciate that in a man._

And he wasn’t sure if it was because he was nervous, but Armin suddenly felt parched. He downed the glass in a few gulps.

Erwin noticed with a concerned expression. He took the pitcher of ice water from the fridge and refilled Armin’s glass.

“Thanks,” Armin smiled sweetly, hoping he didn’t look barbaric by finishing his water so quickly.

He kept inspecting the kitchen. Tiny, soft lights hung from the ceiling above the sink and island, providing a warm glow. The fixtures were chrome-finished and sleek. Pots and pans hung from dark, wooden hooks.

And then there was Erwin, looking obliviously sexy and in control as he took out and lined up ingredients. Armin was secretly glad for the chance to greedily stare at that hunk of a man. And he must have had his dreamy smile plastered on his face because Erwin looked up and returned the smile.

Armin took out his phone and busied himself while he waited.

Looking back up after a while, he admired the way Erwin was hard at work chopping up vegetables. The sleeves of his crisp white shirt were rolled up to reveal nice, strong forearms that flexed and twitched as he chopped.

Armin shook himself out of his fantasy for a second to make himself useful. He walked up to the counter opposite Erwin. “Can I help with anything? Do you need anything else chopped?”

“Ah-ah-ah,” Erwin shook his head and scraped the contents of his cutting board into a boiling pot. “You’re my guest. Your job is to sit back and relax.”

Armin sighed. He took the opportunity to look around the apartment. The first thing that caught his eye was the array of vases artfully placed around the room. Some tall and skinny, others short and round, all very fragile and expensive-looking. Some looked hand-crafted- he actually recognized signature designs from his trip to Africa. Others looked more complex and factory-perfected, with colorful shards of iridescent glass that sparkled in the light. Erwin had good taste.

On a far wall was a bookshelf crammed with books of all kinds. Armin pored over the collection. _No way._ He yanked a few out. Some of these were originals!! These must have cost a fortune. How did Erwin even find these!?

He didn’t realize that he’d been reading standing up, because a few chapters into a book, he heard Erwin calling.

“Armin, dinner’s ready.”

He tore his gaze from the page and forced himself to shut it. There was a bit of heartrwrenching moment when he put it back on the shelf. It was like separating from a newborn child.

At the table, Erwin had quite the fancy set-up: cloth napkins, polished silverware; the works. With an electric lighter, he carefully lit the candle in the center.

 _Shit, this was intimate as hell,_ Armin thought as Erwin pushed his chair in. He went to retrieve the dishes from the kitchen.

He came back with two small soup bowls, and then left once more for the main dishes. Armin wasn’t surprised when he set down two perfectly plated dishes of pasta- worthy enough to appear on a cooking show.

Erwin took his own seat and placed his napkin over his lap. “Alright, for the appetizer, I made a simple hibachi-style mushroom soup. The main dish is a pesto pasta with grilled chicken. I hope you enjoy it.”

“Thank you.” Armin had some of the mushroom soup and he was immediately in love. How could Erwin make three ingredients taste so damn good?

“Mm… I’m impressed,” Armin sighed. Erwin had his own soup and gazed at Armin admirably.

“What was that book you were reading over there? You were quite mesmerized,” Erwin asked smoothly.

“ _A Farewell to Arms_ ,” Armin said.

Erwin nodded knowingly. “Hemingway. An essential classic.”

“Erwin, that copy was a first edition. How did you even get your hands on it?”

“A vendor sold it to me in Europe for a reduced price. Between you and me, I don’t think he realized how valuable it was.”

“That’s probably worth thousands. I’m dumbfounded.”

Erwin wiped his mouth with his napkin. “Keep it.”

Armin’s eyes widened in shock. “What?”

“Keep it,” Erwin repeated. “I’m serious.”

“No, I couldn’t. That’s just too much.”

“Fine, then I’m giving it to you by force. It’s my gift to you,” Erwin smiled.

Armin was simultaneously guilty and elated to have received such a priceless item. Who was he to deny such a generous gift, after all?

“Thank you, Erwin, really,” he breathed. “That’s incredibly kind of you.”

“You’re very welcome. Please, try the pasta,” he beckoned.

Armin moved his fork around and collected some pasta. Erwin was looking at him expectantly.

Armin’s lips slid off the fork quietly and his face melted into pure bliss. “Wow. Wow.”

“How is it?” Erwin’s smile grew even wider, showing off his dimples.

“I’m speechless. Erwin, you’ve really outdone yourself. You have a real talent in cooking.” Armin dug in for another bite. And soon enough he was too busy gorging to speak.

“You flatter me,” Erwin said. He started eating as well.

Armin was experiencing all the pleasure under the sun as he ate Erwin’s food. Fresh, juicy, peppered tomatoes burst onto a tangy pesto sauce; the bowtie pasta was cooked just right; and that chicken, ooh damn, that chicken- all Armin could think about was how well Erwin could make love to that grill.

It was over way too fast. Armin melted into his seat with a content sigh, still basking in the memory of that pasta.

“That was… divine, Erwin. You need to teach me how to make that one day.”

“I most certainly will. There is actually some more left over. I’ll put it into a container and send you off with it. I enjoy it cold, too.”

Erwin blew the candle out. He got up and cleared the table, and while Armin was digesting uselessly at the table, he got to work doing the dishes.

“Do you prefer coffee or tea, dear Armin?” Erwin asked.

 _He called you “DEAR”_. Armin’s loudmouth subconscious was spazzing out. “Tea, please.”

 _Okay, let’s regroup_ , Armin told the slutty voices in his head. They all gathered around the table, ready to discuss if Erwin was husband material.

 _For starters, he could cook. Really well. He probably used traditional recipes from chefs he’s met around the world, that cultured piece of a man. He was into literary classics, and he knew how to get his hands on original copies. He collected fine art and wine. And he actually drank the wine!_ Armin squealed internally.

_And there was also the simple fact that Erwin was simply fucking gorgeous. He was shaping up to be fine husband already._

“Okay,” Erwin wiped his hands at the sink and joined Armin again. “The water’s boiling. Would you like to watch a movie with me? Or maybe look at some photos? Up to you.” He smiled gently.

“I want to look at your photos first,” Armin said. He went over to collapse onto that soft couch as Erwin fished out an album from the bookshelf.

He sat up when Erwin sat beside him, and he was suddenly aware of how much bigger Erwin was. He was sitting so close that they were exchanging body heat, and Armin felt himself blush.

“It’s so much easier to take pictures digitally these days, but I still prefer having physical copies to look at,” Erwin said as he cracked the thick album open. “Call me old-fashioned,” he joked.

“No, that’s understandable,” Armin patted his forearm assuringly, and then yanked his arm away when he realized what he just did.

But Erwin seemed to go right along with it, and he scooted closer to spread the album between them. Armin’s face was on fire.

But despite how flustered Armin was, there was something also so very soothing about Erwin’s presence. His voice was smooth and buttery as he explained some of the photos. He took Armin away to foreign places and inspired him to open his eyes.

The tea kettle in the kitchen whined and Erwin slipped out from beneath the album to fix the tea. Armin suddenly felt very cold without that mountain of body heat. He continued to flip through the pages- there were gardens and temples, cityscapes and oceans. Erwin’s been all over the world.

He returned with two mugs and held one out. Armin blushed again as Erwin’s body sat next to him again.

They sipped silently as they went through more photos. Armin almost choked on his tea when his eyes lay on the most stunning photo of the Eiffel Tower at night. His finger tapped it repeatedly as he swallowed.

“How did you like Paris? That is an amazing shot.”

“I loved it,” Erwin breathed. “That was from when I went with Levi. The first time I went, I explored the more rural parts of France. But I’m telling you, Armin, there is no sight in the world that compares to Paris at night. The lights…” his eyes sparkled as he spoke, and Armin looked at him in awe, “the lights are like tiny stars on the ground. It’s ethereal.”

“Whoa...” Armin tried to imagine himself in the photo, overlooking such a magnificent city. He’s never been to Europe before; it’s been his dream to go for a long time.

His shyness seemed to melt away the more Erwin spoke. He was infinitely wise and introspective; Armin wanted to listen to him all day.

And by the time they reached the end of the album, with their empty mugs in hand, Armin realized his head was resting on Erwin’s shoulder.

“Thank you for looking through the album with me, Armin. I enjoy sharing my experiences with a bright young thing such as yourself.”

 

When Erwin was kneeled at the shelf to put the album away, Armin’s first instinct was to tackle that strong, broad back.

_Calm yourself. You’ve touched him. Don’t get too desperate._

“Let’s end the night with a movie, shall we?” Erwin asked. “I’m a bit proud of my Blu-Ray collection. Have a look and pick something for us to watch.”

“Sure thing.” Armin got up and inspected the shelf. He found a recent historical movie that he’s been meaning to watch. He pulled it out and handed it to Erwin.

“This is a good one. And, it’s based on true events,” he said.

Erwin turned out the lights, and the only thing providing light in the room were the soft bulbs in the kitchen.

As the movie wore on, Armin was quite thrilled. He couldn’t watch too many historical movies with Eren because they bore him. He liked things with action and violence. This was a nice change of pace.

And after having that tea as well as the heavy dinner, Armin was starting to feel a bit cold and drowsy. He inched closer to Erwin, bit by bit, hoping he wouldn’t notice. He didn’t know what he expected to happen.

They were just barely touching. With shaky hands, he reached out and snaked his arms around Erwin’s bicep, and gently lay his head on it _. What the hell’s gotten into you??_ His subconscious screamed. _I mean, kudos, but still!_

But Erwin didn’t mind one bit. He reached over and picked up the soft white throw that was draped over the back of the couch and wrapped Armin’s body with it with his other arm.

 _YES, DADDY, MAKE ME WARM_ , Armin squealed in his mind. He cuddled closer to Erwin’s warm body and got back into the movie.

And Armin was couldn’t see it in the dark, but Erwin was smiling very broadly. Admittedly, he was a bit smitten.

It was perfect like this. Their bodies molded together nicely. It was warm and cozy. Very low pressure. Armin was in his element.

And just like dinner, Armin felt that the movie was over too fast. He had grown quite comfortable in this position.

“How did you like it?” Erwin asked, his smooth voice a nice treat after not talking for a couple hours.

“It was riveting. And the Blu-Ray really made me feel like I was there.” Armin never let go of Erwin’s arm or lifted his head. It was just too soothing.

“It was just as good the second time for me.” He reached for the remote and turned off the TV, leaving the room silent.

“My dear Armin,” Erwin said.

Armin nuzzled into his bicep. “Mm-hmm?”

“I require my arm,” he laughed. He slowly reached over with his other arm and stroked Armin’s long hair. That didn’t help his case at all, as Armin only scooted closer and wrapped his arms around him tighter.

“Did you have a good time tonight? I hope everything was to your liking,” Erwin said, working his fingers through blond locks.

Armin lifted his head, absolutely loving the way Erwin petted his hair. “Yes. You’ve met all my expectations. I had _many_.”

“Oh,” Erwin’s eyes sparkled in surprise. “I feel accomplished to have met them.”

“You’ve exceeded them, even,” Armin purred.

Erwin’s large hand traveled from Armin’s hair and down his face absentmindedly. Those big blue eyes were so inviting… and that button nose was too cute. His hand found Armin’s chin, and icy blues met pure ones of the same color.

Armin was frozen in the heat of the moment. His touch on Erwin’s arm and Erwin’s hold on his chin were electrifying. Even the slutty voices in his head shut up for the first time all night as they watched on the edge of their seats.

It felt like eternities to decrease the space between them. Erwin’s broad, strong nose brushed against Armin’s small, round one. Their lips were begging to touch.

It was quiet- pin-drop silent in the room, and Armin was sure Erwin could hear his pounding heart.

Erwin’s lips ghosted over Armin’s, and their breaths were mixing intimately. Armin nodded ever so slightly.

And it seemed that was the permission Erwin was waiting for, because his lips finally pressed against Armin’s lightly, tasting the very distinct sweetness. His lips were just as soft as he imagined.

Armin wasn’t sure if the electricity increased or decreased at the contact. All he could think of was how _right_ Erwin’s lips felt against his. They didn’t move at all. Just taste. Thought. Reassurance.

They separated from their own little bubble in the universe, and time started to flow again. Armin was breathless, and he just realized what just happened. His face and ears flushed a deep red and he hid his face in his hands shyly.

Erwin found it adorable that Armin’s hair flopped over when he hid his face. He chuckled and took Armin’s wrists gently.

Armin looked up, looking so utterly confused and humiliated.

“Are you embarrassed? I quite enjoyed that,” Erwin said.

“Yes, I’m embarrassed!” Armin squeaked. “I-I’ve had a crush on you since I first saw you… and now, I’m just… and tonight… Erwin, you’re perfect.”

“I’m in no way perfect, my dear Armin. I’m still wondering how a certain adorable young man sitting in front of me managed to reduce me to a humble fool, what with his witty remarks and sharp mind.”

Armin felt the red heat flood back up to his ears. “Stop,” he groaned. “That’s not true. How can someone as cultured and powerful like you feel that way about me?”

“You’ve enraptured me. I want to get to know you more and learn many things from you, if you’ll grant me the pleasure of allowing it.”

Armin took Erwin’s face in his again shaky hands. “Yes. And I want to learn from you, Erwin.” He lay a light peck on his lips, simply because he would collapse if he did anything more.

-

It was bittersweet to end the night. On the one hand, Armin had a wonderful time and would be having very sweet dreams tonight. On the other, he already missed Erwin’s presence and he was quite exhausted.

“I’m looking forward to our future meetings,” Erwin said. He took Armin’s hand into his, and pressed a chivalrous kiss into his palm.

Armin felt his knees buckle, but he clutched onto his messenger bag and willed himself to stay strong. “Likewise. Thank you for treating me to such a lovely night.”

“Goodnight, my dear Armin.”

The door shut behind Armin with a click, and with pesto pasta and a first edition classic in his hand, he headed home with his soft heart aflutter.

-

Armin checked his phone at home to find a bombardment of messages from Eren:

_Keep me updated, what’s going on???_

_Armin????_

_Are you alive!!?!!K@JKFJ_

_Oh, I get it now. You’re getting that dick, aren't you? I’m a proud papa bird!_

Armin rolled his eyes.

 _I’ll leave you to it, but I expect FULL details later._ He included two winky face emojis and the eggplant emoji.

Armin was too tired to give Eren the whole report, but he left him something for remaining so vigilant through the night:

_Eren! It was amazing!! Erwin cooked dinner for me. It was fucking fantastic!! I even have some leftovers if you want to try some! And then we looked at photos and watched a movie. And WE CUDDLED!!!! And he also gave me a FIRST EDITION COPY of a Hemingway book as a gift! Eren, those run for thousands of dollars- they’re extremely valuable!_

_And I wanted to save the best for last: no dick today, but WE KISSED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_

-

And from his roost in Levi’s bed, Eren the proud papa bird read the message with a satisfactory grin.


	33. Meeting the 'Rents

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi's the type of guy you wanna take to your momma's house :3
> 
> (I went on a completely different path from other ereri fics and I wrote Grisha to not be a jerk.)

With Eren having started classes at Trost University again, he only works at the coffee shop during weekdays now. That was alright with him; it meant he had Levi all to himself on weekends.

No doubt did Levi pay for all his books and fines. All the money Eren had saved up from working in the summer was idling untouched in his bank account.

He chose his classes so that they happened in the morning, and then spent the rest of the day working. He quite enjoyed the routine.

-

And it seemed Jean had a similar set-up with his schedule.

“Hey, sweetie, welcome back to work!” Jean teased.

“Eat shit, Jean,” Eren replied sweetly. After not being in the shop for almost two weeks, the machines felt a bit strange.

“Thanks for leaving me for dead, by the way. I did just fine without you, but you do make things a bit easier.”

“’preciate it.”

“How can I help you?” Jean asked a customer.

“Uhmmm… medium raspberry iced tea? Please.”

“Right away, miss. That’ll be… $3.37.” He turned to Eren. “Got that?”

“Heard.” Eren got to work right away.

He got back into the swing of things pretty quick. It wasn’t long before the “TIPS” cup was overflowing.

And it also wasn’t long before they saw some familiar faces. Reiner and Connie walked in together, Reiner’s mountainous body looking humorously jarring next to Connie’s small childlike one.

“Eren’s back!” Connie said. His loose sweater slipped off his shoulders to reveal skinny arms underneath a tank top.

“Yup,” Eren laughed without looking up from his batch of orders.

“We heard you were sick,” Reiner said. “But now that you’re back in business, we need to start going back to the gym, eh?”

“Sure thing, even though your routines kill me.”

“I like pushing you to your limits!” Reiner’s laugh shook his broad chest.

“Don’t kill him,” Connie said, poking Reiner’s arm. “I need him alive ‘n well for my next party!

“When is it?”

“Friday night. My place again. Jean, you’re invited, too.”

“Cool. I’ll try to make it,” Jean said from counting the money in the register. He shut it close with a metallic _click_. “Alright, what do you guys want to drink?”

\--

Eren got back home later that evening and collapsed on the couch. He was exhausted. And hungry. Not a good combination at all.

He whipped out his phone:

_Levi, I want fried chicken!_

1 minute later, he added:

_And fries._

And 5 minutes later:

_Actually, pizza._

For good measure, he added a selfie of himself lazing on the couch, winking and biting his lip.

-

Levi’s phone vibrated during his meeting. Once again, he was a bit uninterested in this tedious discussion, but Erwin made sure to hear everyone’s opinions.

It was from Eren. With a smirk, he put his phone away. He knew better than to open Eren’s messages during his meetings- Eren liked to send surprise nudes while he was at work, that mischievous thing. Levi was almost caught once. But he learned Eren’s cheeky ways and saved his messages for when he was alone.

-

“Thank you for your time today, ladies and gentlemen,” Erwin said. “We appreciate all your ideas. We will have a follow-up meeting shortly. You’re all dismissed.”

There was a shuffling of chairs and a closing of binders and tablets as people left the conference room. When the door shut, Levi put his feet up on the table and crossed his arms. Erwin was looking through his presentation on the screen once more.

“You really like to drag these out, don’t you?” Levi asked.

Erwin was writing down some notes on his pad, completely unbothered by the comment. “It’s imperitive that we gauge the interests and concerns of our partners, Levi.”

“I agree, but we can cut to the chase, yeah?”

“You’re ever the plain-spoken individual, my friend.”

Levi collected his empty coffee cup and tablet. “I’ll have the follow-up report for you by tomorrow morning.”

“That would be great, thank you.”

-

Back at his own office, Levi got to work on the report. Now that he was safe in the privacy of his own room, he opened up Eren’s message.

His young boyfriend wanted dinner, but he seemed indecisive. Levi opened up the attached picture, expecting a nude, but instead Eren sent a selfie of himself biting his lip with a cute wink.

 _Eren was adorable_. It was another piece added to Levi’s album of pictures of Eren; an album that was growing larger each week. Whenever Levi was annoyed at work, or simply missing Eren, he would take a look at that album and his heart would melt all over again.

He could finish this report later. He had a lovely young thing waiting for him at home.

\--

Levi unlocked the door to the apartment with one hand, juggling a box of pizza and a bag of fast food on top of it.

Eren was not in sight. He set the food down on the table and stretched his neck; the fatigue of a long work day finally kicking in. And his fucking back was killing him.

A freshly showered Eren padded his way out the hallway, drying his hair with a fluffy white towel around his neck. He kicked up to a jog when he saw Levi.

“You’re home! Welcome back!” He greeted Levi with a tight hug.

Levi took the towel and pulled it to meet Eren’s lips. “It’s good to be back, baby.”

Eren’s eyes traveled to the food on the table. He looked through the bag with an ever-widening smile. “Oh, my God. You got everything I asked!”

“Yes. You couldn’t decide so I bought a little bit of everything.”

Eren’s face softened and he gave Levi another firm wrap around the shoulders, then a smooch on the jaw. His hand found the back of Levi’s head as he held him close, running his fingers through immaculate jet-black hair. “Thank you, Levi. You’re boyfriend goals.”

Eren sat and began chowing down.

 _Boyfriend goals…_ Levi thought, his heart struck weak. But he snapped out for a second when he remembered that he was living with a carnivore.

“Eren, slow down! How many times do I have to tell you?”

Eren, who had already polished off a slice of pizza and was holding a drumstick in each hand, looked up and stopped chewing for a second. “Sorry.”

Levi sighed and rummaged in the kitchen to retrieve a plate and a paper towel for his live-in savage.

\--

With a long sigh, Levi shut his laptop after completing the report for Erwin. He rubbed the bridge of his nose, suddenly feeling very ready for bed.

He took his time in the shower, stretching and flexing his overworked muscles. _It felt like he had bricks on his shoulders. Damn._

As he dried and dressed, Eren waited in bed patiently and watched intently.

“What’s that smile for?” Levi asked as he climbed in.

“You seem tense, Levi. Let me give you a massage.” Eren was more attentive than he was given credit for.

“A massage?” Levi mused. “Alright.” He sat cross-legged in front of him.

With long, deft fingers, Eren worked the stiffness out Levi’s neck. He was quite skilled- Eren had many hidden talents.

“Fuck…” Levi breathed and screwed his eyes shut. “Lower,” he instructed.

Eren obliged, moving his area of focus further down. Levi felt his skin prickle with goosebumps when he hit that one particular spot.

He groaned loudly, and Eren smiled proudly, working into the problem spot even more. When he felt that it was thoroughly unknotted, he moved on to Levi’s buff shoulders. Levi’s groans were pleasing him in more ways than one; he was happy to be of service after a long day (Eren took pride in the fact that he knew how to take care of his man), but he was also getting a bit turned on by those low growls.

“Mmm…”

Eren squeezed and rolled out the tough muscles underneath. He was surprised at how stiff Levi was. He would definitely provide more massages in the future.

“Even your knots have knots,” he giggled.

Levi got up and lay down on his stomach. “Sit on my back, Eren.”

Eren climbed on top and settled on the swell of Levi’s back, continuing working through his shoulders.

It was the combination of Eren’s weight pressing down wonderfully on his spine and his relentless hands working the shit out of his soreness that had Levi reduced to a useless, groaning log on the bed. _This is just what I needed,_ Levi thought.

Half an hour later, Eren climbed off. He patted Levi’s ass to get him under the covers. He was unresponsive.

“Leeevi…” he sang.

His face turned to Eren, eyes still closed and body still unmoving. He was still up in that clouds after that glorious massage. “Yes, my dear?”

“It’s time to sleep!” Eren laughed. He’d never seen him this immobilized.

Levi inhaled deeply and sat up slowly. He took Eren’s forehead and pressed it against his own. _This boy was precious and was completely unaware of it._ “Thank you for that. You’re a saint, did you know that?”

Eren loved being praised, especially that close and intimate to Levi’s chocolatey voice. He placed his hands over Levi’s, basking in the sweet compliment.

Eren reached over and turned off the bedside light and crawled into his favorite place in the world- in Levi’s arms.

\--

When Friday finally came around, Eren wanted nothing more than to get shit-faced at Connie’s party and sleep through Saturday.  Unfortunately, he had to restrain himself tonight, because he would be visiting his mother with Levi tomorrow.

But he did manage to bring Armin along, and he would be getting the play-by-play of his date with Erwin.

“Come on in, my guys!” Connie ushered him in. “Armin! It’s been a while!”

“Hey, Connie,” Armin smiled.

“Now the whole gang’s here!” someone said from further into the house. It was Sasha.

Eren looked around to find more familiar faces than not. This party was considerably smaller and calmer than Connie’s last one.

Connie must have noticed Eren’s introspection. “I figured we’d be more chill this time around. Maybe we’ll turn up later tonight.”

“I don’t mind at all,” Eren said. “Sash’, you made your guac, right?”

“Of course!”

While the other partygoers gathered around and watched a movie around the TV, Eren munched on Sasha’s guacamole and chips while listening to Armin’s details about the date.

Now that Eren was fully caught up, he was more invested in the development than ever.

“Okay, imagine this for me,” Eren prompted. “He invites you over again. He makes you some of that juicy ass chicken- you know that he would. He gets you nice and pregnant. He… y’know… wines and dines you…”

Armin looked at him with sassy exasperation. Where was Eren going with this?

“You’re both lying in his bed-“

“Whoa, when the hell did I get in his bed?” Armin laughed. _Although_ , he thought, _that was quite a nice scene to fantasize._

“Be with me here. I fast forwarded.

So you’re lying in his bed. Watching a movie. He starts getting a little frisky. His hands start roaming-“

“Somehow I get the feeling that he’s not the type to get ‘frisky’.”

“Armin! I’m trying to paint a picture here!”

“Okay, okay. I’m listening.”

“So next thing you know, he’s on top of you. He’s got a condom in between his teeth. ‘Armin’, he says,” Eren mocked Erwin’s smooth, romantic voice, “’I want to fuck the shit out of you’.”

Armin laughed out loud, clutching his weak stomach. “How could he say all that if he had a condom between his teeth?”

“Semantics!” Eren said, completely oblivious to what “semantics” meant. “So tell me, Armin, with all that considered, and the moment is juuuust right, would you bust it open for him?”

“I’m trying not to imagine the vulgar scene of me ‘busting it open’, but to answer your question, hell yes!” he squealed. “I would let that man _defile_ me.”

“Good to know,” Eren purred. “My little baby bird. Busting it open for a man. Who woulda thunk?”

Armin punched Eren’s arm in embarrassment. “Stop saying ‘bust it open’!”

“A beer, guys?” Reiner held out two bottles for them.

“No thanks,” Armin said.

“Sure. I’ll have just one.” Eren took one and took a gulp.

Connie was right; the party did start picking up later at night. When the strobe lights came on and the partygoers could feel the bass thumping in their hearts, that’s when Eren figured it was time to go.

He took one slice of pizza for the road, and he and Armin called it a night.

-

“Hey, love, how was the party?” Levi asked that night.

“Oh,” Eren exhaled. “It was alright.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. Just tired. Long week. Can we cuddle?”

“Of course.”

Levi turned the TV on for background noise as he gave Eren that sweet lovin’. Eren tucked himself close as he settled in Levi’s lap, feeling recharged and secure wrapped in those strong arms. He rested his head against his solid chest, letting Levi’s heartbeat soothe him.

-

As Eren unlocked the door to his apartment, he craned his neck away from Mark’s invasive kisses.

He barely had time to take off his jacket when Mark backed him up into a wall and was already busy rubbing his crotch to get him in the mood.

“Mark… I’m tired. I was thinking maybe we could just cuddle tonight?”

“Come onnnn,” Mark groaned into his ear. “What happened to my little cockslut?”

Eren pouted, his face still turned away from his attempts at kissing.

“Fine…” Mark sighed. “We can cuddle after I fuck you. How’s that sound?” He seemed annoyed.

“…Okay.”

Eren straddled him on the bed and got to work peeling off his shirt. This would be fourth time they’d had sex today, not even including the multiple rounds. Even he had his limits.

Now that he was fully naked, Mark took Eren and threw him onto the bed so that he was on his back.

Eren looked up expectantly. His dull eyes grazed over Mark unbuckling his belt. “Are you gonna prep me?”

Mark shook his head and squirted some lube on his hand. He stroked himself up and spread Eren’s legs. “We already fucked earlier; you should be set. Plus, I kinda like how tight you are.”

Eren braced himself as Mark slammed himself in and the cold sting of the lube didn’t help. _It’s gonna feel good after a while. Just wait it out. Then you get to cuddle._

It wasn’t too bad in the end. The sounds of skin on skin… small grunts… the creak of the bed; it all became so tediously familiar.

Mark only lasted a few minutes, as usual. Eren could tell when he was close because he swelled inside him. He became skilled in sitting up within seconds to get ready for his facial.

Eren sat on his heels and waited patiently like he was asked. Quite frankly, he was bored. It wasn’t long before his face was coated in a warm stickiness. He flinched when he felt some get into his eye.

Mark completed with a groan and zipped himself up. When Eren made sure he was all done, he wiped his some cum off his lip and just stared at it.

He felt his chin being held up and was forced to look up in his shameful state. He couldn’t put his heart into it.

“You look so pretty with my cum all over your face like this. What a cute little cockslut you are.”

Eren smiled weakly.

“Go wash your face and then we can cuddle.”

“’Kay.”

Drying his fresh face with his towel, Eren looked at his reflection in the mirror. _Sex used to be fun. What the hell happened?_

He put on some new boxers and a shirt. Peering into the freezer, Eren fished out his tub of chocolate ice cream.

He got comfortable in Mark’s lap as they watched TV, and he licked his spoon absentmindedly. This was good. The shitty sex was worth quiet little moments like these. Nowadays, he seemed to enjoy cuddling more than fucking, which was surprising because it was no secret that he had a high drive. That’s how he got his nickname of ‘cockslut’ from Mark, after all.

_But Mark was his boyfriend. Why did he feel so guilty about asking for cuddles?_

Just a little later, Mark smacked Eren’s thigh and shifted underneath. “Alright, let’s go another round.”

Eren licked his spoon clean and swallowed, his eyes wide in disbelief. “Mark! It’s been, like, 15 minutes!” His ass was shredded and his heart was heavy.

“Is that not enough?” his eyes gleamed with warning. The last time Eren was defiant, Mark threatened to stop paying his bills. He was still working odd jobs here and there until he found real work. He couldn’t afford that right now.

So he bit his tongue for now. “Yeah… it’s enough,” he sighed. He closed his tub of ice cream and peeled his boxers off again.

He bounced haphazardly on Mark’s cock, very barely feeling alive or happy. He stared at Mark’s long brunette hair, his hazel eyes. Eren ran his fingers through Mark’s hair and leaned in for a kiss, desperate to fulfill his need for intimacy. Because none of this felt real. It wasn’t registering what he was actually doing right now.

Mark returned the kiss awkwardly. When he kissed, it was usually biting, blood-drawing kisses. He wasn’t really used to Eren’s gentle, sweet, chocolate ice cream-laced smooches.

Mark released into Eren, and Eren found himself spilling onto Mark’s shirt. He climbed off right away and they lay panting in the aftermath.

Not even bothering to clean himself out, Eren slowly pulled his boxers back on. He felt filthy, but deep down inside, he felt that it wasn’t because of the cum dripping down his thighs.

With Mark groaning in content a few feet away, Eren picked up his tub of ice cream again.

It was all melted.

-

Eren clutched onto Levi’s shirt, resting it against his chiseled abdomen. Levi held his head close with one hand, and with his other hand he softly rubbed the shell of Eren’s ear between his thumb and index finger.

Eren was grateful Levi didn’t ask too many questions. He was glad he could take all the time he needed to open up. His past was… embarrassing.

Levi was wondering what his sweet Eren was thinking about right now. He felt that something was eating him up from the inside. But he would probably share it eventually. Eren shared very intimate things about himself since they’ve met, and they were learning more about each other every week.

He wasn’t entirely upfront about some of this thoughts, either. Part of it was feeling like he didn’t want to burden innocent Eren with his past, and the other part was some of his memories were so repressed that it was almost painful to dig them back up. He would try to share the full details about his past one day. Eren did ask about it, after all.

“Let’s sleep now,” Eren murmured. He craned his neck up and lay a smooch on the side of Levi’s mouth before climbing out of his lap.

He took Eren’s face in his hands and stroked those soft cheeks with his thumbs. “Hey, darling boy. I just wanted to say that you can always tell me if something’s bothering you. Anything at all.”

Eren smiled sweetly and placed his hands over Levi’s. “I know. I trust you. Thank you for being such an awesome boyfriend.” He moved in for a big hug, breathing in Levi’s scent and squeezing those strong shoulders.

“I love you, Eren. So much,” Levi whispered.

“I love you, too, Levi,” Eren giggled. “Even more.”

\--

“Welp, here it is!” Eren said cheerfully.

They drove down to the suburbs of Trost, where Eren’s parents lived. In front of them was the house that Eren grew up in; blue shutters, a freshly mowed lawn, a simple little garden.

“I’m so excited for you to meet my parents!” Eren squeezed Levi’s hand, and they headed towards the door.

A landscaper was hard at work tending the garden in front of the house.

“Hey, Bobby!” Eren called.

Bobby turned and lifted his wide-brimmed hat. “Eren?” his smile widened. “How are ya, kiddo?” He acknowledged Levi. “Hello, sir!”

“I’m doin’ good!” Eren said. Levi waved curtly.

Eren knocked on the front door. Almost immediately, the door swung open and someone pulled Eren in. Levi followed behind and shut the door.

Eren’s mother embraced Eren in a strangling hug around his neck, rocking him back and forth. “Oh, honey, I’m so glad you could make it! I missed you so, so much,” she gushed.

“I missed you, too.” Eren rubbed her lower back soothingly.

Eren’s mother abruptly ended the hug and took his face in her hands. Her eyes darted around, inspecting his face, and then his neck and collar.

“Oh, what a relief, you’re not hurt anywhere,” she whispered.

Eren squirmed out of her grip. “Ma. I’m fine.”

“I have to check. I’m your mother, after all.”

Eren waved his hand to Levi, who has been waiting patiently. “Ma, this is Levi, my boyfriend,” he said proudly.

Levi put his hand out. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Jaeger.”

Eren’s mother looked at his hand momentarily, then ignored it and went straight for a hug. Levi’s eyes widened in shock, but his face softened again and he patted her back.

She finally let him go, then held him at arm’s length by his shoulders. “No need for the formalities, Levi. Please, call me Carla!”

It warmed Levi’s heart how much Eren looked like his mother. She had the same chocolate brown hair, bold, expressive eyebrows, and intense but soft eyes. Even her smile was motherly and warm like Eren’s.

“Eren has told me so much about you!” Carla gushed. Her eyes sparkled with mischief, just like her son’s. “But he didn’t tell me you were so handsome!”

“Ma.” Eren groaned from where he was raiding the fridge.

Levi chuckled lowly, and he was secretly elated that Eren said good things about him. “Thank you, Carla. I’m flattered.”

“Where are my manners?” she said. “Please, please, come in!”

He took off his shoes and set them aside neatly. Eren kicked his shoes off already and they were scattered in the doorway. Levi took them and set them aside neatly next to his own.

“Eren, stop looking for snacks. I’m making lunch,” Carla was telling him.

Eren shut the door to the fridge regretfully. “Is dad here?”

“No, honey. He had to work today. But he said to give you a kiss for him.” She took his face and lay a firm kiss on his forehead.

Eren went to sit at the kitchen table with Levi. “My dad is always working. I’m sorry I couldn’t introduce him to you today.” He looked glum.

Levi patted his hand. “It’s okay. Another time,” he assured.

They talked for a few minutes until lunch was ready. Carla placed a dish in front of each of them. “This was Eren’s favorite meal as a kid. I make it every time he comes.”

It was a type of omelet with a sauce drizzled on top, with baked potatoes on the side. It smelled savory and comforting. Levi took his knife and fork and began cutting. Looking up, Eren was ravenously tearing away.

“Hey,” Carla warned with a pull at his cheek. “Wolfie. Use your manners.”

She left and went back to doing dishes, and Levi looked at him with I-told-you-so smirk. Eren stuck his tongue out playfully.

The meal was truly delicious. Levi felt nostalgic even though he didn’t get many home-cooked meals as a kid.

Carla came around and collected their empty plates. “How did you both like it?”

“Yummy,” Eren sang in a monotone. His head was dangling back off his chair as he rubbed his stomach.

“It was great, Carla, thank you,” Levi said.

Eren got out of his chair abruptly and took Levi’s hand. “Come on, I’ll show you my room.”

Eren guided him through the house, upstairs, and through a hallway that had professional portraits of Eren at different stages of life hanging on the walls. In one, little Eren was hanging off a tree branch; in another, he was grinning as he sat in a pile of crunchy leaves. _His parents must really love him,_ Levi thought.

They walked into Eren’s bedroom and Eren shut the door. It was decorated a bit childishly; it was the room he grew up in, after all. The carpet was blue and freshly vacuumed. Trophies and medals were displayed on the shelf. There was a Styrofoam model of the solar system dangling on a mobile.

“I hope you like it here so far,” Eren said. They sat on the creaky bed. “My mom really likes you. I’m so happy that you’ve met.”

“I’m enjoying it here. Your mother is delightful.”

Eren giggled and leaned over, meeting their lips together. He deepened the kiss, and shut his eyes as he tasted plush lips. He separated with that telltale sparkle in his eye, and his hand traveled down to rub Levi’s crotch as he bit his lower lip. _How hot would it be if Levi fucked him in his childhood room?_

Levi shook his head. “Eren. No. Absolutely not.”

Eren pouted, but didn’t let up his pace. “Why not?”

“Your mother is just downstairs, and she could hear us. What if she walks by your room? No.”

Eren leaned into Levi’s ear and scratched his chest seductively with his fingertips. “Come on, Leeevi,” he purred. “I’ll be quiet, I promise.” He nibbled on his earlobe, then proceeded to trail a line of smooches on his jawline.

Levi sat still as statue, sticking to his guns despite how much he wanted to please Eren. It wasn’t worth the risk.

“Leeeevi,” Eren breathed against his lips. He straddled his lap and began grinding against his leg. He started moaning softly. “I promiiise.”

He didn’t quite wait for permission before unbuckling Levi’s belt and unzipping his jeans, going ahead and starting a blowjob.

Levi’s face screwed as tried his best not to give in to Eren’s wiles. But Eren looked up with those green puppy-dog eyes, completely aware of the effect he had as his head bobbed up and down.

“…Brat,” Levi whispered. “You’re irresistible.”

Eren’s mouth was so hot and his soft pink lips were just begging to be used. Levi sighed deeply and finally gave in. He fisted his fingers into Eren’s hair, rutting his hips into his mouth. Eren laughed when he got his way, and his giggle vibrated wonderfully against Levi’s cock.

“Fuck,” he groaned. “Ughhh…” He swallowed harshly.

Eren was relentless, sliding his lips up and down, letting his tongue press flat against Levi’s length as he hit the back of his throat over and over.

Levi threw his head back and face fucked Eren softly, guiding his head up and down. _What the fuck are you doing?_ a cautious voice scolded him in his mind. _Have you thrown all caution to the wind?_

But that voice was shoved aside as Eren took him deep into his throat with ease, moaning through his nose as Levi’s grip on his hair grew painfully good.

Eren let go with his ‘pop’, then went over to the base of the bed. He reached his arm deep into the mattress and his face lit up when he found what he was looking for. He pulled out a bottle of lube. “It’s right where I left it,” he giggled.

He shed his pants and boxers on his way back to the bed, and Levi took the lube from him.

Eren became so lovely and pliant as he worked him open with his fingers. Eren, true to his word, remained quiet by moaning into the pillow he was clutching.

Levi felt around his walls, using two fingers to scissors him open. He rubbed against one side, and then the other. He pumped in and out, slowly increasing his pace. He enjoyed the way Eren stared at him silently, like he was amazed that someone could finger fuck him so well.

Levi immediately found that bundle of nerves and scraped against it, and Eren squirmed and clutched pillow tighter. His eyes rolled to the back of his head. And Levi was living for every second of it.

“Do you like that, Eren?” Levi asked softly. “You like it when I play with your prostate?”

Eren nodded shyly.

Levi kept working him open in every area except _that one,_ just to tease him a bit. Eren’s brows furrowed as he caught on to Levi’s plan. _Just hit that one spot, please, please._

Levi pulled his hips even closer to him, so that they were staring into each other’s eyes very intimately.

Levi got back to finger fucking Eren, building up to an almost aggressive force.

Eren stared at Levi’s steely gray eyes that were gleaming with intensity. The veins in his forearms popped every time he thrusted his fingers. _FUCK!_ Eren squealed internally. _So hot!_

And his fingers were reaching so deep, but not as deep as that cock he was craving.

 _Cockslut_ , Mark’s voice teased. _What the fuck?_ Eren shook his head.

Levi rubbed against Eren’s sweet spot again, as a reward for staying quiet. Eren’s toes curled and electricity shot up his spine.

He stopped biting into his pillow for a minute to speak. “Please, Levi…” he whispered.

Levi rubbed the spot again, and Eren whined. “Please, what?”

“Please fuck me now.”

“Well… since you asked so nicely.” He slid his fingers out, and slicked himself up with lube, maintaining eye contact with Eren. Eren drew his knee and rubbed his foot against Levi’s chest playfully.

Levi took Eren’s long leg and draped it over his shoulder so that Eren was lying on his side, and he slammed in.

Eren squeaked into his pillow, and giggled into it when Levi started fucking the ever-loving shit out of him. Giggles turned into laughs, and laughs turned into moans. _Levi was so fucking thick_ , Eren thought. _Bust it open for him!!_ He could feel Armin’s eyes roll at his vulgarity.

The only sounds in the room were the soft creaks of the bed and Levi’s low grunts. Eren practically screamed into his pillow and his eyes rolled back again. He wished they were back at the apartment so he could be as loud and obnoxious as he wanted. But the fact that his mom could be right outside- damn, it was so dangerous and sexy!

Levi rammed into him, almost there, almost there, and Eren felt himself leaking precum onto his own shirt. _Whatever, he could change._

When he felt Levi swell inside him, he pulled his leg back and sat on his heels. Just like he used to. He couldn’t get any cum on the sheets.

“In my mouth,” he whispered. He took Levi’s cock and wrapped his lips around it. With one firm pull, he felt the warm pleasure slip down his throat.

Levi Adam’s apple bob as he released into Eren’s mouth. When Eren swallowed it all, he sat and milked Eren’s cock off to help him finish, too.

He loved how hard Eren was trying not to moan, since his pillow was far away. Instead, he bit into his hand to muffle his voice, and he looked at Levi’s hand shyly.

His cum splattered on Levi’s hand and on his own shirt. They sat in silence for a couple minutes, basking in the memory, and they started cleaning up.

Eren looked into his closet and put on a fresh shirt. He used his soiled shirt to clean up Levi’s hand.

“That was hot,” Eren giggled.

“Thank you for staying quiet, my little exhibitionist.”

“No problem.” Eren ran with the underhanded praise and kissed Levi’s cheek innocently.

After the sheets were straightened out and the dirty shirt was thrown into the hamper, they went back downstairs.

“Did Eren show you his room, Levi?” Carla asked. She was drying a dish in her hand.

“Yes, he did.” Levi felt a bit guilty for talking this casually to her after fucking her son’s brains out just a few minutes ago.

Eren reached into the freezer and took a popsicle.

“Hon, did you change your shirt?” Carla’s eyebrow cocked.

“Yeah, I spilled some sauce on it while I was eating, so I changed.” Levi smirked. His lie was flawless.

“Oh. Alright.” Carla bought it. “Levi, would you like tea or coffee?”

“Coffee, please,” he said gratefully.

She finished drying the last dish. Eren and Levi sat at the kitchen table while the coffee was being made.

Eren licked his popsicle while maintaining eye contact with Levi. His tongue ran up the light blue shaft, and he plunged it down his throat. Eren pumped it against the inside of his cheek with a wink.

His mother was a few feet behind him. Levi had half a mind to ask her if she had any idea how slutty her son was.

Eren kissed the tip of the popsicle sweetly, then chomped a bite off ferociously. Levi laughed.

Carla set down a mug of coffee in front of him. “Do you take it with sugar or creamer? Or milk?”

“I take it black. Thank you.” He took a gulp and sighed.

Eren threw his popsicle stick away and took another one out the freezer.

Carla put her hand on her hip. “Eren, no. One is enough.”

Eren’s eyes dolled up and he pouted innocently. “Please, mommy?” He could have all the popsicles he wanted back at the apartment; he was not used to being told ‘no’ these days.

“Eren Jaeger, you are unfair,” she laughed and pulled his ear. He took his popsicle to the adjacent living room and turned on the TV.

She joined Levi with her own mug of coffee. “That boy…” she shook her head. “So, tell me about your work, Levi. Eren said you ran a company?”

He told her all the latest news about his businesses and Survey Corporation, and she listened in fascination.

“You’re quite the successful man, Levi. You’re the first that Eren has ever brought home. I’m very pleased that it’s you.”

“Oh,” Levi waved her down. He wasn’t one to take such inflated compliments. “You flatter me, Carla.”

“I’m serious,” she laughed. She leaned in and lowered her voice. “I’ve never seen Eren this happy and healthy. He always used to come home with bruises and cuts-“ her voice shook and she covered her mouth. She was suddenly very emotional.

Levi’s heart squeezed for her. He reached out and patted her hand.

She put her other hand over his. “I’m sorry. I get emotional when I think about my sweet boy.” She took a deep breath and wiped her eyes. “But when you came with him today, it was the first time in a long time that he was was unharmed. You’re a very good influence on him, my dear Levi.”

They looked at Eren from afar, who was lounging on the couch lazily as he watched TV.

“I would do no less. I absolutely adore him.”

“Please continue to take care of him, Levi. Keep him safe,” she said softly.

“Of course, Carla.”

She seemed much more at ease now, and they sipped their coffee together. “And it goes without saying, but you’re welcome back here at any time at all. Our home is yours.”

“Thank you, I appreciate that.”

“And lighten up, Levi!” she giggled. “No need to be so polite and formal!”

He laughed, a bit unsure of how loose she expected him to act. But he did appreciate how easy she was to be around. She reminded him so much of Eren- it was adorable.

She collected their empty mugs and stood. “I’m so glad we finally got to meet in person, Levi. You’re a wonderful man.”

With one last smile, she went to wash their mugs and Levi went to join Eren on the couch.

“Hey,” Eren grinned. He scooted next to Levi and leaned his head on his shoulder as they watched TV. He snaked his arms around his strong bicep.

It was very domestic and content in this scene. Carla came by to water some plants near the window, but she froze and her face softened at the sight.

“Awww,” she gushed. “You two are simply adorable together!”

Eren craned his neck around in annoyance. “Ma!” he groaned.

“Okay, okay,” she giggled. “I’ll get out in a second!” She watered the plants without taking her eyes off them. “Too cute!” she squealed.

Eren sighed impatiently.

“I’m leaving, I’m leaving,” Carla said, still smiling mischievously.

With his mom out of their hair, Eren put his head back on Levi’s shoulder and they relaxed on the couch until dinner.

Dinner was chicken breasts and vegetables. They ate with Carla, and she shared funny stories about Eren’s childhood. He was quite the exciting kid.

They decided to call it a day after eating. As Levi and Eren put on their shoes, Carla tried to convince them to stay longer.

“You two can spend the night here,” she said. “We have plenty of room.”

“Thank you, Carla, but I couldn’t,” Levi said.

Eren gave her hug. “Bye, mommy. I’ll talk to you soon.”

She took his face and smothered his cheek with wet kisses. “I miss you, honey. And I love you so, so much.”

They separated and she stroked his face gently, just like Levi does.

She came to Levi next, pulling him into a hug. “You’re part of the family, now, dear Levi. I’m so happy Eren brought you home.”

He patted her back again. “Thank you for having me. And thank you for the wonderful meals.”

“Visit more often! Bye-bye!” Carla called from the doorway as they walked to Levi’s car.

“Bye, ma!” Eren waved. Levi waved as well.

\--

“What a long day,” Eren sighed. “But I really liked it!”

Back at the apartment, they were getting ready for bed together.

“I really enjoyed that, love. Thank you for taking me to meet your mom.”

“I’m still a bit bummed you couldn’t meet my dad. Hopefully he’ll be around next time.”

“He’ll come around.”

Later on in bed, Levi’s arm was curled around Eren and he was gazing at the ceiling. His fingers scratched Eren’s shoulder soothingly.

Eren’s finger was tracing shapes into Levi’s chest absentmindedly. “Levi?”

“Hm?”

“Will I get to meet your dad?”

Levi realized he never actually told Eren about his family, other than his mom. She came up on their first date. But Eren was in the dark about that part of his life. It was time he told him the truth.

“I’ve never actually met my dad,” Levi told him. “I was raised by my uncle.”

“Oh. Will I get to meet him?”

Levi was quiet for a moment. He didn’t want to make promises he couldn’t keep. “Maybe, darling. It’s a bit difficult to say. He’s… not the type to stay in one place for too long.”

In fact, Levi hardly knew how to contact him himself. Kenny sometimes came around at random, stopping by for what seemed like hours at a time before taking off again.

“I see,” Eren said thoughtfully. “But if he does come around, you’ll introduce me, right?”

“Absolutely.”

That seemed to satisfy Eren. “Good.”

More silence.

“You should tell me stories about your uncle, Levi.”

It warmed his heart that Eren wanted to get to know every bit of his life. He didn’t let too many people in on his background. But Eren was so eager to learn.

“Alright, I will,” Levi smiled.

Eren draped his arm around Levi’s body happily, throwing all concept of personal space away. “I love you so much, Levi.”

“I love you, too, my sweet Eren. Good night.”

“’Night!”


	34. Kiss It Outta Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Food play, body worship, heart-to-hearts, and confessions... all just another Sunday with our lovely boys.
> 
> (Please let me know your thoughts! I read every single one of your comments :3 )

Levi rose before the sun.

His lovely young boyfriend was wrapped around him tightly, as usual. Legs intertwined in his; a needy grip on his shirt. The usual puddle of drool wherever the brown mop-top made his mark.

But Levi wouldn’t have it any other way.

He peeled Eren off him slowly. First his latching fingers, then his splayed out arms. Next was slipping out of that vine of long legs. Eren’s breathing hitched and his eyebrows furrowed, but he curled up again and resumed his careless snoring almost instantaneously.

Levi tucked the covers back around his shoulders and lay a light smooch on his bedhead. _What a cute thing._

He changed into his workout clothes and went downstairs to the gym. It was his favorite time to work out- the sky was still dark and the world was asleep; the perfect time to reflect and release some steam. He also secretly felt a surge of comfort knowing that Eren was safe in bed.

He worked up quite a sweat doing his warm-up cardio, then spent the rest of the time boxing and weight training. This was the only reason he didn’t lash out too much. It had become a bit of a habit to bottle up aggression and then paint the sandbag a face.

Today’s face was the scumbag that hurt Eren at the charity dinner. He just couldn’t seem to shake off the memory. He still didn’t know what that jackoff’s relationship to Eren was, but he also didn’t want to make Eren feel bad by bringing it up.

Sending him to the hospital didn’t seem to be enough. He wanted so badly to leave him on the brink of death.

The events of that night were still crystal clear. The way Eren’s posture withered under that man’s smug grin.

One blinding punch into the punching bag.

The way Eren was eager to handle the situation himself, because he didn’t want to make a scene.

Another punch, low into the stomach of the punching bag.

The way a hand wrapped around Eren’s throat, and that clink of the silverware on the table as Eren flailed around desperately. _Why didn’t you act faster?_ Levi growled at himself.

A one-two punch, light on his feet. His knuckles stung. His form was getting sloppy. _Get it together._

Eren crumpling to the floor, struggling for air. Eren sobbing into his shirt in the coat closet. Eren losing the sparkle in his eye for the rest of the night while he simmered in guilt. _It wasn’t your fault, baby. It wasn’t your fault._

It all replayed like fucking annoying dream.

Sweat stung Levi’s eyes as he created dents into the punching bag with a flurry of punches, solid and steady. He reveled in the satisfying _smack_ that echoed in the training room when his fist met the bag.

He stopped abruptly. The punching bag swung back and forth a bit, like a pendulum. He’s never felt this strongly about protecting someone.

The memory of Eren’s cute smile as he turned his face at the beach while the wind whipped at his hair flashed in Levi’s mind.

 _“Keep him safe,”_ he remembered Carla told him yesterday.

He sat down on a bench and unwrapped the bandages from his knuckles. They were red and raw. He had to do better. For Eren.

\--

Back upstairs, Levi set a pot of coffee to start brewing while he showered.

He peeled his sweaty clothes off and stepped into the hot shower. As the water cascaded on him, he stared at his raw knuckles. They stung a bit under the water, but it was a satisfying sort of pain.

When he emerged from the bathroom, Eren was still snoozing away. The sunbeams from the crack in the curtains basked him in angelic glow.

Levi sipped coffee standing in front of the glass wall in the living room. He watched the touches of the morning crawl up the city. The sky went from pitch black to gray, then to a dusky purple into a periwinkle. The wispy clouds were dark against a blushing orange as the sun emerged in the horizon.

Now that the coffee was in his system, he could start the day. As he dried his washed mug, a familiar padding of footsteps grew closer behind him.

Eren wrapped his arms around Levi’s shoulders and leaned in so his face was resting on his shoulder.

“Good morning, Levi,” he said sweetly. A peck on the cheek.

Levi placed his cup aside and turned around, pulling Eren closer by his waist. “Aren’t you a sweet thing this morning?” Eren was always in a good mood if he woke up on his own accord. “How’d you sleep?”

Eren rested his arms on Levi’s shoulders, clasping his fingers behind his head. He took a deep breath. “Mmm. Good.” His smile was cheeky.

Levi pulled him closer so that their lips were centimeters away. “Good?” he repeated.

Eren bit his lip and brushed his nose against his. “Mm-hmm.” His smile was ever-growing.

“Yeah?” Levi’s hands dipped into the waistband of his boxers, his fingers cold and startling against his sleep-warmed skin.

Eren laughed and his hands held Levi’s face to steal quick, giggly kisses on his lips.

“What do you want for breakfast, sweetheart?” Levi asked against his mouth, their lips touching. Eren’s breath was minty and he smelled like sleep and mornings and baby powder.

“You,” Eren purred.

Levi chuckled and there was a shuffling of steps and a flurry of kisses between them as Levi backed Eren up into a wall.

He was all silly giggles as Levi wedged his knee between his legs and nipped playfully at his throat. He picked up Eren’s leg, squeezing his firm thigh.

“You’re scrumptious. I could just eat you up,” Levi said against his throat.

Eren wrapped his arms around Levi’s neck and made himself lighter on his toes, wanting to be picked up. Levi didn’t miss a beat. He took Eren’s other thigh and hoisted him up.

Levi dry humped him against the wall, rolling his hips in rhythm. He basked in Eren’s sweet laughs, so carefree and youthful.

Eren’s laughs that resonated in the room turned into high-pitched moans, and he craned his neck up to allow Levi to nibble at his throat.

He clamped his legs around Levi’s waist and hugged him tight. He was still surprised Levi could pick him up that easily. _So strong!_

The views of the apartment flew by as Levi spun him around. The kitchen, the doorway, the expensive furniture. The soft lights, the immaculate floors, the glass wall overlooking the city. _How did he get to this point? He was so happy._

Levi stopped spinning, and Eren gave one last squeeze before climbing down.

“I want cereal today,” he said. At the kitchen, he poured his favorite sugary cereal and ate the barstool. “Oh, you made coffee?” He noted the full pot. “Can you pour me some, please?”

“Yes, I can.” Levi fixed him his mug with his favorite creamer and just the right amount of sugar.

“Thank youuuu,” Eren smiled and took his mug. His face melted in a sigh when he took a gulp.

Levi fixed his own breakfast- a toasted bagel and cream cheese. Once again, he let Eren have a bite.

And now that breakfast was out of the way, Eren had some plans up his sleeve.

Levi was watching the news on the couch. Eren reached into the pantry and took out the Hershey kisses he bought a little while ago.

“Hey,” Levi greeted. He eyed the bag of chocolate.

“Let’s play a game,” Eren said. He sat on Levi’s lap and pulled the bag open.

“Okay.” His eyes sparkled. “What you do is you take a kiss…” he took one and unwrapped it, “and you put it on your tongue.” Eren put it into his mouth. “Then…” he put his hands on Levi’s shoulders and leaned closer, “you have to kiss it out of me.”

“Sounds simple enough,” Levi said. He held Eren’s waist and took Eren’s lips. He was granted entry, and he used his tongue to search for the chocolate.

When Levi took it into his mouth, Eren nodded. “Yup. Just like that! The goal’s to make it last as long as possible.”

He leaned in and rested his hand on Levi’s chest. A smile against their lips, and then Eren pressed his soft lips against Levi’s. He started teasing a bit with his tongue, not quite beginning his search for the chocolate, but instead licking against Levi’s lower lip. He nipped lightly and wrapped his arm tighter around his neck. With Levi’s lower lip trapped between his teeth, Eren dragged his lip out a bit, then released it suddenly. He wagged his eyebrows playfully. Then he went back in and skillfully located the kiss which he took into his mouth quickly.

Their faces were inches away. Eren’s heart pounded despite having kissed Levi often. And even though his tongue has been down Levi’s throat plenty times before, the Hershey kiss game felt especially intimate to him.

He pressed his slightly open lips against Levi’s, and their tongues danced around in synchronicity in the search for the chocolate, which was beginning to lose its shape. But Levi was a quick learner, and he managed to find the sweet nub in Eren’s mouth.

Eren rubbed his nose with his, his unbrushed hair splayed out messily on his forehead.

“My turn,” Eren whispered. He shut his eyes and turned his head to meet Levi’s lips again. First, an innocent pucker of his lips and a light peck. Then, he turned it up to 11 and stuck his tongue in, tracing it over Levi’s teeth, exploring, running it over the roof of his mouth and every other crevice- personal space be damned. Finally, he located the tiny blob of chocolate and stole it away.

Levi squeezed Eren’s waist. His hands traveled up beneath his shirt and rubbed his skin. _There was so much he wanted to touch._ The next destination were the legs that were straddling him. He scratched his nails gently over them and prepared for his turn.

He smirked against Eren’s mouth, and pressed a firm kiss into it. He wasn’t sure which was sweeter- Eren’s lips or the remnants of the sugary chocolate in his mouth.

At any rate, he craned his neck up a bit and deepened his kiss, sucking at Eren’s bottom lip requesting entry. He snaked his tongue in search for mostly depleted Hershey kiss. Eren assisted by holding his face by his jaw and allowing him to suck the rest of the chocolate off his tongue.

They separated rather breathless. Eren licked his lips in the memory and gazed into Levi’s eyes.

“You’re adorable,” Levi whispered. “And delicious.”

Eren bit his lip innocently, but when he leaned closer to Levi’s ear, his husky voice suggested otherwise. “I can show you just how sweet I can be.”

Several rounds of Hershey kisses later, they were significantly hot and bothered. Eren was frustrated from trying to calm his erection by grinding on Levi’s lap, but he willed himself to hold on a bit longer. He stil had other plans.

He got up abruptly, and his cock was straining a bit uncomfortably in his boxers. “Stay right here,” he purred. With one last lingering stroke to Levi’s jaw, he went back to the kitchen.

Eren put the bag of kisses back into the pantry and then searched the fridge. He pulled out a can of whipped cream that he bought along with the chocolates.

“Come on!” Eren tugged Levi’s hand and led him to his bedroom.

Levi antipated Eren’s next move. He was a wild card; every hour brought a new adventure.

“Remember on our first date, when I told you that some people at the shop order whipped cream and nothing else?” He had that cheeky grin again.

“Yeah?” Levi couldn’t help but smile.

“Well… I’m finally gonna show you the appeal!”

Eren crawled over with hungry eyes. The big bear sitting on the bed was staring at him judgingly.

He took the hem of Levi’s shirt and pulled it off for him. Levi lifted his arms.

It was a sight Eren never got tired of. He greedily dragged his gaze over his torso.

Next, he pulled down Levi’s shorts so that he was just in his underwear. Levi lay on his back expectantly.

Eren ran his hands over his chest. “You should be naked more often, Levi. You’re so fucking hot, damn!” He kissed his chest softly to prove his point.

“Thank you, dear,” Levi chuckled. “But what are you planning to do, exactly?”

“Just lie back and you’ll see,” Eren winked.

He took the can of whipped cream and screwed the top off. Without taking his gaze off Levi, he shook the can and squirted a small mountain directly into his mouth. He took his time licking it off and swallowing.

Next was Levi’s turn. He aimed the can over Levi’s mouth. “Open up!”

He squirted a swirl of cream into Levi’s open mouth. “And now you lick it off!” Eren instructed.

Levi tasted and swallowed the whipped cream. He missed a spot on his lip, which Eren reached down and licked off for him.

“Delicious, right?”

“Actually, yes,” Levi said. “That’s the first time I’ve had it raw like that.”

Eren shook the can again and aimed it over Levi’s stomach. “This might feel a little weird at first.”

He squirted a thick line of cream down the center groove of Levi’s abdomen, all the way up to his pec cleavage.

Levi was a bit shocked but he sat through it anyway.

Eren edged his fingers along the waistband of Levi’s underwear, not quite pulling it down. With a playful sparkle in his eyes, he started licking the stripe off his body. Instead of cleaning it off in one go, he took his time- licking it off little by little as Levi watched. Sometimes he would purposefully get sloppy and get some on his lip, just so that Levi could watch as he ran his tongue over his own lip seductively.

It wasn’t something Levi expected to become aroused from. But it was the combination of Eren’s puppy-dog eyes staring at him, and the way he moaned against his stomach while he licked, as well as the splatters of white on Eren’s mouth that had him getting hot and bothered again.

Eren had reached his chest now, and he dragged his tongue against his skin to clean up the last bit of cream. The trail of saliva on Levi’s body was drying.

But Eren wasn’t done yet.

He shook the can again, and squirted a small dot on Levi’s nipple. Still maintaining that fiery eye contact, he darted his tongue on it playfully, then took it between his teeth gently. Levi’s breath hitched. Eren playfully grazed his teeth against his nipple until it was drenched with saliva. Levi groaned and fisted his hand in Eren’s hair. _Yesss, pull my hair!_

Eren kept playing with it until it was pink and hard, and he wrapped his lips around it in a kiss. He did the same with Levi’s other nipple.

Now was when the real fun began. Eren dipped back down Levi’s body to his crotch. He rubbed his nose against his straining erection. It was already beautifully hard, which is just what he wanted. Little effort was needed to release it from its confines.

Eren held the waistband at the hips, and he pulled the middle part down with his teeth. Levi’s cock peeked out, and Eren pulled it out.

Levi’s underwear hid those hot veins that crawled up to his abs, and now Eren was elated to see them again.

He would pay attention to those later, but right now Levi’s cock needed some cream.

Eren held it parallel to Levi’s body so that the underside of the shaft showed, and he squirted a stripe along it with a cheeky grin.

Levi watched in anticipation as Eren ran his tongue flat along it, all the way up ever so slowly- all the way to the head. He swallowed the cream and took Levi all the way down his throat in one go.

Levi growled and his hands flew to Eren’s head to keep him down. His mouth felt so hot around him, and the tip was hitting the back of his throat. _God DAMN did Eren know how to use his mouth._

And Eren was basking in Levi’s responses. He loved having all the power in his hands. Only he knew how to please his man, he liked to think. Anything to hear those low growls from deep in Levi’s throat.

Granted, he was a little less… conventional than Levi in his methods, but he liked mixing things up.

He continued sucking Levi off, keeping his hand wrapped at the base. Levi was pulling harder on his hair- the strands were straining against his scalp. _It hurt so good!_

“Fuck, Eren. _Fuck_!” he groaned. His eyes were screwed shut and his Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed roughly.

Eren giggled and the vibration elicited another moan from Levi. He rubbed his balls through his underwear.

Eren nipped ever so softly against the sensitive skin along the shaft, making sure to kiss the veins as well. He came back up and a translucent trail of saliva stayed connected. The can was back in Eren’s hand, and he squirted a small pile on the head of Levi’s cock.

Eren took the head into his mouth and Levi hissed in pleasure. He licked up the cream that was laced with precum and enjoyed the sweetness of it all.

But he was relentless- continuing to swirl his tongue on the head like a lollipop and dipping it into the slit.

Eren could tell Levi was getting closer because his groans were become louder and louder, and his pull on his hair was almost difficult to work with. But he continued bobbing his head up and down, up and down- more groans, a choked breath, a hiss, more telltale swelling- up and down, a massage at his balls, and then a firm pull…

And a warm release flowed down Eren’s throat.

Levi was choking back sounds as he rode out his orgasm with clenched teeth. Eren swallowed it all, making sure to look at Levi so that his eyes and the cock in his mouth were the first thing he saw when he came back.

Levi sighed and he unclenched everything; his eyes opened again, his grip on Eren’s hair loosened, his jaw relaxed. Eren slowly pulled his cock out of his mouth.

“You were amazing, Eren. I had a lot of fun,” he said. He petted his head lovingly.

“That was my goal!” Eren said.

“…And I’m also filthy now,” Levi chuckled. “What are you thinking for lunch? Would you like me to take you somewhere?”

Eren rested his head on his arms and ghosted a stroke along Levi’s soft cock. “Mm… no. I want to spend the whole time with you at home, so can we order a pizza?”

“We can,” Levi smiled. “Fetch me my phone, will you? It’s in my shorts.”

Eren reached over to Levi’s shorts and took his phone out of the pocket. Levi dialed a pizza place and placed the order.

Eren watched Levi in all his naked glory with admiration. “Tell them veggie,” he whispered.

“Veggie on that, yes,” Levi told them. “Yes, that’s all…Okay. Thanks.” He ended the call and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “God, I’m spent,” he groaned. “Eren, look what you do to me.” _Look how old you make me realize I am!_

Eren laughed and ran his hand over Levi’s abs soothingly. “There, there.”

“Alright. I’m going to have a quick shower,” Levi said. He got up with another groan and picked up his scattered clothes on the way to the bathroom.

Eren waited on the couch in the living room for Levi to return. Today was wonderful so far. He finally got Levi to try the whipped cream, which they’ve talked about since their first date.

 _Their first date…_ Eren reminisced. He remembered how nervous he was. How much he blushed under Levi’s intimidating presence. But now he had Levi wrapped around his finger. Not only was he completely over his initial nervousness, he was also way too comfortable with him. He felt like he could do anything with him or tell him anything. Levi was all his. And he had all the love in the world to give to that piece of a man.

Levi emerged from the hallway freshly showered. He wore the soft blue shirt that Eren secretly loved, the shirt that clung to his chest and biceps just right.

“Hey, babe, do you have my phone?” he asked. “It wasn’t in the room.”

“Yeah, I brought it with me for you.” Eren handed it over. “I think you got some texts.”

Levi looked at the screen. Email updates for work. He sat on the couch to thank his employees for their diligence.

“By the way, I really like this shirt on you,” Eren said with a pat on his shoulder. “It brings out your eyes. And your body.”

Levi chuckled. “You think so?”

“Yuh-huh!”

There was a rap on the door, and Levi took his wallet from the bar counter over with him.

Eren overheard the exchange between Levi and the pizza guy. He flipped through the TV for something new to watch.

The door shut and Levi set down the warm box on the table. He went and brought back two water bottles for them.

Now that Eren had settled on a channel, they got comfortable and ate in silence together.

Levi had been really low energy since Eren sucked the life out of him back there. Well, he was always rather calm, but now even more so. With the pizza polished off together, they cuddled for the rest of the afternoon.

Levi stroked Eren’s hair back softly, clawing it through his fingers off Eren’s forehead. He enjoyed the little cowlick at the base of Eren’s skull. _Adorable_. He used his other hand roll it between his fingers.

“Eren, can I ask you something?”

“Yeah, what is it?”

“Who was that guy at the charity dinner?”

Eren was silent for a moment. He knew this would come up eventually. He crawled out of Levi’s lap and he sat opposite him.

“You don’t have to tell me if it bothers you, darling. I’m just curious.”

“No. You deserve to know.” He took a deep breath. “That was Mark. He was my most recent ex.”

 _Mark. That asswipe had a name._ Levi was cautious with his words; he didn’t want to make Eren uncomfortable by prying. “…Was he always like that?”

“I don’t want to keep secrets from you, Levi.” He scooted closer and Levi rubbed his thighs soothingly as he awaited an explanation.

“I…umm…” Eren struggled to find the words. Suddenly he was humiliated. “After dating him for a while, he offered to pay my bills in exchange for sex.”

Levi was speechless.

“I started out happy with him, but I became frustrated that I was always struggling for money. This was before I worked at the coffee shop. So, he offered to pay my bills. The only condition was that I could never say ‘no’. He was allowed to use me whenever he wanted. Day or night. However many times. I went from being his boyfriend to his fuck toy. But I did what I had to do. I hated that I had to rely on him. As soon as I started working at Trost Coffee, I kinda told him to fuck off forever and that’s why our reunion was so… tense.”

Levi was still at a loss for words.

“I’m fucking embarrassed to tell you this, Levi.” Eren hung his head and rubbed his temples. “I didn’t want you to think that I was a dirty whore. I was basically a prostitute. I used him for money.” He covered his face in his hands. “And he wasn’t the first guy that payed my bills for sex. Mark was just the first where we started out as boyfriends.”

He was silent for a little bit, and then he started shaking.

Levi’s heart shattered. He suddenly learned so much about Eren and he was a bit overwhelmed. He took Eren’s wrists to pry them away from his face. His bottom lip was quivering and quiet tears stained his cheeks.

“Hey,” Levi breathed. Eren crawled into his open arms. “Hey,” he whispered again. “Eren, you were very brave to tell me all that. You have no reason to be embarrassed. You said it yourself; you did what you had to do.”

“Levi, he payed me for sex. It’s humiliating,” Eren’s muffled voice said.

“I don’t think you’re a dirty whore.” He squeezed his arms tighter around Eren. “Why were you afraid to tell me this?” he whispered.

“Because you’re perfect. And I’m just piece of shit that used people for their money. I was cheap ho.”

“I’m not perfect, Eren. Far from it. And my opinion of you hasn’t changed a bit. You’re still my darling baby boy.”

Eren giggled through his tears.

“…And while we’re telling the truth here, my mother was a prostitute. An actual one.”

Eren lifted his head. “She was?”

Levi nodded. “We all have parts of our pasts that we’re not proud of. But it’s about who we become. It’s our intention.” He softened his voice. “So don’t beat yourself up, my dear. If anything, I respect you even more now. It takes a lot of courage to own your story, and you were very honest.” He gazed at Eren’s eyes and wiped his tear-stained cheeks with his thumbs. “Okay?”

Eren sniffled and nodded. He threw his arms around Levi’s neck. “You always know what to say, Levi.”

Levi rubbed his back soothingly. This was probably what was eating him up. _Poor thing._

“I feel a lot better with that off my chest,” Eren said. “No more secrets.”

“No more secrets,” Levi repeated.

They stayed in their embrace for a while. Eren expected Levi to judge him, but he lived up to his title of perfect boyfriend and understood.

“I love you very much, Eren. And everything about you. You’re my entire world.”

“You’re so cheesy, Levi,” Eren giggled and kissed him on the jaw. “But for the record, I’m in love with you, too.”

Levi’s heart warmed. Only Eren could manage to shoot him straight into the heart with just a few words.

“I want to show you just how special you are to me tonight.” Levi said.

He scooped Eren up in his arms bridal-style and took him his bedroom.

After laying Eren down next to his big bear, he brushed his bangs aside. “I’ll be right back.”

Levi went to his own bedroom and fished out a sleep mask from his drawer. He used this a few times when he ended up needing to sleep in the morning light.

When he returned, Eren was waiting patiently with that cheeky smile of his.

“Take your clothes off for me?” Levi asked.

“No problem at all!” Eren peeled off his clothes eagerly and awaited his next instruction.

“I’m going to blindfold you.” Levi gently placed the sleep mask over Eren’s eyes.

“Ooh. This is exciting.”

Levi put his hands on Eren’s shoulder and whispered in his ear. “Do you trust me?”

“Yes!” No hesitation whatsoever.

“Where do you keep your toys?”

“The bedside drawer.”

Levi rummaged through it and pulled out the metallic vibrator and the lube.

“Lie down for me, baby.” Eren got comfortable on his back and tried to listen for hints.

Levi slathered his fingers with lube and spread Eren’s legs. Slowly, he introduced a finger and soon later, a second one. Eren’s breath hitched and he elicited soft sighs as he was worked open.

He whined when Levi pulled his fingers out, but his disappointment was short lived when he felt Levi ease the toy into him.

“Try not to touch yourself or come until I say so, okay?” Levi said.

“Okay.” _Levi could make him cum in minutes. This would be difficult._

While the toy was sitting all the way into Eren, Levi turned on the vibrator to the lowest setting.

“Ah!” Eren squeaked and squirmed a bit at the sudden surge of pleasure.

“I’m going to tell you some things that I love about you.” He started at Eren’s feet, admiring them in his hands. He lay kisses on both of them.

Eren gasped softly.

Levi worked his way up and dragged his nose along Eren’s legs. He caressed his calves and inhaled deeply against them. “I love these long legs of yours. So smooth and lean. Beautiful.” He trailed a line of kisses on each leg.

Eren looked distressed that he couldn’t see what was going on, but he was breathing hard and his stomach rose and fell erratically. The vibrator was riling him up and Levi was kissing him all over. He willed himself to refrain from reaching out to touch.

Levi trailed up further, running his calloused hands and squeezing Eren’s thighs. “I love your thighs. Nice and juicy.” He slowly spread Eren’s legs. The vibrator was doing its job and lube was leaking out Eren’s ass.

Eren yelped when his sensitivity was exposed to the cold air. Levi smirked and started nipping bites into the inside of those thighs.

“Ah, Levi!” Eren’s hands darted out but he brought them right back to grip the sheets.

“Be patient for me, baby.” He relentlessly continued sucking fat purple hickies and gently biting the sensitive skin.

It wasn’t until Eren was thoroughly marked up with trembling thighs that Levi continued his journey upward.

He squeezed Eren’s hips, gripping the bones beneath. “You’re doing great, Eren. You’re gorgeous.”

But Eren wasn’t doing great. It was taking everything in him not to finish early. With furrowed brows and deep breaths, he kept holding on.

He could feel Levi’s body heat close by, and his suspicions were confirmed when he felt a stream of hot breath in his ear.

Levi wanted to make sure Eren could hear him loud and clear for this one. “I’ve always loved that pretty little dick of yours, Eren,” he purred. “Always so responsive for me. I haven’t even touched it and you’re already this hard.”

And Levi watched with a satisified smirk as Eren squirmed and leaked precum on his own stomach like a faucet. Eren’s cock was adorable. Average in length, but it had a nice curve. When he was erect, the tip bounced against his stomach.

 _This was like his dream from a long time ago!_ Eren thought. _When he had his little wet dream at the beach before he even knew Levi’s name. That dream was more like a prophecy now._

He couldn’t help himself. The fact that he couldn’t see amplified all his other senses. He wanted so desperately to please Levi and refrain from touching but Levi’s voice was so fucking deep and rich and chocolatey… _Oh, just keep going!_

“You like that, Eren?” Levi said close to his ear. He nibbled on his earlobe just to hear that whine again. “You really like it when I say your name, right, Eren? You sweet, sweet boy.”

A loud moan ripped from Eren’s throat and his toes curled at the stimulation. The vibrator kept going, shooting little bursts of pleasure up his spine when it brushed against his prostate, and he didn’t even have to touch to know that his cock was painfully hard.

Levi dipped back down his body, and he could feel those familiar warm circles. “I also really love your tummy, Eren.” He pressed soft butterfly kisses on Eren’s taut abdomen.

“L-Levi, please,” Eren moaned. His knuckles were white from gripping the sheets so hard.

“Soon, my love.” He kept peppering light kisses all over Eren’s stomach and ribs.

Next was Eren’s chest. “I very much love your nipples, Eren.” He licked them teasingly, reveling in how quickly they hardened. “So responsive” he mused.

He moved up a little more. “And I also quite love these pretty collarbones that you have.” He ran his nose along them, releasing hot breaths to make Eren’s skin prickle with goosebumps. The soft buzz of the vibrator working in Eren’s ass filled the air along with the sucking sounds of Levi laying dark hickies along those sharp collarbones.

Eren was panting harshly while he moaned. Electricity pulsed through his body. This was all too much.

“I love those pretty sounds you make, too,” Levi said casually. He stalked further up Eren’s body, and now he was looming over him. Eren was squirming beneath him, his self control hanging by a thread. _What a lovely little mess he was right now_ , Levi thought.

He dipped back down and started nipping at the sensitive skin at Eren’s throat. “And I love this delightful neck of yours, just waiting for me to wreck.” To prove his point, he latched his lips onto that sunkissed throat, right at the jugular, and sucked it red.

Eren cried out loud, feeling more wetness on his stomach from more precum. _He just wanted Levi to wrap that strong hand around him and jack the soul out of him. He needed to release!_

Levi finished his masterpiece of wet hickies and bite marks to his satisfaction. He moved to Eren’s shoulder, then he lifted Eren’s arm to cover it with kisses as well. And when he got to Eren’s hand, he pressed his fingertips to his lips and kissed them. Next was a chivalrous kiss to the knuckles.

Eren was silent for this part. He felt like a prince- adored deeply, with a powerful man waiting on him hand and foot. It made his face flush.

“I love your beautiful arms, too.” He trailed light smooches all the way down his other arm as well, on Eren’s toned biceps and triceps, ending with a nibble to his fingertips and another kiss on his hand.

He got off Eren’s body and leaned next to ear again. “You may come all you want now, Eren.”

Levi reached down to assist in the release, but his hand was barely touching the shaft when Eren moaned long and loud, rope after rope of hot white shooting from his cock onto his stomach. He came so hard that it reached all the way up his neck.

And Levi watched with silent admiration as Eren went through all the stages of pleasure. His chest rose and fell in the aftermath of his orgasm, and his toes uncurled slowly.

“Juuust like that,” Levi said. He went over and turned the vibrator off. Eren let out a deep, content sigh. Levi pulled the toy out gently.

“And lastly...” Levi said back near Eren’s face. He lifted the sleep mask from his eyes.

Eren blinked a few times to adjust to the new light of the room. And the first face he saw- all the features came together. The glossy black hair. The brooding steel-gray gaze. The porcelain complexion. The sharp jawline and the plush lips.

“I love your face, Eren. You pretty boy.”

Eren found himself blushing furiously all of a sudden. Maybe it was because Levi was hovering over him like he was going to ram him open, or the kisses he’s received in literally each of his body parts while he couldn’t see. Either way, he felt really shy at the moment.

Levi chuckled, and Eren watched his face soften with his laugh. “It’s been a long time since you’ve blushed around me. But you did great just now.”

Eren didn’t know what to say after that display of love. “Thank you. I tried my best,” his smile widened mischievously.

“Go get cleaned up, and we can cuddle some more. Sound good?”

“Sounds good!” _Levi was always two steps ahead._

\--

A freshly showered Eren nestled in Levi’s lap with his chocolate ice cream. He licked his spoon in thought while they watched TV.

“…Levi?”

“Yes?”

“If we ever see Mark again… which I doubt… don’t hurt him. He did help me through a rough time. Even though he was a dick about it.”

“Eren, you’re just saying that because you have a big heart.” Levi figured he needed to be truthful after their promise of no more secrets. “I want to protect you.”

“I know but-“ Eren sighed. “I know.” He couldn’t really argue.

“If it makes you feel better, in the future I’ll try not to step in unless you want me to. Or if I think you’re in danger.”

“That does make me feel better. Thank you, Levi. I’m so glad I have a strong boyfriend to make me feel safe.”

Levi squeezed him tight. “It’s my job.” _I’ll keep him safe, Carla._

Eren scooped some ice cream and held the spoon up to Levi’s mouth. “Wanna taste?”

Levi took the spoon into his mouth and licked it clean. “Mm.”

Eren nuzzled closer into Levi’s chest and continued watching TV.

The ice cream was just right.


	35. Mimi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The story of a tender little thing that captured Eren's heart. :')

Eren tapped his fingers against the steering wheel to the beat of the music on the radio. The exhausting part of his day with classes were done, and now he just had to get through the tedious shift at the coffee shop.

He went to the pizza place by the pier for a quick bite before work. It was a nice day. Pretty chilly, but otherwise bright and crisp. Eren watched through the windows the people passing by- laughing, arguing, calling, texting, running, hugging… everyone had their story.

When Eren strided towards the shop to start his shift, there was a small crowd of people hunched over near the door. He pushed through them to see what they were looking at.

A small kitten was defensively curled up in a corner, albeit a bit uncomfortable with a bunch of humans looming over it. Most of the people were just gushing, but others were reaching their hands out to try to pet it. The kitten cried out.

“Hey, everyone,” a man said. “Let’s leave her alone. Her owner is probably looking for her.”

“Good point.” “She’s so cute!” But the crowd dissolved as per request.

Now it was just Eren and the little kitten, looking at each other. He crouched down and reached out to touch her. She seemed a bit more at ease now that she wasn’t being crowded by people, but she still complained at Eren’s hand.

 _Maybe she’s hungry,_ Eren thought. He ran into the store and searched for a shallow bowl.

“What are you doing?” Jean asked.

“There’s a hungry kitten outside.” He took some milk out of the fridge and poured some into the bowl.

“Aw. Aren’t you a sweetheart?” Jean said flatly. He worked one of the machines without further comment.

Eren rolled his eyes and went back out to the kitten, bowl of milk in hand.

She was still there, luckily. She paced around and complained, and yelled at Eren when she saw him.

“Are you hungry?” Eren asked gently. He crouched down again and placed the bowl in front of her.

With one last yell at Eren, she wobbled over to the bowl and began lapping at it.

Eren laughed and rested his arms on his knees while he watched. She was quite the munchkin. All black fur, ears that were just a bit too large for her small body, and a tail that didn’t curl just yet.

He reached out and patted her back while she drank. “That milk hits the spot, doesn’t it?”

She was very tiny, almost the same size of the bowl itself. She seemed about a month old, if that. Some people passed by the scene and pointed at her. “Awww!”

The kitten seemed to have her fill and licked some of the milk off her mouth. The white milk painted her whiskers, giving her a bit of a milk mustache.

She wobbled over to Eren and headbutted her head against his leg in thanks.

“Aww. You’re a cutie!” Eren grinned and stroked her back.

He looked around. Not many people in sight looked like they were looking around for something. Maybe her owner would come around later.

With one last pat, he went back into the store and began his shift.

\--

A work-weary Eren clocked out and stretched his arms outside. The cool evening air invigorated his skin.

The bowl was right where he left it, but now it was empty. Maybe the kitten’s owner did find her, after all.

He drove to the gym to meet up with Reiner as an end to his day.

\--

The next day, Eren returned to the coffee shop for his shift.

And lo and behold, there the little black kitten was- crying as loudly as her squeaky throat would let her.

Eren ran back into the shop and brought back out the jug of milk. The little kitten watched the white liquid pour into the bowl, and she starting lapping at it right away.

“I’m starting to think you’re a stray,” Eren mused. “Where did you come from?”

He stroked her back gently as she filled her appetite. The late afternoon shift was rather quiet, so maybe she came back now to avoid the morning crowd. He wondered where she spent her time while she was away from the shop.

Eren felt a bit uncomfortable with the idea that this little kitten was wandering the streets all alone. She was weak and soft. Anyone could snatch her up or hurt her.

She didn’t have a collar or any indication that she was a pet. How did a helpless thing like her end up lost on her own?

The little kitten finished her fill of milk and rubbed up to Eren’s legs in appreciation. He tucked his hands under her stomach and picked her up.

She truly was tiny. He could cradle her entire body in just his hands. Her black fur was fuzzy and patchy in places, but still soft. Her paws and legs were wobbly and small.

She purred in Eren’s hands and her dark blue eyes were starting to shut. With her tiny belly full of milk, she started drifting away.

“Mimi,” Eren stated. “That’s your name now. Mimi Michiko.”

He didn’t know where he came up with that name. It just seemed to fit her.

Mimi meowed at Eren and buried her head against his chest.

He shifted her around and held her her in one hand. With the other, he fished out his phone and took a selfie with her.

He sent it to Armin and Mikasa. _Meet my new friend!_ He captioned it.

They replied right away.

 _What an adorable little thing!_ Armin said.

 _Isn’t she precious? Both of you are cute!_ Mikasa said.

He reached down and lay a kiss on her head. Her weak neck collapsed a bit under Eren’s heavy kiss, but she started purring louder.

Eren didn’t have too much experience with pets in his life. Actually, as a kid, he was so excitable that he scared animals away. But Levi did tell him that he had a bit of a maternal side that showed sometimes. Maybe it was kicking in now.

Eren was starting to grow fond of her. She was such a sweetie. “Listen, Mimi. I have to go to work now,” he explained. “But I’ll be back later, okay?”

He put her down carefully on her feet. When she was back on the ground, she looked up at Eren and complained loudly. How could anyone take those squeaks seriously?

He laughed at her brave indignance. “I’m sorry, Mimi. I’d love to spend more time with you.” He stroked her cheek with one finger, and then went in to do his shift.

-

While Eren was pouring espresso into a macchiato, he couldn’t help but let his mind wander. He wondered if Mimi was okay.

Jean bumped into him, pacing between orders.

Maybe he could bring her into the break room? Outside was definitely not safe for her. The more he worked, the more nervous he became.

The minute Eren’s shift ended, he clocked out and bursted outside. The evening sky was a striking purple, and Eren shivered at the cool September wind.

Mimi was curled up next to her bowl. Her body was shaking.

Eren’s face softened and he picked her up. “You’re freezing, aren’t you?” He used one hand to rub some warmth into her patchy fur.

Marco rolled up to begin his shift, and he smiled and waved when he saw Eren.

“Aw, who’s this little one?” He scratched her fur with his finger.

“This is Mimi! She’s a stray. I don’t know what do with her.”

“Hmm… try finding a quiet, hidden place for her? I think there’s a little shady area near the dumpster behind the shop.”

“I don’t think that’s safe, Marco.” He bounced her around in his arms while he thought.

“It’s probably safer than the front of the shop. Anyone could kidnap her here.”

“That doesn’t make me feel better!” Eren laughed.

Sasha rolled up and her face lit up when she saw Mimi. “What a cute little kitty!” she gushed.Mimi purred under Sasha’s warm strokes. “Is she yours, Eren?”

“No, she’s a stray. She’s been in front of the store for a couple of days. We’re trying to decide what to do with her.”

“Well, whatever you end up doing, let me know!” Sasha said. With one last stroke, she went into the shop.

“Let me know how it works out, too,” Marco said. He waved and followed Sasha.

Eren felt like a frazzled single mother. He didn’t want to leave Mimi outside at all, especially not near a dirty dumpster. The front of the strore wasn’t safe at all; anyone could pass by her and take her. Plus, a lot of people come by with their dogs and he didn’t want them to scare her. _What to do, what to do…?_

He found a bench nearby and sat with her close to his chest. Her body was still shaking, so Eren shook off his jacket and draped it over his shoulder to protect her from the wind.

Eren sat thinking for a while, not quite sure what his plan would be. He watched the beach come alive- the neon lights of the fair, the store signs nearby. Mimi fell asleep in his hands.

His phone vibrated. Levi:

_Eren, has your shift ended? Where are you?_

He checked the time. Damn, he’s been out here for more than an hour.

 _I can’t leave work._ Eren’s fingers hovered over the keyboard while he thought of something to say, but he left it that. He wanted to handle this situation on his own.

The temperatures were dropping, too. Eren’s ears felt a bit numb from the wind.

Elsewhere, Levi read Eren’s message. ‘ _I can’t leave work’_ … What did that mean? Was he working overtime? Why was the message so short? It might’ve been a stretch, but what if there was an emergency? What if he was in danger?

Levi didn’t have much else to do that night so he drove over to the coffee shop to see what was going on.

It might’ve been because he’s been through rather traumatic events in his life that wired his brain to jump to conclusions, but Levi started becoming tense as he drove. Messages those short and vague could mean Eren was being held hostage.

 _Get a hold of yourself. Eren’s probably fine. “Hostage”??_ Levi surprised himself with his own introspection. But he could never be too careful.

He parked and began his search for Eren. He strode into the shop, but Eren wasn’t among the baristas working. There was a cheerful girl with brown hair, and a freckled boy that served him here before. He turned on his heel and searched outside.

There Eren was, sitting on a nearby bench, with his jacket draped over the front of his body. He was looking down at it.

Levi went over and sat on the bench. “Eren?  What’s going on, why didn’t you come home? I was worried.”

Eren looked up. His nose was pink from the cold wind and it was watery as well. He sniffled but smiled weakly.

“Levi. I didn’t expect you to come.”

“What’s going on? Is everything okay?”

Eren lifted his jacket to reveal a tiny black kitten in his arm. “This is Mimi! She’s a stray.”

Mimi stopped snoozing, having been exposed to the cold air beyond Eren’s jacket, and she meowed at Levi.

“Eren…” Levi ran a hand through his hair.

“Levi, I can’t keep her out here by herself overnight. She’ll freeze. I can’t go home.”

Levi sighed and stroked Mimi silently. Her small body purred under his touch.

“Can we keep her?” Eren placed his jacket over her again.

Levi patted Eren’s arm apologetically. “No, baby. We need to take her to the shelter,” he said gently.

Eren looked offended. But he didn’t argue. He silently bounced the kitte in in his arms.

“It would be the best thing for her, trust me.”

“I don’t think they can take care of her,” Eren said stubbornly.

“They can. They’ve probably handled hundreds of strays. She will be fed and warm.”

Eren was silent.

“Eren?”

“I… can’t.” Eren admittedly became attached to her. He didn’t want a little runt like her to become lost in the sauce at a shelter. What if the other animals bullied her?

Levi rubbed Eren’s back. “Come on, baby,” he soothed. “We need to find her a place for the night. And you need to come home. It’s cold out here.”

Eren put Mimi on his lap and slipped back into his jacket. He picked her up again and followed Levi to his car.

“That’s a good boy. She’ll be safe, I promise you.” He started the car.

When the car started moving, Mimi became a bit nervous. She complained loudly at Eren.

“I know, Mimi Michiko. I know,” he replied. He cradled her close to his chest and stroked her back soothingly with his other hand.

At the shelter, Eren held Mimi closer and tighter. She complained the entire way in.

“Hello, how can we help you?” a friendly, older employee asked them behind the counter.

“I found a stray,” Eren said shortly. Mimi yelled as confirmation.

“Where did you find it? It seems awfully young.” The employee started filling out paperwork.

“In front of Trost Coffee. She’s been out there for a couple of days.”

“Well, thanks for bringing her in. We’ll handle her from here.” The employee reached her arms out to take her.

But Eren hesitated. He shifted around uncomfortably on his feet.

Levi patted his arm soothingly. “Come on, Eren.”

“She’ll be in good hands here, sir.” The employee assured. “I promise.”

With much struggle, Eren squeezed Mimi one last time and held her out in his hands. Mimi cried as the employee took her away.

“Thank you, sir,” the employee said. “We’ll make sure she gets everything she needs. You can come back and visit her at any time.”

As the employee retreated to the back of the building, Mimi pawed and squirmed around. Her squeaky cries grew futher away until Eren couldn’t hear her anymore.

He felt hot tears prickle in his eyes. _This was so fucked up!_

Levi brisked him out quickly before Eren started regretting his decision.

In the car, Eren wrapped his jacket around himself tightly and stared out the window. The cool glass of the car pressed against his forehead.

Levi looked over at the heartbroken Eren. He stroked his thigh soothingly. “Don’t be upset, sweetheart. You did the right thing.”

Eren said nothing.

\--

Eren was depressed for the rest of the night. He curled up tightly in the couch and stared at the TV silently.

In his office, Levi was in a conference call with a client, but he was simultaneously worried about Eren. The boy hasn’t eaten since they’ve returned home. He hasn’t even spoken.

While he listened to his client, he went into the kitchen and began fixing Eren a late dinner.

With the phone nestled between his shoulder and ear, he pulled ingredients from the fridge to make a sandwich. While he wiped mayonnaise on the slice of bread, he looked up to see Eren’s body wrapped up in his beige blanket. He was clearly still upset.

Levi finished the sandwich and cut it in half, just how Eren liked it. He went into the pantry and added a handful of chips to the plate.

He really hoped Eren would eat. When he was feeling down, Eren neglected himself a bit. While talking into his phone with one hand, he took the plate over with the other.

Eren didn’t move or acknowledge Levi’s presence. Levi set the plate down on the coffee table and stroked Eren’s hair gently. Without much else, he returned to his study.

Eren was glad Levi didn’t say much. He just needed some time to air out his feelings and mourn. Handing Mimi over to the shelter ruined him a bit. Was she warm there? Did she get enough to eat, or does the shelter ration the food portions among all the animals? Did she have enough space? Was her cage too small? What if she was sick when he found her and he didn’t know?

Why was she a stray, anyway? Did her old owner abuse her? His blood boiled at the thought of it.

With a deep sigh, he decided to eat the sandwich Levi made him. It was just how he liked it, damnit. One bite worked his appetite, and soon enough he polished off the whole thing. He munched on the chips quietly while contemplating.

He would definitely visit her to see if the shelter was up to par with his standards.

-

When Eren was thoroughly exhausted, he climbed into Levi’s bed.

Levi was sitting up against his pillows, looking through his tablet. Eren didn’t want to talk, but he did want to be comforted. He got beneath the covers and rested his head on Levi’s lap.

“I know you’re upset, darling,” Levi soothed. With one hand, he stroked Eren’s head. “But the shelter will be kind to Mimi. They’re better equipped to take care of her.”

Eren sighed.

“Have faith,” he said softly.

 _Maybe he was right_ , Eren thought. They probably have had their fair share of strays. He couldn’t be too sure about anything until he went inside. But until then, he would try to relax. Eren fell into a much needed sleep in Levi’s lap.

 _Eren’s big heart will get him in trouble one day,_ Levi thought. Had he not driven over to him, Eren probably would’ve stayed on the bench with the kitten all night.

\--

After his shift the next day, Eren cancelled his gym meet with Reiner again and drove his car to the shelter. The car had been sitting here overnight since Levi came for him.

The employee at the shelter smiled warmly when she saw Eren again. “Welcome back, sir. Here to visit your little kitten from yesterday?”

“Yes, please.”

She winked and waved him through the little swinging door. “Follow me.”

Eren watched with apprehension as they walked towards the animals. It was nice and clean here- not in any way worn-down like he imagined yesterday. Pictures of kids and families with their newly adopted animals filled the wall. There were friendly employees playing with guinea pigs, snakes, and other critters.

They walked past the dog center. Puppies and elderly dogs played together and napped in cages, respectively. Their cages looked spacious and open. That was a good sign.

“Every animal is paid attention to here,” the employee told Eren. “You have nothing to worry about.”

Through the gate to the dog center, Eren saw a small golden retriever puppy paw against it when he saw them. He barked once and his ears flopped.

“That’s Bud. He arrived a few days ago,” the employee explained.

“Hi, Bud,” Eren smiled and waved at him.

“The cat section is a bit further away from the pups.”

They entered a large room and the employee shut the glass door behind them. Cats of all colors and sizes stalked around- some batting around toy mice, others napping together.

But Eren’s eyes darted around for a little black fuzzball.

They walked along the sleeping cages. With each cage, there was a laminated paper that had the animal’s information on it. The employee found the sheet she was looking for, and there she was:

Mimi was curled up in her open cage quietly.

“Mimi…” Eren breathed happily. He reached in and took her out.

When she saw Eren’s face, she meowed loudly. But as soon she was back in his arms, she started purring like a motor.

“I missed you, cutie.” Eren kissed her head. He crouched and sat on the floor.

The employee crouched down next to him. “We examined her. She’s very healthy, although a bit underweight.”

“That’s a relief. Oh, I’m so glad.” He massaged Mimi’s neck with his fingers.

“She’s a bit shy. She doesn’t like to be held by any one of our staff. But she seems to love you,” she laughed. “I’ll leave you two alone now.”

The employee stood and left. The shelter met Eren’s standards. Looking around, he saw cats young and old, even a kitten that had a torn ear. He hated to admit that Levi was right, but the shelter did seem to be experienced with strays.

Eren drew his legs up and lay Mimi on her back. He tickled her exposed belly with his fingertips, and she purred happily. Her tiny paws covered her eyes.

“Do you like that, Mimi Michiko? Do you like it when I rub your tummy? I like tummy rubs, too. Levi gives good ones.”

As Eren continued petting Mimi in his lap, a few cats approached him and curled up against his legs.

With his other hand, Eren stroked an orange cat near his hip. It seemed to have fallen asleep.

A small calico sniffed Eren and hopped onto his legs next to Mimi. She was trying to curl up, but Mimi complained loudly at her.

“Mimi, be nice,” Eren laughed. He stroked her until she was calm enough to share Eren’s lap with the calico.

It wasn’t long before Eren was flanked by several cats.

A different employee entered the room and smiled at the sight. “How cute!” she gushed. “Don’t mind me; it’s just feeding time.”

The employee walked around with a bag of cat food and refilled bowls. Some of the cats relaxing next to Eren got up and went to eat.

“Are you hungry, Mimi?” he patted her back, and she meowed at him.

Eren was no longer nervous about Mimi staying here. The staff seemed to know what they were doing, and it was safe here. He spent another hour or so with her and then decided to go home.

\--

Eren visited Mimi every day for about a week. The staff learned his name and expected his arrival. Even some of the other cats in the shelter were starting to greet and grow fond of him.

One Tuesday after work, Eren returned to the shelter to have his fill of Mimi. The employee at the desk had a look of pity on her face when she saw him.

“Hello, Eren. I have some bittersweet news for you.”

Eren’s heart dropped. “What is it?”

“A family adopted your little black one earlier today.”

“Really? H-how… what were they like?”

“A couple and their little girl. Very kind people; we always do background checks on potential adopters. They’re financially stable and come from a nice neighborhood.”

Though Eren was happy for them, he couldn’t help but feel disappointed. “Oh.”

“We overheard you calling the little one Mimi?” the employee smiled warmly. “I told that to the family and they really liked that name- they decided to keep it!”

Eren smiled through his glumness.

“Hey, cheer up, sweetie,” the employee reached out and touched his hand. “You did a very good thing to bring her in. You made a family very happy.”

“I know but… I’ll miss her.” Eren ran a hand through his hair.

“I know, sweetie, I know,” she consoled. “But even though little Mimi is gone, you’re welcome back to visit the shelter any time you want. We’ve all taken a liking to you. Especially the animals!”

“Thanks for that,” Eren told her. “And thanks for everything. Everyone here is really nice and professional.”

Eren went home with a heavy but full heart.

\--

Eren shut the door behind him back at the apartment. Levi was cleaning the living room, but he paused when he saw Eren.

“Hey, how was class and work?”

“They adopted her, Levi. A family adopted Mimi,” he said blankly.

Levi’s face softened and he took Eren’s face into his shoulder. Eren wrapped his arms around his waist. “That’s good, baby… are you not happy?”

“I mean, I’m happy for them… but I miss her.”

“I know, Eren. I know,” Levi cooed. “You did the right thing, though. You gave Mimi a chance and you made a whole family fulfilled.”

That was almost exactly what the lady at the shelter told him. But he couldn’t help it. He felt like he lost a child. His little Mimi Michiko with her ears just a bit too big and her milk mustache, living in a big new house. He couldn’t help but get emotional.

\--

After dinner, Eren lay on his stomach over Levi’s thighs as he got his back rubbed. He texted his friends to let them know that Mimi was adopted.

She would be given everything she needed with the new family. He knew that. But now he just wanted ample time to mourn his time with her.

“Mimi is safe, Eren. You’ve done well,” Levi assured.

Eren shut his eyes and sighed, a bittersweet smile at his lips. “I know.”

That night, Eren had a dream of a fateful day in front of the coffee shop, and the ball of patchy black fur that softened his heart.


	36. Stay With Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren has a huge heart, but then again, you guys already knew that :3
> 
> (Thank you hunnies for such emotional responses to the last chapter! I'm sorry for all your broken hearts! I'm wiping your tears away in spirit. 
> 
> To be honest, I didn't expect you guys to like the Mimi chapter. I kind of wrote it on a whim. But it was somehow my most popular chapter yet!? You're full of surprises, dear readers!
> 
> Anyway, if there's something you guys want to see, please let me know! Scenarios, etc... I write for you guys, so don't be shy to tell me what you want!)

Eren hummed as he wiped down tables for the end of his shift. It was a long day of class and work, and now he was ready to just go home and eat and cuddle with Levi. There was no better way to recharge.

He clocked out when Sasha was tagged in and then headed out the door. The bell jingled behind him. Jean was beside the door having a cigarette.

“See ya, Jean,” Eren waved and twirled his keys around his finger.

Jean closed his eyes as he exhaled a precise stream of smoke. “Bye, Jaeger.”

\--

Usually, Levi would be back by now. The evening was wearing on, and Eren was hesitant to have dinner alone.

He texted Levi, and when he called him, there was no response, either. _Maybe he was in a meeting?_

Eren was inspecting the fridge when his phone vibrated in his pocket. He expected Levi, but it was actually Erwin calling.

“Hey, Erwin! What’s up?”

Erwin’s smooth and otherwise easygoing voice sounded strained and tense. “Eren. It’s about Levi. He’s been in an accident.”

Eren’s heart froze, but maybe he misheard. “W-what?”

“Levi’s been in a bad car accident. He’s in the hospital. I just got the news and I needed to tell you.”

Erwin hardly finished his sentence when Eren was bolting around for his jacket and wallet. “Erwin, come pick me up and take me there right now.”

“Understood. I’m already on the way.”

Eren ended the call and his heart pounded again. _Jesus Christ! Shit! Shit! Shit!_

Everything in the world was irrelevant right now- dinner, the fatigue after a long day, how pretty the sky was today- because all Eren could think about was about whether or not Levi was fucking okay.

Eren paced around nervously in the lobby of Trost Tower as he waited for Erwin to roll up, biting at his lip until it was raw. He didn’t bother changing; he just shrugged on his jacket and slipped into his running shoes over his worn-in white t shirt and his pajama pants.

The receptionist looked up from her desk with a concerned look. “Mr. Jaeger, would you like some tea?” All the receptionists learned his name since he’s moved in.

He looked at her blankly. “No, I’m good.” Actually, the idea of eating or drinking anything right now made him sick to his stomach.

A very expensive white car rolled up in front of the building, and Eren figured it was Erwin’s. He ran out the door and threw himself into the passenger seat. Under better circumstances, Eren would admire the exterior and revel in the thrill of the luxurious interior, but right now only Levi was on his mind.

Erwin wasted not a second and he sped down the road to the hospital. Adrenaline kicked in and Eren felt anxiety crawl up his skin. He covered his face in his hands, rubbing his temples and trying to assure himself that Levi would be fine. His elbows dug into his thighs painfully from where they were resting.

As Erwin drove with one hand, he rubbed Eren’s back with the other. “Let’s be optimistic, Eren. We have to believe that everything will be okay.” It was kind of Erwin to try to remain calm to act as a beacon of hope, but it was obvious that even he was worried sick.

The city seemed so much darker and more evil after having heard the news. The otherwise lively and bright lights and sounds of Trost suddenly became so lonely and underhanded. Even the sky was turning a heavy gray as it condensed with thick clouds.

Eren’s leg bounced up and down in anticipation as they sped through. He kept running his hands through his hair, and he fisted his fingers in his locks almost painfully hard as he clawed his bangs back from his face. The strands straining against his scalp was probably the first real sensation he’s felt since Erwin called him.

Erwin skidded to a stop in the parking lot of the ER. Eren burst out of his seat and ran through the doors, Erwin hot on his trail.

To the far side of the room, the emergency room waiting lobby had a few people sitting silently. A man read a magazine with a mask over his mouth. A mother was holding her crying child. A couple was rocking their infant in her carry-on. There was a fish tank against the wall that looked so fucking annoying all of a sudden, with a collection of rainbow fish swimming around completely oblivious to the pain and suffering in the room.

Eren reached the receptionist at the desk with a puff of breath.

“Hello, sir,” she said calmly. “What’s the issue tonight?”

Erwin opened his mouth to speak but Eren beat him to it. “Levi Ackerman. He was admitted here today. Where is he?” He rested his arms on the counter and his eyes bore into her intensely as he waited for a response _. Please, God, let him be okay._

The receptionist typed into her computer and scrolled through it. She nodded. “Mr. Ackerman is in room 237 of the ICU, which is down the hall to the left. But we usually only allow family mem-“

 _237, ICU,_ was the only thing Eren retained from that and he ran into the double doors without permission. Erwin brisked behind him.

“Sir!” the receptionist called from her desk.

Eren sprinted past sleepy nurses, people in wheelchairs, waiting areas, TVs, and carts with supplies, linens, and food. His world was hued by the muted blue colors of the interior, and the smell of sterility and death was hitting him like a hard reminder.

 _Levi’s strong. He’ll be fine. He’ll be fine. He’ll be fine,_ Eren kept telling himself.

He seemed to come to dead end. He looked around at the room numbers and signs, trying to figure out the right path.

The nurses and patients Eren brushed past were now giving him a dirty look, but they resumed their business shortly. With Eren stopping for a second, Erwin had a chance to catch up.

A nurse found Eren looking around frantically. “Do you need something, sweetie?”

“Do you know where room 237 is?”

She pointed the perpendicular hallway behind her. “It’s at the end of that hall there. Odd-numbered rooms are on the left.”

Eren began running again, too consumed in his anxiety to pay attention to his surroundings. Erwin thanked her solemnly on his behalf and starting jogging in Eren’s wake.

And Eren ran as fast as his long legs would let him. _Levi would be fine, Levi would be fine._ His vision was beginning to blur from the tears welling up in his eyes, and he wiped them away harshly.

 _Room 237_. He found it. Eren came to a stop and looked through the glass square in the door.

His face softened in pity at the sight.

Eren burst into the room, Erwin coming in very close behind with much effort.

Eren flew to the bedside where Levi sat laying like a corpse. He looked horrible. His face was covered in dark, cloudy bruises. All over, there were fresh cuts that looked like they were caused by glass shards. The whole left side of his face was swollen and his eyes were shut. His neck was held up by heavy neck brace. Eren’s eyes darted to the contractions attached to him. The heart rate monitor that showed Levi’s weak pulse. The IV drip. The thick blue tubes. The needles. The pulse detector around his finger.  Eren watched the oxygen mask over Levi’s mouth cloud very slowly and weakly with each breath he took.

Erwin took in the sight and rubbed his face and the bridge of his nose stressfully. He couldn’t bear to look. He turned his back away slightly.

It was overhwhelming. Eren felt his vision blur from the hot tears again, and he wiped them away with palm of his hand. He touched Levi’s hand gingerly, also very bruised, and got on his knees beside the bed.

“Levi,” he whispered. “Levi… please wake up. Please.”

Levi slowly opened his one eye that wasn’t swollen shut and saw Eren’s worried face. He tried to hold Eren’s hand back, but he winced in pain and gave up.

“Hey,” Levi uttered. His chest rose and fell slightly as he gathered all his energy to speak.

“Levi,” Eren sobbed. “Erwin’s here, too.” He rested his head on Levi’s chest and gripped the blanket that was covering him.

Levi winced in pain again. Eren was unaware of the damage beneath the blanket.

“Gentlemen, you can’t be in here,” a nurse who was in the room all along said sternly from her clipboard.

Eren completely ignored her and gently stroked a part of Levi’s bicep that wasn’t colored in bruises. Tears flowed down his face freely.

Erwin ignored her, too. His eyes were red from tears that couldn’t seem to come out at the heartbreaking sight of his best friend.

The nurse tried again, this time speaking mainly to Eren. “Sir, Mr. Ackerman is in critical condition, and you need to get off of him because he has broken ribs.”

Eren sniffled and got off Levi’s chest quickly. “I’m sorry, Levi. I had no idea.” He cried harder.

Levi’s heart rate on the monitor was getting weaker and slower. “…Eren,” he said, with a boatload of energy. Eren stopped crying for a second and stared at Levi to hear what he had to say.

“Don’t cry, baby boy… everything’s… okay.” His voice was muffled from the mask and his words were thick and strained.

From the hallway, there were more running footsteps and someone’s voice. “Ma’am!”

Petra burst into the room, albeit without permission, and shut the door behind her. She took in the views of the room and her face softened when she saw Levi. Immediately, she covered her face in her hands and began sobbing.

“Miss, I’m afraid you can’t be in here,” the nurse said. She tried to maintain her strict voice, but she couldn’t bear to the bad guy in this room full of grieving people.

Petra walked into Erwin’s arms and he held her comfortingly. She sobbed into his chest.

“He’ll be okay,” Erwin told her. “He never goes down without a fight.”

But things were looking bleak. Levi’s heart rate was dropping by the second. The nurse fiddled with his contraptions and adjusting his needles.

Eren stroked the hair that was matted over Levi’s forehead back with his fingers. “I love you, Levi. I love you, I love you.” He kept crying and snot ran down his nose, but he couldn’t give a damn.

“I love…” an inhale. “You…too,” another difficult breath. “Eren.”

Levi’s heart rate was dangerously low, and the monitor was flashing red as a warning.

The nurse brisked over. “Sir, you need to leave now, this is not good.”

Petra looked up from Erwin’s arms, her face red and wet from tears. Erwin noticed the monitor and his heart pounded.

The nurse frantically went back over to her station and spoke into a mouthpiece. “I need assistance! And security. He’s slipping away.”

 _Slipping away?! NO!_ Eren began sobbing again, and he watched helplessly as Levi’s unswollen eye drifted close.

He clutched the blanket tightly and his fingers stroked Levi’s face gingerly. “Stay with me, Levi. Stay with me. Please stay, please stay,” he begged.

It all happened in a second.

A doctor, some nurses, and a team of security guards flooded into the room. Levi’s heartrate spiked twice, and with all eyes in the room fixed on the monitor,

He flatlined.

Eren sobbed loudly and buried his head into the blanket. Petra whimpered and she started crying uncontrollably into Erwin’s chest. Erwin, who was struggling to let go, finally cried heavy tears into Petra’s hair, his back shaking with his sobs.

Eren found strange hands grip his arms and pull him up. Two security guards tried to pry him away from Levi.

He put up as much a struggle as he could. He flailed around and kicked his legs. “LET ME GO! FUCK OFF!”

But as much as he twisted and squirmed, he felt their grips get stronger and his feet were dragging on the floor as they carried him out the door. With his shirt ridden up in the struggle, he looked through all the bodies in the room at Levi, the love of his life, in a state that he just couldn’t accept.

There was a flurry of sounds and voices. They all entered Eren’s ears, but none of them were registering. “Sir, stop struggling.” “Follow me.” “Check his blood.” “This is for your own good.” “Sir, please.”

As he kept uselessly flailing around, he saw two guards take Erwin and Petra out the door by each of their arms. He saw the nurses and doctor around Levi’s bed, their commanding voices communicating stats to each other.

The door was swinging closed, and Eren heard one last thing:

“Time of death: 2227.”

\--

Eren bolted upright in the bed, his collar and face soaked with sweat.

His eyes darted around the dark room, heart pounding. But there he was. Levi’s body was beside him, fast asleep.

 _It was just a dream._ It was the sweet relief that washed over him that caused Eren to start sobbing uncontrollably.

And just like a mother was attuned to wake up to her infant’s cries, Levi was immediately awake at the sounds of Eren’s distress.

He reached over to turn on the bedside light, still a bit confused. “What the hell…? he grumbled.

When the light was switched on, Eren crawled over to Levi and took him into his arms.

“Eren? What’s… what’s wrong, love?” He was still shrouded in the clutches of sleep. _Shouldn’t he be the one comforting Eren, not the other way around…?_

“Levi…” Eren said between sobs. “Th-there was… and you were in the… the c-car crash… you’re safe, now.” He wrapped his arms around Levi’s neck and lay his head on his.

“Slow down, Eren. It’s okay. I’m here.”

“You’re here,” Eren repeated. And with a much softer voice, after his crying subsided a bit, “Please don’t leave me, Levi.” Quiet tears flowed down his cheeks.

“I would never, baby. I’m not going anywhere. Just a nightmare,” he assured.

Eren held Levi’s strong shoulders possessively for a long while, his long legs wrapped around his torso.

That dream was wicked vivid, and Eren could still remember every detail. The picture of Levi’s battered face in the hospital room sent shivers down his spine and more silent tears flowed. He couldn’t live with himself if that happened for real. But Levi was here. In one piece. Eren would hold him for as long as he needed to.

Levi tried to put the pieces together. Eren mentioned a car crash. Maybe he died in the dream. _What tragic thing to wake up from_. He patted Eren’s leg soothingly.

As morning approached, Eren’s hold on Levi only got suffocatingly tighter, and his tears were quieted down to shaking sniffles.

He had to get out of the house soon. But he didn’t want to leave Levi all by himself. What a fucking dilemma.

With a lot of bargaining and pleading, Levi finally managed to convince Eren that he was just fine. His heart warmed that Eren was so shaken up and concerned about him, but the poor thing didn’t have to worry so much about a dream.

Eren cautiously unwrapped his arms and legs from Levi, and they got up to start the day.

At breakfast, Eren insisted on fixing Levi his coffee- just the way he liked it. He was grappling with the idea of requesting that Levi stay at home today. That dream could’ve been a prophecy… or like a bad omen or something.

In the end, he bit his tongue and let Levi go to work. But his mood was blue and he was uncomfortable for the rest of the day.

\--

Later that day, Eren waited nervously for Levi to return home so that they could have dinner together.

Just when he considered calling, the lock clicked with keys and Levi came in with his briefcase in hand.

Once again, relief washed over Eren and he ran up to Levi for a hug.

“You’re here. You’re okay,” he breathed into black hair.

“Yes, Eren. You had nothing to worry about.” He put his briefcase down and pressed Eren’s waist closer.

“Silly. Of course I need to worry. I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

By the end of their dinner and TV cuddling session, Eren’s anxiety and uneasiness from the nightmare had mostly dissolved. Levi was here. All of him. If anything, the dream just reminded him of how much love he had for this wonderful man.

With one more surge of relief, Eren puckered his lips and smooched Levi on the cheek. He looked at him with bright green eyes. “I love you.”

\--

The week flew by with the flow of routine. With Friday here, the excitement of the weekend’s events filled the air.

In the evening, Eren played video games while Levi finished a report he was working on in his study. He was focused and in the zone.

Levi emerged from the hallway and was heading to the kitchen, but he stopped when he noticed Eren.

He came up from behind the couch so that he didn’t block the screen and rested his arms on it. “I didn’t know you wore glasses,” he mused.

Eren paused his game and turned to face Levi. “I usually only wear them to read. Do you like ‘em?” He grinned.

Levi took Eren’s face into his hands and squeezed his cheeks together. The black rims of Eren’s glasses complimented his emerald lookers, and his chocolate hair curled around the frames cutely. “I love them. You’re simply adorable.” He pressed an admiring kiss into Eren’s bangs.

With a giggle, Eren turned back around and resumed his game.

From where he was fixing himself tea in the kitchen, Levi called out. “What are you thinking for dinner, darling?”

Eren’s eyes were fixated on the screen, his fingers flying methodically over the controller. “Ahh…” he thought. “Takeout? Please.”

“You got it.” Levi took out his phone and made the call.

-

Levi spread out all the food he bought onto the coffee table in front of the TV. Eren found them something to watch- a cooking competition show. After they’ve both taken samples from each of the white takeout boxes onto their plates, they got comfortable and began the show.

By the end of the show, most of the white boxes were empty and their plates were stacked on top one another’s with the chopsticks on them.

Eren cracked open his fortune cookie and read the slip as he crunched. “’Now is the time to try something new’.” He winked at Levi with his cheeky smile. “Oh, I want to try many new things with you, Levi.”

Levi laughed and opened his own cookie. “’A good way to keep healthy is to eat more Chinese food’.”

They laughed at the dumb fortune and Eren collapsed into Levi’s lap. He reached up with his slender fingers and stroked his jawline. “Did you finish that report from earlier?”

“I did.”

“Mm.”

They got up and did the dishes together- Levi scrubbing and Eren on drying duty. This was the part of the day where they told each other anecdotes from their work and talked about their days. So domestic and familiar… and they were so stupidly in love.

After dishes, they showered and dressed together and climbed into bed for their last cuddle session before sleeping.

Eren’s straddled his legs around Levi’s hips and nuzzled his nose into the crook of his pale throat.

“Mmm… you smell so good…” Eren whispered. It was intoxicating.

Levi responded by squeezing Eren’s ass in his hands, one of his favorite things to do.

Eren lifted his head and stole a kiss from his lips, quick and unexpected. He bit his lip.

Levi stole a kiss back, a bit harder and louder. He smirked.

And Eren was liking where this was going. He placed his hands on Levi’s strong shoulders and went back in for a kiss attack- a flurry of unrelenting kisses to every inch and corner of his mouth.

When he came back up to allow Levi to have some air, he gazed into his smoky gray eyes- those deep-set eyes that always looked sleep-deprived and dark. _So hot!_

Eren leaned in to Levi’s ear and made his voice husky. “Mmm… Levi. You’re so fucking sexy. Have my babies?” he asked innocently.

“What the hell, Eren?” he laughed. Although, it was strangely not the weirdest thing he’s heard his impish young boyfriend say.

Eren smiled and admired the way Levi’s chest shook while he laughed. His laughs were so rich and musical… he could listen to them all day.

Eren rubbed his nose innocently against Levi’s, closing his eyes and basking in the intimacy.

Levi separated and looked at Eren’s face. “How many babies do you want?”

Eren placed his hand on Levi’s heart and pretended to be lost in thought. “Hmmm... with you? Ten.”

Levi laughed loudly again and tackled Eren to the mattress, showering him in silly kisses.

\--

Saturday night was date night, and Eren has been looking forward to it all week.

They were buckled into Levi’s Aston, looking forward through the windshield.

“Where to, baby?” Levi asked.

“We always go to my choices. I want you to be able to pick, too. Where do you wanna go?”

 _How thoughtful of him._ “Where do I want to go…? Levi mused to himself. “I do know a place. It’s a bit of a long drive and not nearly as exciting as your picks, though.”

“Let’s go!” Eren said excitedly.

\--

It was indeed a long drive, but Eren found himself looking at a part of the city he’s never seen before. Plus, any trip was exciting with Levi.

“Here we are.” Levi put the car in park.

They were at a quaint plaza in the quiet outskirts of the city.

“We’re actually in Sina right now,” Levi said. “I like to start out with coffee.”

They walked into small coffee shop and got their signatures orders. Eren even got a donut.

With their treats in hand, Levi took him a bit beyond into a winding trail that led into a very nice park.

“Before I moved to Trost, I came to this park a lot,” Levi explained. “It was my favorite place to think and relax. Sometimes I jogged here.”

They walked down the park’s trail while they sipped their coffee. Eren munched his glazed donut, and held it out to Levi to let him have a bite.

“Mm.” Levi washed down the donut with his coffee. He sighed contently.

“How’s the coffee?” Eren asked. It was a trick question- and there was only one right answer.

“I like your coffee best of all, Eren.” _Good answer._

“Yes, you do!” Eren said proudly. _Stroke my ego, baby!_

The park was well-manicured and picturesque- a bit different than the one that Eren’s been to in Trost, which was a bit overcrowded and a breeding ground for mischievous activities. Eren has fucked in that park several times with people before, he now realized. … _Anyway._

This park had freshly mowed grass, meticulously trimmed bushes and topiaries, even statues and cute little gardens. It was like a scaled-up version of the private park at Erwin’s apartment complex.

With the donut eaten, Eren laced his fingers in Levi’s as they browsed the sights around them. They came across a large marble fountain, where they sat on the ledge.

Eren put down his coffee and fished out his wallet from his jacket. He reached for a few quarters and tossed them into the fountain. Levi noticed he also did that in mall fountains.

“Why do you do that? With the coins,” Levi said. He took a sip and watched Eren’s quarters drop into the clear pool.

“It’s lucky! Good things will come our way,” Eren said mystically. “It’s also just fun to throw.”

With Eren’s good luck charms sitting at the bottom of the fountain along with the wishes of others, they continued traveling down the path.

The trail was illuminated by soft lampposts, and they walked underneath a wisteria trellis that covered them in an air of romance. It smelled lovely, too.

They reached a bench that overlooked a river.

“The real treat of this park is this view,” Levi said. They sat down on the bench and Eren’s eyes sparkled at the sight.

“Whoa…”

They were looking at the most magnificent angle of a cityscape, illuminated by the colorful lights and contrasted spectacularly against the night sky. The lights of the buildings sparkled in the reflection of the river.

Levi squeezed Eren’s hand. “That’s Trost.”

Eren was speechless, so instead he scooted closer to Levi and enjoyed the view silently.

They finished their coffee, so very soothing and warm in the cool evening air.

Eren took each of their empty cups and aimed them into a nearby wastebin like basketballs. He made both shots.

Levi clapped for him amusedly, and Eren acted out an exaggerated bow and flexed fake muscles before sitting back down. Levi chuckled at his playfulness.

Eren snaked his arms around Levi’s bicep and rested his head on his shoulder.

Levi kissed his head and rested his own head on Eren’s.

They admired the view together, grateful to share such a wonderful thing with each other. They started talking about something, and something led to anything and everything.

Eren was telling Levi how he used to run track in high school, and Levi said he never played in a team but he used to fight in a boxing club.

“Do you still talk to any of your friends from high school?” Eren asked.

“Yes, two; Isabel and Farlan. They’re quite the adventurous duo. They travel a lot though, so I don’t see them often.”

“What are they like?” Eren nuzzled closer, they way he always did when he listened to Levi’s stories.

“Oh… they were a trip,” Levi reminisced with a smile. “We used to always skip class and get into trouble. And later on we had some run-ins with the law.”

Levi told Eren about their shenanigans, like the time the three of them accidentally discovered a meth lab, and they were tied up and held knives to their throats so they wouldn’t tell the police.

Eren looked up Levi in awe. “Did you guys ever get arrested?”

Levi nodded. “Yes. Several times, for different reasons. For me, I used to get into a lot of fights so I mainly had assault charges. Isabel and Farlan got involved with a lot of con work.”

“Whoa…” Eren breathed.

“Eren, I’m not encouraging you,” Levi chuckled. “This was a long time ago. Please don’t get inspired.”

“That’s so cool, though! When Isabel and Farlan come around, you’ll definitely introduce me, right?”

“Of course I will. Actually, I already told them about you a while ago. They’re excited to meet you.”

“Aww, you told your friends about me?”

“Well, yeah. You’re my precious little boyfriend, after all. Why wouldn’t I?”

Eren smiled. _Levi was so cool and badass!_ It was so interesting to see how someone as refined and polite as he was could have such an action-packed background.

And Eren’s heart fluttered doubly that Levi told Isabel and Farlan about him.

“I learned so much about you today, Levi. I’m so glad. I could listen to you talk all day.”

Levi slipped his arm out of Eren’s grasp and wrapped it around his shoulders to hold him closer. “You’re the sweetest thing. I could listen to you talk all day, too.”

Eren held the hand that was draped over his shoulders and craned his neck up for a kiss.

Their faces were glowing from the colorful lights of the city beyond, making their smooch all the more romantic.

Eren closed his eyes and smiled against Levi’s shoulder. His heart still fluttered like an idiot.

“Are you hungry, love? I know a place nearby.”


	37. Vanilla

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter today, just a little thing of cuteness and fluff with our boys. Think of it as an apology for the slight angst these last two chapters. I've been told some of you read this fic to relax, which is way too adorable of you guys. Warms my wheezy heart!

Levi and Eren fit ever so perfectly as they slept- Levi assuming the role of big spoon and Eren, little.

Sundays are so lovely and domestic and cozy. Was there any sweeter way to end the week?

Levi sighed deeply as he woke, and then he inhaled Eren’s distinct scent. His cowlick curled away from the nape of his neck, which left that sensitive spot exposed and vulnerable.

With a smile, Levi blew some some warm breath on it, and then brushed his lips against it in a fleeting kiss.

Now, normally Eren wouldn’t wake up early unless he absolutely needed to, and even when he did, he was grumbly and pouty. But Levi’s unfair attack to his weak spot sent tingles down his spine and pulled the corners of his lips into a smile.

“Mm. Tickles. Stop.” Eren’s morning voice was thick and whiny. And Levi wanted to hear more.

He nibbled the exposed skin gently, wrapping his arms to hold Eren closer and tighter so that he couldn’t escape.

Eren flinched and drew his neck in to try to protect himself, but a quiet laugh left through his nose. “Levi!”

He kept nipping and sucking kisses into the nape of Eren’s neck, completely aware of the effect it had. He moved his hands down Eren’s hips and pressed them flush against his own, and when he heard Eren’s gentle gasp, he found the front of his boxers to realize that he had a case of morning wood.

Levi wasn’t surprised in the slightest. Eren was always ready for action.

He thrusted his hips softly against Eren’s ass, and he heard another sigh of content. Eren reached his hand around to Levi’s thigh in a silent request for him to keep going.

Levi started moving his hips slowly and in rhythm. There was no need to talk now, just quiet indulgence between the two of them. Sex was often a bit of a show and an exchange of demands and pleasure, but right now, in the soft morning air, there was no need to speak. Little effort, low pressure.

He closed his eyes and continued grinding his crotch against Eren’s firm ass, and he could feel himself getting aroused. He listened to Eren’s soft sounds of pleasure- a gasp, a sigh, a whimper. Eren was getting close already- he usually liked to be jacked off to completion, but the very idea of what Levi was doing to him right now was enough to make him cum as well. He gripped Levi’s thigh harder as he approached.

With their bodies moving fluidly against each other, Levi buried his nose into Eren’s neck. His slow grinding was beginning to turn into dry humping, since he could feel his erection rub into Eren’s ass.

 _Levi feels so good… keep going…_ Eren thought. This really blurred the lines between his dreams and being awake. He hasn’t opened his eyes yet since he woke, and frankly, he didn’t need to. He loved that he could be pleased with such low maintenance. Early morning fucking was fun, but this was amazing, too.

Levi thrusted in a particular angle that had Eren almost at his limit. A gasp. One more precise thrust, and Eren felt his boxers moisten with a small leaking of cum.

He curled up and cuddled his pillow as he rode the slow waves of his orgasm.

With a satisfied smirk, Levi unwrapped his arms and lay on his back. He took a deep breath.

And Eren was done climbing down, so he lazily climbed over and lay on Levi’s body.

His eyes stayed closed, but he nuzzled into Levi’s chest.

“Good morning, sleepyhead.” Levi stroked Eren’s bed head gently to rouse him.

“Mm.”

“Sleep well?”

Eren curled up and tucked his arms in. His hands were warmer between the crook of his neck and Levi’s chest. “Mm-hm.”

“You were never an early bird, huh, sleepy boy?” Levi chuckled.

Eren was already shrouded in the confines of sleep, and his orgasm made him even more tired. But he was also feeling good. Levi was massaging his scalp with gently scratches.

He finally opened his eyes, dark circles included. He reached up and placed a loving kiss on Levi’s jaw.

“Why do you like getting up at the ass crack of dawn?” Eren asked with a grumbly voice. He rubbed the crust from his eyes. “Are you a sadist?”

“A sadist…?” Levi mused. He kept scratching Eren’s scalp. “No… I don’t think so.”

Eren smacked his chest. “Rhetorical question, silly. But seriously, I need to teach you the art of sleeping in.”

Levi laughed. “Also, it’s not dawn, love. It’s 10:30.”

“Sounds like dawn to me.” He sighed and nuzzled into the crook of Levi’s neck.

“You’d sleep through breakfast and lunch if I let you.”

“You’re right!” Eren laughed admittedly. “Speaking of which, let’s go to a pancake house today.”

“You got it. But first I want to get a workout in. I’m going a bit soft at the gut.”

Eren sat up in surprise and stared at Levi. Were they looking at the same body? The same defined pectoral muscles and chiseled abs? “Um. You consider this soft, Levi?” Eren knocked on his hardened stomach.

“It may not look it, but I’m feeling slower and weaker. And I’m losing energy. We can’t all be effortlessly beautiful like you, Eren.”

Eren grinned. “I’ll join you today. I’ve been ditching Reiner at our gym meets lately so I’m gonna run to make up for it.”

“Shall we start the day, then?”

They brushed and washed together. In their gym getup, Eren followed Levi down the elevator to the gym.

Eren always walks by it, but he’d never been inside. The equipment was new and state-of-the-art, and there were private training rooms which Eren loved. Not many people worked out on Sundays, so there were only a few others in the gym.

Levi wrapped bandages around his fists and went into a training room. Eren slid a headband on to keep his bangs off his face while he ran, and then he hopped on a treadmill.

Eren was glad he tagged along today. Even though he had a fast metabolism and hardly ever put on weight, he felt out of breath faster. He struggled and puffed through his several miles.

Meanwhile in the training room, Levi warmed up by jumping rope for a while, and then began his rigorous workout of push-ups and muscle training. It wasn’t long before his tank top and skin were drenched in sweat, and he started going at it with the punching bag.

Eren hopped off the treadmill, having reached a healthy limit. He panted as he lifted and stretched his legs from behind.

His armpits and back were wet with sweat. He was wearing one of his flimsy tank tops, or “rags”, as Levi called them. He found the training room that Levi went into and slipped in.

“Knock knock,” he said, and shut the door behind him. Levi was hopping back and forth slightly while fighting the punching bag.

“Whoa…” Eren had never seen Levi in his element like this. He was so strong and in control and serious… and _hot._

Levi paused for a second and rolled his wrists to stretch them. “Came to watch the show?” he smirked.

“Keep going, don’t let me interrupt.” Eren sat at a bench and smiled.

“Would you like to try?”

“Me?” Eren has had zero experience in fighting. He once jokingly punched Mikasa and she reflexively almost twisted his arm. That was when he realized that his best defense if he ever got into a fight was to run away.

“Yeah. Come here.” Eren stood in front of the punching bag, and he raised his arms defensively.

Levi pushed against his lower back to position him closer to the punching bag. “Go ahead and throw.”

Eren pursed his lips and punched the bag once. The sound was a weak slap. He looked at Levi with an expectant grin, like a student looking for validation from their teacher.

A smile pulled at the corners of Levi’s lips. Eren was precious. “That’s a good start. My advice is, pretend you’re punching a hole into it. Don’t stop on contact. Through, not on. Try again.”

Eren nodded and threw another punch. This one hit a lot harder and louder.

“You’re already getting better; good boy.” Eren beamed. “Keep your feet planted.” To help out, he held Eren in place by holding his stomach and lower back. He turned his hips for him a bit to put him in a better stance. “This time, throw twice. One in each hand.”

Eren couldn’t recoil or move around with Levi holding him steady like this. He gave a one-two punch, but his hands hurt after it. This attempt was a little more pathetic.

“What happened?” Levi asked gently. “Your last one was much better.”

Eren gave an exaggerated sigh. “I can’t focus. I have such a hot teacher,” he said melodramatically.

Eren was not trained for this. He was a runner; his body was made for agility and lightness. His lean and tight limbs helped with speed. Levi’s body was sturdy and built with bulk. His thick muscles were solid and provided strength.

Levi chuckled at the comment. “You can do it, baby. I believe in you.”

“Okay.” Eren winked and then took a deep breath. He did another one-two punch, remembering the advice about punching through the bag and staying grounded on his feet. The hits gave solid _smacks_ , and the bag recoiled slightly. It was Eren’s best attempt yet.

“Good boy. Look at you go,” Levi breathed proudly.

Eren brought his arms down and walked towards Levi for a hug. “I couldn’t have done it without you,” he moaned. He giggled and stole a quick kiss.

“You’re my best student yet.” Levi said. Eren was so silly. But he was hardworking and innocent. And that made any experience one to remember.

Levi pulled Eren’s waist in and pressed his lips to his. “Mm.”

They separated with admiring gazes. Levi wasn’t used to seeing Eren’s forehead exposed with his headband on. It was shiny with sweat. But as usual, Eren was very adorable.

“Wanna stretch with me?” Eren asked.

Eren went through his stretching routine, and Levi struggled to keep up. Levi might’ve had the upper hand in fighting, but Eren was a lot more flexible. And he was holding back laughs at Levi’s performance.

“Hold for ten seconds,” Eren said while holding his toes. Meanwhile, Levi couldn’t even reach his toes. It was either because he was short or his hamstrings weren’t flexible enough.

Eren got up and stood behind Levi’s back, pushing on his shoulders ever so slowly to help him reach his toes. “Reach! If it hurts, it means it’s working.”

Levi groaned very loudly in pain as Eren inched him closer to his toes. His legs felt like they were on fire. Maybe this is why he was always stiff.

“Stop! That’s as far as I go,” Levi hissed a few inches in.

“Alright. Hold it.”

Eren held Levi in place as his body shook trying to stretch. When ten long seconds passed, Eren loosened his hold and let Levi go.

He groaned in relief. Eren giggled. “You need to work on flexibility.”

Levi rolled his neck around. “Yeah, no kidding. I don’t know how you do it.”

“A little further every time. Baby steps.”

\--

At the pancake house, Eren ordered himself a feast as usual. Levi answered emails as they waited for their food.

Eren got a text from Armin:

_Erwin’s taking me to a museum today! I’m so excited!!_

Eren’s heart warmed for his friend.

 _Bring us a home run, cutie!_ He added the eggplant and kissy face emojis.

“Here you go,” the waitress sang as she put down their food. Eren’s stomach grumbled and he bounced a little in his seat.

They spoiled their entire workouts in syrup-drenched pancakes and buttery toast. Levi took out his phone and snapped a picture of a grinning Eren.

After the bill was handled, they headed back to Levi’s car to go back home and laze the day away together. Eren skipped and hopped and with a swing of his arm, he smacked Levi’s ass in the parking lot. Levi smacked him back harder, then squeezed his butt in a small massage. Eren yelped on contact and giggled.

\--

They watched a movie while cuddling on the couch. Eren nuzzled his head all over Levi’s face and the crooks of his neck, like a cat would. He just loved touching and getting rid of personal space.

A long time ago, Levi used to not like being touched. But Eren made him forget about that time of his life.

“Eren.”

He was rubbing his cheek against his chest. “Yeah?”

“Could you let me go for just a second?” he asked gently. “I need to go to the bathroom.”

Eren’s eyebrows furrowed but he didn’t stop. “Mm. I’ll come with you.”

Levi laughed and pried Eren off of him. “No, baby. I’ll be right back.”

With Levi’s warm body so very far away, Eren found himself bored. He checked his messages. Armin’s date was going well:

_Eren, I’m freaking out he’s so hot and he knows so much about everything he’s totally gonna be my husband!!_

_Holding his arm --_ _à holding his hand!!!!!!_

_He took me to a cute spot for lunch!_

_WE KISSED IN THE CARRRRRRRRRRRR!!!_

_HE’S TAKINGGGGG ME BACK TO HIS PLACE CJJHUJHNCWNCWNJVNJWIJS_

Eren had only one thing to say to that:

_Bust it open, baby bird!!_

And Armin must’ve been really horny because that phrase no longer embarrassed him:

_I just might!_

Eren laughed and sent good vibes his way. Levi came back from the bathroom, and Eren waited for him with open arms. Levi picked him up and took him back on his body. He reached for the coffee table for his tablet.

Eren’s blanketed body lay on Levi as he absentmindedly watched the movie. They didn’t speak. Sundays were all for being lazy and low-maintenance.

By the time the movie ended, Eren was snoozing away on Levi’s chest. Levi stroked his hair softly.

-

Meanwhile in Erwin’s apartment, Armin was curled up In Erwin’s lap, and he listened to him talk about his trip to New York. He fit just right on Erwin’s large body, and he looked up with awe in his eyes. The reclining chair they were on was perfect for storytelling.

“…so that’s why you need to tell the cab driver that you’re familiar with the area, otherwise they’ll take a longer route and charge you more. Isn’t that strange?” Erwin laughed.

Armin always learned something new when he talked to this hunk of a man. And he was blushing like crazy. They were so close!

He responded by leaning up slowly and pecking an innocent kiss to Erwin’s jaw. “Yeah, that’s pretty strange.” His face flared up even more, so he hid it by burying it in Erwin’s chest.

Erwin smiled and kissed him back, on the top of the head. “You’re a good listener, dear.”

“And you’re a good speaker.” Armin smiled into Erwin’s chest, inhaling the clean, welcoming scent.

-

Eren woke up from his little cat nap and sighed.

“Hey, sweetheart.” Levi played with a strand of chocolate brown hair between his fingers.

“Hey, hot stuff.” Eren reached up and licked a solid stripe on Levi’s cheek in greeting.

Levi chuckled and wiped his cheek. “Gross.”

A sparkle gleamed mischievously in Eren’s eyes. He reached his hand down and palmed Levi’s crotch. “I can show you how gross I can be.”

“You know,” Levi smiled, “for once I would like to please you like a normal person.”

Fake hurt flashed in Eren’s eyes. He looked offended. “Levi, I’m not _completely_ nasty. I like taking it vanilla, too!” And it was true: while Eren more liked taking it rough and dirty more often than not, he did sometimes crave some sweet, slow lovin’ during sex. He was skilled in both methods.

He leaned down to Levi’s lips and smiled sweetly. Then, he went in with a slow, explorative kiss. He closed his eyes and breathed through his nose. “See?”

“Let’s have it vanilla, then, baby.”

-

After a long afternoon of gentle, slow sex, Eren and Levi collapsed on the mattress with content smiles.

“You’re delightful,” Levi breathed.

Eren climbed on top of him so that they were looking into each other’s eyes. He drew the covers over them. “So are you.”

They were quiet for a while, basking in the memory of their activities.

Eren traced shapes on Levi’s bare chest with his finger absentmindedly. “Levi, tell me your kinks. What are your fantasies?”

“My fantasies?” Levi mused. “Well… I would like to see these long legs of yours-“ he reached down beneath the covers and squeezed Eren’s thigh, “in some thigh-high socks one day.”

Eren laughed. “I can make that happen for you!” He smooched Levi’s chest lovingly.

“What about you, love? What are your kinks?”

“Oh, Jesus, Levi, that’s a long fucking list!” Eren’s eyes sparkled. “So sit back and relax and have your popcorn!”

It was a very long, explicit hour as Eren explained the things he was into. Some were quite simple and standard, like biting and licking. But others were very specific and vulgar. Eren mentioned wanting Levi to cum all over him, and then take pictures of his soiled body.

It was also no surprise that Eren was into public sex and dangerous situations, which Levi struggled with the idea of fulfilling. This boy was going to push his limits, if nothing else.

Eren rested his chin on his hands innocently. “And that’s my list! I may have forgotten a few things, but those are the main ones.”

“Wow…” Levi said. He brushed Eren’s bangs aside with his fingers. “You’re quite the playful thing. I don’t know if I can help with all of those, darling.” Admittedly, Eren’s list was a bit intimidating.

“Not to worry, my dear Levi. We’ll start small.”

\--

After Levi fed him dinner, he retreated into his study to work. Eren watched TV on the couch lazily for the rest of the night.

It was almost 2 am now. Where did the time go?

It hurt to blink, since Eren’s been staring at the screen in the dark for a long time. With a yawn, he padded into Levi’s office.

There he was, working so diligently and quietly. The lamp near the desk was the only source of light.

Eren came up from behind and wrapped his arms around those broad shoulders. “It’s time for bed now, Mr. Ackerman,” he whispered.

Levi smiled and shut his laptop, holding Eren’s arms to him. It was a question he always found himself asking- what did he do to deserve such a sweet thing?

He got up and rolled his neck around. “Let’s go to sleep, then, Mr. Jaeger.” He followed Eren to the bedroom.


	38. Hotel Heat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's my birthday today :3c 
> 
> So as a gift to myself and to you guys, have some good ol' filthy hotel fucking! (Hope you're ready for a chapter that's mainly shameless smut with our fave baby boys!)

Another week passed, and Friday was here. Just like the crispy fall leaves on the street were excited by little swirling gusts of wind, the city was alive and cheery with autumn spirit.

Eren was in the kitchen brewing a cup of coffee for Levi, who was reclused in his study hard at work. He had been spending more and more time in his office; perhaps Survey Corp. was receiving more business that needed Levi’s attention? At any rate, the best Eren could do to help out was to fix little pick-me-ups the best way he knew how.

He carried over the piping hot mug of black coffee over to Levi’s study. The door was shut, but not locked, just like always. It was to block out the distracting sounds of the TV in the living room.

“Knock knock,” Eren called at the turning of the knob. It was the usual sight- Levi’s strong back sitting at the slightly reclined leather chair; the white light of the nearby lamp illuminating the scene; the surrounding bookshelves and filing cabinets and the metal safe. The room smelled vaguely of papers and pine freshener, as well as Levi’s distinct cologne.

Levi didn’t turn around, but he did acknowledge Eren’s presence. “Hey, sweetheart,” he sighed, work-weary and bored. His eyes remained fixated on the laptop screen.

Eren set down the mug beside the stack of papers on the desk, and then wrapped his arms around Levi’s shoulders. “Hey, yourself. I think you can use some coffee.”

Levi took the handle of the mug and brought it to his lips, taking a small gulp. It was evident that he needed it; he shut his eyes and sighed contently. “Mm. Just how I like it. Thank you, Eren.”

“You’re welcome. Do you have much more to do today?”

He took another gulp and put his free arm on the armrest. “Not particularly. I’m actually just finishing up a report. It was a busy week at the company, and I also received several new clients.”

“I can tell- I’ve hardly seen you all week!”

It was true. Normally, they try to at least have dinner together and catch up on each other’s days. But this week, it seemed like a whole lot of Eren getting takeout or ordering a pizza, and Levi’s “I’m busy, baby, I’ll spend time with you later”, and in the end the two of them just eating separately. Then they would climb into bed together late at night, and by that time Levi would be so exhausted from work that the both of them would just go to sleep without much else. It wasn’t either of their ideal ways to pass the days, but it was what it was.

“I know, and I’m sorry, my dear, I really am.” Levi rubbed Eren’s arm in consolation. “I’ve been neglecting you lately, haven’t I?”

“I just miss you, is all.” Eren leaned down and kissed the top of his glossy black hair.

“I missed you, too. I promise, I’ll just wrap up this last report, and we’ll start the weekend together. I’ll take you out to dinner. Sound good?”

Eren gave his shoulders a quick massage while he talked. “Sounds good!”

\--

After Levi finished his mug of coffee as well as his report, they finally got ready for dinner. With the dropping temperatures, Eren could finally wear his beanie- the one Levi gifted him in the beginning of their relationship.

Trees of oranges and rusty browns passed them by as they cruised through the city. They settled on an Italian restaurant- known for its authentic pasta.

Eren was so glad he finally had Levi all to himself. The week felt kind of lonely, but the weekend would surely be filled with activities. For working so hard, all Eren wanted was for Levi to relax and breathe easy. When he became consumed in his work, he locked himself up and hardly took breaks. More often than not, Eren’s motherly instincts kicked in and he had to coax Levi to get him to bed or to drink something.

The restaurant was full of families and couples on this Friday evening. Flickering lights hung along the walls, and the tables were covered with white cloths- how ironic, considering all the potential pasta sauce spills. Foliage and plants decorated the restaurant, and there was an open deck to the back of the restaurant where guests could choose to eat under large umbrellas.

Levi and Eren sat at one of tables at a far wall in the room. The location was private enough that they could talk freely and be away from other guests.

Eren’s cute face across the table was a sight that Levi sorely missed. They caught up on each other’s weeks- Levi talking about his work and the clients he’s met, and Eren talking about coffee shop happenings and his classes.

A nice dinner like that had Levi up to energy again, which Eren noticed. Back in the Aston, Eren had his telltale grin on his face.

“Levi, let’s have sex.” Straightforward and innocently blunt- it was just Eren’s style.

“Not in my car, baby.” A firm, but gentle response- Levi was not surprised by Eren’s request or words in the slightest.

“But I don’t want to do it at home…” Eren thought out loud. He wanted to spice things up a bit. “Let’s get a hotel room! Wouldn’t that be fun?”

“A hotel room…?” Levi didn’t see why not. After being holed up in his office all week, a different atmosphere might be good for him. Plus, he wanted to give Eren anything he wanted, especially having spent little time with him as of late.

Eren waited patiently and expectantly, the smile on his face unwavering as he anticipated a response.

“Alright,” Levi smiled. “We can spend the night in a hotel. Let’s go home first and pack some overnight bags.”

“Yay! You’re the best, Levi!”

\--

It was a bit awkward to check into a hotel since they weren’t techinically traveling. The night was young, and the energy was high.

Of course Levi chose one of the most expensive hotels in the city. Four stars, at least. The huge building was visible a whole block away.

Levi parked the car and they headed towards the glass revolving door. At the cul-de-sac near the entrance, Eren saw a limosine dropping off some high-end guests- a few looking especially drunk out of their minds. He laughed at the stumbling people, who looked strange in their expensive dresses and suits.

They pushed through the door with their bags slung over their shoulders, and Eren couldn’t help feeling thrilled- his childlike side came through.

And they entered a spectacular lobby: rich, thick rugs; a high ceiling, plush couches in the waiting area; bell boys strolling around gold-finished suitcase carts. There were multiple chandeliers, twinkling like stars against the gold and neutral tones of the room. Just like with most new places Levi took him, Eren was awestruck and excited.

He followed Levi to the receptionist counter, and he turned to absorb more sights of the lobby while he listened to Levi converse with the lady.

“Hello, sir,” a sleepy but gentle young woman greeted. “Do you have a reservation with us today?”

“No reservation,” Eren heard Levi say. “I’ll have your luxury suite, please. For the rest of the night until 3 pm tomorrow.”

There was a humming and a clicking of a mouse as the receptionist filled the room for them. It was probably empty because not many people could afford the luxury room, even in such a fine hotel like this.

“Alright,” the receptionist smiled. She took Levi’s credit card and checked him in. She gave him a room key as well. “You should be all set, sir. Please enjoy your stay.”

“May I take your bags?” a bellboy waited for them a few feet away.

“No thanks, we’ll carry them,” Levi told him. The bellboy bowed slightly and walked away.

Eren watched a group of people laughing as they walked past, all cleaned up and dressed for a good time. Perhaps they were heading to a club?

“Levi, this place is so fancy!” Eren’s eyes were practically sparkling in the elevator. He’s been in plenty of hotels before, mainly with his parents, but this place took the cake.

“You like it, baby? Only the finest for you.”

Eren leaned down and lay an appreciative kiss on his jaw. He couldn’t wait to see what the room looked like- the lobby was impressive already.

There was a whole floor dedicated to the hotel’s two luxury suites. Eren took the room key out of Levi’s hand and ran ahead to their door- he was just so pumped!

The little black detector beeped with a green light after Eren inserted the card, and he burst into the room.

His jaw- as well as the bag in his hand- dropped.

The room was _fabulous_. Eren was immediately basked in a romantic vibe of deep reds and golds and dark woods. The king-sized beds (there were two) had tasseled canopies for privacy, fit for a royal to sleep in. There was a huge black TV atop a dark dresser. And _oh, my God!_ Eren thought. _Was that a balcony??_ He ran to the glass door and walked up to the ledge.

He was overlooking the busy street below from high above- the tops of the passing cars shining against the city lights. A gust of wind whipped his hair into his face and he laughed out loud. He ran back inside the room.

Levi was calmly unpacking some things from his bag, and he was shrugging off his jacket. He was used to luxury suites, but Eren’s excitement was infectious and he couldn’t help but smile.

Eren dashed around and dove stomach-first onto one of the beds, just like he did when he went into Levi’s bedroom for the first time. He laughed again as he bounced slightly against the mattress. The sheets smelled clean and crisp- like fresh laundry.

Even with his limbs fully sprawled out, Eren hardly took up half the bed. He rolled around, laughing a bit maniacally, and in his high he accidentally missed a roll back to the center and fell off the edge of the bed onto the floor with a _thud._

Levi was trying so very hard not to laugh at what he just saw, so instead he unsuccessfully tried to hide his smile and went to see if Eren was okay.

“Eren?” The boy was silently lying face-down on the floor.

His body shook a bit and he turned onto his back, only to resume his uncontrollable laughter.

Levi laughed as well as he helped him up. “Darling, I know you’re excited, but please be careful.”

“I can’t help it!” Eren giggled on his way up.

Levi changed into his pajamas and did last minute work check-ups on his tablet on the bed while Eren explored the room a bit more.

After Eren’s had the chance to roll around and jump on the other bed a bit more, he calmed down and changed into his pajamas as well.

“Whew! It’s like a palace in here!” Eren said. He climbed onto the bed Levi was in and crawled beneath his arm.

“It is, isn’t it?” Levi chuckled. Eren’s excitement was adorable. Every new place and experience was fun and fresh and new for him. _What a nice attitude to have towards life._

“We’ll have tons of fun tonight!” Eren smiled and planted a kiss to the cheek before slipping back out of his arm to get a drink from the minibar.

Levi shut his tablet and set it aside, stretching his arms out against the mountain of pillows behind him and then rested them behind his head.

Eren sat on the edge of the bed with his water bottle and the TV remote in his hand. “I wonder what shows they have…?”

Levi watched Eren’s back profile as he surfed through channels. _Was he looking for a specific one?_

Eren decided on something to watch, and he downed his water bottle. He was probably parched after all that running and rolling around he did.

When he was fully quenched, Eren threw his bottle into the wastebin and crawled towards Levi rather seductively. He sat atop Levi’s stomach, leaning down so their faces were inches apart.

“You’ve worked so very hard this week, Levi,” Eren purred. He stroked his cheeks with his elegant fingers. “I think you deserve to blow off some steam.”

Eren punctuated his sentence with a passionate kiss to the lips, deep and exploring and indulgent. Levi melted into the kiss with an exhale through the nose, and his hands came up to hold Eren’s head.

Their tongues swirled around, memorizing and tasting. Eren’s hands moved down to feel Levi’s strong chest, rubbing them firmly and making sure to brush his fingers past his nipples. He stuck his ass out so that his cock could have more friction against Levi’s abdomen.

They separated rather breathless. With a loud smooching sound effect, Eren dragged his lips off. Red and swollen- he bit at his lower lip with eyes hazed over in lust. “Mm. You’re so yummy, Levi.”

“So are you, my dear.”

Eren edged his fingers along Levi’s shirt and lifted his own hips so that he could peel it off. Slowly, each bit of Levi’s torso was coming into view- the thick veins that disappeared into his pants and climbed up to his belly button; the solid and chiseled abs; his carved serratus; the built and smooth pectoral muscles.

Eren took the shirt off from over Levi’s head, and then turned it inside out to fold it neatly and set it aside. He ran his hands up and down Levi’s torso, letting his fingers explore every dip and groove and surface.

Levi sat back and let Eren feel him up all he wanted. Admittedly, Eren’s touch was soothing and every drag of his fingers was tantalizingly electric. He grabbed Eren’s thighs as he peeled his own shirt off slowly, a bit teasingly, to allow Levi a selfish gaze of that tight stomach and the tops of his hips. Eren pretended to struggle and fumble with his shirt a bit, completely knowing of the little game he was playing. Levi knew the game, too.

“You like to tease me, huh, love?” Levi smiled. His hands traveled to Eren’s hips, holding them still.

“You know it, baby,” Eren moaned in an excessively sultry tone. With his shirt finally off, he tossed it onto Levi’s face playfully. Eren’s scent still clung to the shirt.

Eren got off of Levi’s body for a moment to pull down his pajama pants and underwear- all the way down his strong legs and off his feet. Levi took the shirt off his face and watched Eren quickly fold and set aside all the clothes they were shedding.

And now that Levi was fully naked, it was Eren’s turn to finish stripping. He stood on his knees and swayed his hips from side to side, dragging his fingers along his waistband but never quite pulling it down. He wanted to rile Levi up- make him grow impatient and wild and let himself go. And frankly, it was working.

Levi wanted to sit up and clap his hands on Eren’s hips to violently yank those pants down and run his nose along that smooth skin.

Eren finally pulled his pants down and off his legs, very unashamedly letting his erect cock bounce freely against his stomach. He folded his pants and placed them with the rest of their clothes.

“Levi…I’m so hard and wet for you…” Eren palmed his cock softly and climbed over his body once more. He leaned down to whisper in his ear.

“So listen, my amazing, hunky boyfriend…” Eren said, all the while rubbing himself up, “tonight I want you to have your way with me. Defile me.” Armin used that word before, and Eren was starting to love it. “I’m all yours.”

With a contradictory innocent peck to the cheek, he traveled back down Levi’s body and hovered over his cock to begin his work.

He usually took it in one go, but Eren was going to take a different route this time. He held the base of the shaft and started licking the head gently, keeping eye contact while he did it. His arms rested on Levi’s hips to get comfortable, and his tongue started to truly roam.

Eren voluntarily made his mouth water to make this a particularly messy and spitty blowjob. He alternated- letting long, translucent trails of saliva drip down from his tongue onto the shaft and his hand, then using said saliva to lubricate his pumping.

Levi’s hands found Eren’s head, and he curled his fingers into those soft brown locks as he continued growing more and more aroused.

Now, Eren was quickly bobbing his head up and down, keeping his lips tightly wrapped and sucking his cheeks in for a gloriously tight feeling. His bangs swished off his forehead each time he went down.

“Yesss, Eren, keep going, just like that,” Levi hissed. He shut his eyes to focus on the sensation on his crotch.

Eren responded with a validated moan, and the vibrations resonated wonderfully against Levi’s shaft, which elicited a soft grunt.

Eren swirled and curled his tongue around, tasting and feeling around the veins and plateaus of Levi’s cock. He kept moaning with his lips wrapped around it- knowing good and damn well that it was going to drive Levi nuts.

“Ugh…ughhhh…” Levi’s fingers fisted his locks tighter, and the pain on Eren’s scalp was intoxicating to him.

He popped off the tip with a suctioning sound, and sucked air between his teeth as he rather aggressively pumped Levi’s shaft up and down. “You like that, Levi? Do I make you happy?” His emerald eyes were cloudy with lust and arousal, and a bit of something else.

He didn’t quite wait for a response before going all the way back down the shaft, effortlessly burying Levi down his throat and breathing through his nose against the patch of soft black hair that lay above his cock.

Levi never figured out how this boy got rid of his gag reflex, but at the moment it didn’t really matter because Eren’s throat was so fucking tight and hot and comfortable. He could feel a bit of precum leak down his throat, but Eren was unperturbed.

“Fuck… shhhhhit!” Levi groaned loudly. He held Eren’s head down, relishing the feeling of Eren’s cool, soft hair between his fingers. “Ughhh.”

Eren didn’t gag at all, but he did somehow manage to move his tongue around a bit at the base of his mouth, which was a sensation that had Levi throwing his head back in a moan. Eren was balls-deep, and his face and ears were flushing a faint red as he waited for air.

Levi selfishly held Eren down for what felt like minutes, because a feeling that spectacular stretched time out, and it simultaneously went by too fast. Eren’s face was a true red now, his air supply running dangerously low.

But he didn’t tap out or force himself back up. Levi finally let his hold on Eren’s head go, and he came back up the shaft smoothly and expertly, taking a quiet, deep breath when he popped off the tip again.

The red in his face was already fading away with the much needed oxygen. “Yes, Levi! I want you to _use_ me, just like that!”

Eren was on the verge of suffocation just then, but he kind of liked the challenge. He loved that Levi was taking advantage of his skills. This man deserved all the pleasure in the world. And Eren was going to give it to him.

With Levi sufficiently sucked and pumped, he wanted to return the favor and start prepping Eren so they could start fucking.

But Levi was also going to stretch his limits tonight. He got up on his elbows and climbed up to a sitting position, leaning back on the excess of fluffy pillows behind him.

He patted his thighs twice, which after all they’ve been through, Eren came to learn meant “come here”. The brown-haired boy came on over, and lay on his back in front of Levi’s knees.

He didn’t know what to expect. A blowjob, perhaps? The usual fingerfucking? Crotch grinding? (That option was less probable, it was more Eren’s thing.) All Eren did know that whatever Levi was going to do to him, he was going to be damn good at it.

With almost one fluid motion, Levi lifted Eren’s hips up with his hand, and reached around behind him to bring a pillow to raise Eren’s hips. With the large pillow holding him up, Eren’s crotch was now in the air.

Levi took Eren’s mess of long legs into the crooks of his elbows, which put him under his control. Levi’s face was now hovering in the space of Eren’s inner thighs.

“What a pretty hole you have, Eren.” They were at the point where nothing either of them said seemed embarrassing. It was pink and puckered and ready for action.

Levi’s hand wrapped around Eren’s thigh so that his legs were still in the crook of his elbow, but his hand reached down to tease Eren’s entrance with his fingers.

“Damn, Levi, you eat ass?” Eren piped up. But his cocky grin was replaced by an adorable blush and a furrowing of the brows when Levi’s tongue dipped into Eren’s entrance.

 _That seemed to silence him_ , Levi thought. He swirled his tongue around the ring of muscle, teasing and licking. Eren moaned like a slut, his soft lips shaped in an ‘O’ as his blush deepened.

Eren was actually a bit surprised. It was no secret that Levi valued cleanliness and order- even the way he had sex was precise and efficient. It took some time for Eren to convince him to be filthy while fucking.

But this was something else! Eren never expected Levi to eat his asshole out. Not many people did that for him- only a couple of his exes were willing. And even when they did, it just didn’t feel all that good.

But Levi knew how to work his magic, and he expertly kissed and licked around Eren’s entrance. He let himself moan against the pink muscle to mirror Eren’s wanton sounds.

Eren was clean down there, luckily. He smelled washed and fresh. After this, Levi could truly say that he was one hundred percent familiar with Eren’s body. When his eyes wandered up, he saw that Eren’s face was furiously red and turned away slightly in shyness. His tried to muffle his moans into the fist of his hand.

Levi came up for some air. “What is it, baby? Is something this filthy embarrassing you?”

Eren’s eyes met his, and the tips of his ears were just as tinged pink as his cheeks. “Levi… please k-keep going…” he whined softly.

Levi draped one leg over his shoulder and reached over to the bedside table where he placed the bottle of lube they brought. He slathered his fingers up, and worked Eren’s entrance open a bit more.

He tossed the bottle away on the bed and wrapped his strong arms around the underside of Eren’s hips, hoisting him up so that Eren’s asshole was facing the ceiling, right underneath Levi’s nose, and Eren’s legs were dangling awkwardly in the air. His head was lodged between Levi’s thighs, and with him upside down like this, his arms had nowhere to sloppily rest over Levi’s thighs.

Eren’s never been in this position. It was a little uncomfortable, but with Levi’s arm holding him securely over his abdomen, and holding his hip in place, it was almost a bit arousing to completely hand off control, and he could allow himself to be pleased without trying to look pretty or contain himself.

So Levi continued. He continued edging his tongue along the pink flesh, occasionally slugging and working his hot tongue into it. With each flick, more moans came from below, each time a different sound. Eren’s juicy thighs only framed the pretty sight of his entrance.

Eren’s eyes were rolled back lazily and he was drooling with lust and want. His cock was aiming downward, flat against his stomach, and he leaked precum onto his own chest as well as Levi’s arm. It was so fucking hot and filthy to be pleased like this, and Eren didn’t want it to stop.

Because he was upside down, all the blood was rushing to Eren’s head, making him feel all the more delirious. “F-fuck, Levi. Yeah… yeah, yeah… ooh, keep doing that.”

Levi responded by releasing a low growl from deep in his throat, the sounds and vibrations only pleasing Eren even further.

The room was rather silent, save for the occasional exhale or smack from Levi, and Eren’s soft, slutty moans.

From his view upside down, all Eren could see the TV, and the edge of the bed seemed to drop off like an abstract cliff.

Levi kept at it, working Eren open with his tongue until the boy was hot and bothered and his cock was a twitchy, leaky mess.

He finally separated, and he carried Eren’s torso down to the bed carefully. Eren was still a bit woozy in pleasure, and the blood was rushing back down his face.

“Ah… Levi… you’re so damn good! I didn’t know you could eat ass like that…” he smiled sleepily.

“I didn’t know I could, either. It was my first time; I took a bit of a risk,” Levi chuckled.

Eren giggled. “You needa take more risks, then. Shit…”

He returned from his dreamworld, and he climbed back to Levi for the real deal. Eren lay against a couple pillows and drew his knees up.

“I’ll bust it open for you, my amazing Levi!”

Levi aligned himself, and his eyebrow cocked curiously. “’Bust it open’?” The vulgar and silly phrase sounded strange but lovely coming from his deep voice.

“Anytime you want it, bay-bee!” Eren sang with a goofy grin.

Levi chuckled, and he shook his head trying to make this serious, damnit! “Eren. You’re so silly. I’m trying to please you!”

But Eren was still giggly as Levi pushed himself in, and inch by inch went in so very smoothly after all that tongue work. Eren’s face twitched and twisted with a range of expressions as he was slowly filled up.

When Levi was fully buried, he stayed there for a second and relished in Eren’s feeling- no matter how prepped he was, he always felt so tight and hot.

“Ohhh… you always feel so good around me,” Levi groaned.

Eren clenched his muscles tighter around Levi, and he elicited a soft sigh. He remained clenched as Levi pulled back out.

Levi loomed over in between Eren’s legs to get closer to that pretty face. Eren was flexible enough and he worked with it, and his knees were quite close to his own shoulders.

In and out, in and out Levi went- he held the insides of Eren’s knees as he thrusted. Eren seemed to have a pattern down- he would relax when Levi pushed in and clench his muscles when he pulled out.

“Y-yeah, just like that, Levi. You can go a little faster,” Eren whispered.

Levi obliged, increasing the speed of his thrusting steadily, and drawing more moans and sighs from the brown-haired cutie beneath him. Whatever thing Eren was doing with the clenching- it felt way too fucking good.

“Fuck… Eren. God… damn.”

He went faster now, the muscles in his thighs and ass tightening with the exertion. Eren’s eyes were rolling back again, and he was biting his bottom lip hard enough to draw blood.

The crude but arousing sounds of skin slapping against skin filled the air between them. Levi’s grip on Eren’s firm leg was becoming almost vice-like.

And as Levi could feel his orgasm slowly awaken and crawl up his spine, it was obvious that Eren was getting closer, too, because he was starting to babble.

“Yesyesyesyes _yeeeeeeeessss_ , Levi, FUCK! Oh, please, right there… right there! Right there! Oh, _God_ , Levi, fuck me harder! Fuck me! Fuck me!”

Levi screwed his eyes shut and his brows furrowed together as he concentrated on finding Eren’s sweet spot while achieving his own orgasm. Eren’s body was recoiling back against each wild thrust, and he watched Levi mercilessly slam into him with his head thrown back, exposing that gorgeous pale throat and that twitching Adam’s apple.

They were fucking like animals now. Levi was holding back choked groans and Eren was spewing unintelligible nonsense as they both held each other close to their completion.

With a precise thrust and particularly heavenly clench, they both came together- stars and fireworks explosions as they unraveled and connected and came wildly undone.

“Uughhhhh!” “LEEEEEEEEEEEEEEVIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!”

They held still for only a beautiful moment as each completed his release; Eren, ropes and ropes of excitable white onto his own stomach, and Levi a flooding of sexy heat into Eren’s tightness.

The next minute was not on this earth as they collapsed onto the mattress weakly, panting and vulnerable and sensitive.

The world was all theirs in that moment.

When they finally came down from their highs, it was all shy and admiring smiles. Eren padded weakly to the bathroom and brought a small, fluffy white towel back.

Levi watched, completely spent, as Eren cleaned his cum off his own torso. When he was done, he put the towel aside and crawled on his knees to Levi, where he collapsed on his chest contently.

“…Damn,” Eren whispered. He was still breathing heavily. His brown locks were splayed over the surface of Levi’s body. “When he gives me the good dick… I’m coolin’ hard as fuck…”

Levi chuckled and started stroking the soft chocolate hair. “Eren, I don’t even know what you’re talking about.” When Eren was pleasured or climbing down from an orgasm, he was always a bit strange. But it was endearing.

The TV was still buzzing, but Eren was more fascinated at Levi’s eyes. His pointed feet kicked in the air playfully.

And once Levi had a chance to catch his breath and have a drink of water, Eren patted his strong thigh. “Alright. Time for round two!”

Levi still had one more in him. Plus, Eren was irresistible. The boy was already stalking up his body with that mischievous grin. And how could he say no to that?

Eren’s lips met his again, lapping rhythmically, holding back, and then indulging. And it was all rock music and skin on skin as Eren rubbed his body against Levi’s chest.

“You’re so hot, I can’t…” Eren moaned. Every touch between them was fire and ice all the same, and even though they just had sex a few minutes ago, this contact between them cleaned their primal slates anew.

Levi just wanted to take those sharp collarbones into his mouth and mark them up to his liking. _…What was holding him back?_

He took Eren from under his arms and carried him over to lie on his back. Now it was Levi’s turn to straddle- he pinned Eren’s arms down and began his ferocious attack.

Kisses, bites, hickies- it was a roulette of choices on Eren’s wam throat. Levi leaned down and inhaled the scent of that tan column, and his lips latched onto the jugular vein. Eren’s strong heartbeat pulsed in that spot, and Levi decided to leave some bite marks there.

He craned his neck away to allow Levi some space to work. “A-ah! T-tickles!”

Levi chuckled against his throat a little before continuing his marking. He sunk his teeth into the delicate skin, and Eren yelped.

But Eren liked that playful pain.

The seeds of possession on Eren’s throat would blossom beautifully later on, but now Levi had other parts of that delicious body to attend to.

“Wait, Levi.”

Levi stopped and sat up.

Eren lay over Levi’s lap, his erection digging into his thighs. He craned his neck up with innocent green eyes. “Spank me, Levi.”

“…What?” Levi smirked. Eren’s firm, gorgeous ass was right there for the taking, but he wanted to make sure he heard correctly.

“Smack that ass, Levi! I know you want to…” he purred.

For good measure, Eren wriggled around so that his ass shook a bit. Tempting. A tempting creature, he was.

Levi placed a steady hand on the valley of Eren’s back, and the other on one of his buttcheeks.

“Defile me!” Eren gushed.

Levi never hurt Eren before, even consenually. It just never came up, frankly. But the boy was literally asking for it. Who knows, it might even be fun.

He raised his hand into the air, then brought it down fast on Eren’s ass in a _smack!_ Eren squealed and giggled.

“One!” he counted. “Do it harder!”

Levi raised his hand again and in one fell swoop, he made contact with Eren’s ass again.

The cheeky thing laughed out loud again. “Two!”

Levi pursed his lips in confusion. _Was he doing this right? Why was Eren laughing…?_

He smacked Eren’s ass again, and a faint red handprint appeared. He instinctively rubbed it soothingly.

Eren moaned and then sighed at the respective actions. “Three,” he said. “Keep going, Levi!”

With all this new shit they were doing, Levi considered that they start using safewords.

By spank number ten, Eren’s ass was red and sore, and his cock was leaking precum into Levi’s thighs. But he seemed satisified. He was moaning from deep in his throat.

After Eren had a chance to regroup, he weakly crawled off Levi’s lap and waited for the next activity.

Levi grabbed the bottle of lube again, and he slicked himself up to align into Eren’s entrance. Eren waited patiently on his hands and knees, swaying his ass back and forth teasingly.

“I’m alllll yours,” Eren sang.

Because Eren was already prepped from their last round, Levi didn’t take it slow or easy- he just slammed himself into Eren recklessly.

But the boy loved it.

Shock and pleasure flashed across wide emerald eyes as his ass was pummeled, the sounds of skin on skin filling the air once again.

There was something a bit animalistic that came over Levi. It seemed Eren’s efforts tonight were finally working because he let himself go completely.

“YES, LEVI!” Eren squealed. Levi thrusted into him hard, and Eren arched his back beautifully with a long moan. “Oh, pleaseohpleaseohpleeeeeeeeeease!!”

“Keep making those pretty sounds for me, baby,” Levi growled. He leaned his torso over slipped some fingers into Eren’s mouth.

“Mmph.” Eren’s eyes hazed over with lust again as he swirled his tongue around Levi’s digits, exhaling through his nose as Levi became more ruthless.

The next step of the attack was to go for the nape of Eren’s neck- the quickest way to getting him to come undone. Levi leaned further and sunk his teeth into the sensitive spot, all the while ramming his hips aggressively.

“Hah!” Eren cried. There were so many nerves and sensations- he was already spilling precum and was approaching his orgasm. His arms felt too weak suddenly, and it was easier to collapse onto his forearms into a true doggysyle. It also gave Levi a better view of his firm ass.

Levi was getting close, too. Eren’s gorgeous back and his shapely ass visually fed him, and he still felt so tight and rugged against his cock.

“I’m c-close, Lebi,” Eren whimpered, his words muffled with the fingers in his mouth. “Harder!!”

If Levi was ruthless before, he ascended a different plane of intensity now.

He turned it up to 11. In one fluid motion, he slipped his fingers out of Eren’s mouth- clear webs of saliva connecting the trails. He pushed Eren down to the mattress onto his stomach with that same soiled hand, and with Eren face down, he maniacally starting fucking the boy into the mattress.

A hand digging into his hip to keep him still, and another hand holding that chocolate head down.

Eren was moaning very loudly into the sheets, probably with difficulty breathing, but who could really tell with his eyes rolled all the way back in disgusting pleasure?

Levi aimed his hips very knowingly into Eren’s prostate, and in no time at all, Eren was squirting more jets and leaks of hot cum onto the mattress beneath him with each violent thrust.

Eren’s body was stiff but also simultaneously melted as he rode through his ejaculation. Levi wasn’t quite done yet- he continued ramming his cock into Eren’s ass, his grunts and growls getting louder as he approached. Eren clenched for him, and soon he, too, was releasing warm white.

Eren was already a boneless blob on the mattress, but now it was Levi’s turn to collapse uselessly on the sheets.

Panting. The dialogue of the TV show in the distance. Content sighs. Eren reached his hand over and laced his fingers in Levi’s innocently.

“Now _that_ , was some good fucking,” he giggled.

Levi’s eyes were still closed, and he limped his body towards the mountain of pillows. “I couldn’t agree more, my dear.” So sweet and gentle still, even after that filthy sex. Levi and Eren’s relationship was simply phenomenal.

When Eren climbed down from the clouds a bit later, he mounted Levi’s body again. The telltale cheeky grin was back. “Let’s go for round three!”

Levi may have been fit, but his stamina was nowhere _near_ Eren’s. He was truly and without a doubt, thoroughly fucked out. He just couldn’t compete with the young and beautiful- he was getting older, after all.

With an apologetic smile, Levi soothingly rubbed Eren’s thighs. “I’m sorry, doll, I can’t keep up with you.”

Eren patted his strong chest in consolation. “It’s okay! Just lie back and I’ll ride you.”

 _Good deal_. Levi could work with that arrangement.

And so Eren did. He rode and pleased himself with Levi’s magnificent cock for hours on end. Some rounds, Levi had enough energy to tag himself back in and try another position, but when he grew weary again, it was back to Eren riding.

One thing was for sure, though: Eren was screaming Levi’s name all night.

\--

It was… what… nine? Ten in the morning?

Thank goodness for the dark canopy around the bed, otherwise Eren and Levi would be woken up by the thick beam of sunlight from the glass window leading to the balcony.

Somewhere during the night, the two of them managed to get beneath the many layers of sheets and curl up into a much needed sleep.

It was Levi who woke first, although very groggily and not quite fully rested. Meanwhile, Eren was snoozing away, carefree and easy.

Levi lay a loving smooch on Eren’s bedhead- which, by the way, looked particularly cute this morning. Brown locks all teased and splayed about, untameable cowlicks pointing every which way. Bangs shaken over his eyes, making him a lot younger. Just-fucked hair looked adorable on him.

Eren stopped snoring and his eyes fluttered open. He immediately smiled when he saw Levi’s face.

“Good morning,” he said sweetly. A kiss to the cheek.

“Good morning,” Levi repeated. A smile pulled at the corners of his mouth.

Eren inhaled and rolled onto his back, stretching his arms out with a wince. “Ugh… last night was something, huh?”

“You’re telling me…” Levi shook his head unbelievably.

“I’m starving… can we order room service?”

“Sure thing. I think there’s a menu in the bedside drawer.”

“That’s great!” Eren ripped off his covers and started heading off the bed. “I was just thinking that- Oh, Jesus!” Eren’s sentence stopped midway and he collapsed onto the floor with and _oof!_

Levi ripped of his own covers and crawled over the bed to get a look at what happened. And with a smirk, he realized what it was.

With all the strange positions of last night, Eren was fucked sore, and his legs gave out when he tried to walk.

“Levi, stop laughing at me and help me up!” Eren pouted from the floor like a bratty, spoiled prince. “I’m in a predicament!”

“I’m coming, I’m coming,” Levi called. His feet hit the floor and he started towards his fallen boyfriend. He was a bit sore as well, but it was just a fleeting thought. He’s had worse.

He draped Eren’s arms around his neck and piggybacked him to the bathroom. They were both naked, but it was natural and perfectly normal now, especially after last night’s adventure.

Now that they were both washed and brushed and clothed in fluffy white robes, they returned to the bed and took a look at the menu together.

Eren was pointing out all the things he wanted excitedly, and then Levi made the call. Now they waited.

There was a knock on the door, and a server introduced a cart of food- silver domes included. Levi tipped him, and then he and Eren began eating.

Eren was lounging lazily on the bed as he nibbled from fruits and shrimp- yes, shrimp in the morning, just because he could- totally relaxed in his state.

Levi sipped tea and crunched on his toasted bagel.

“Oh, by the way, I bought you an hour-long massage, Eren,” Levi said. “Just go to the spa downstairs when you’re ready and tell them your name.”

Eren looked up from the parfait he was working on. “Aww. You’re so nice to me, Levi!”

“Like I said,” Levi reached over and tickled his tummy, “only the finest for my spoiled little prince.” Eren giggled.

And it was true that Levi got him that massage to spoil him, out of the kindness of his heart. But he also wanted Eren to leave the room for just a little bit- he wanted to sleep in a bit this morning, considering last night’s exercise. And if Eren was in the room, there would be not that much sleeping and a whole lot more fun. Two birds, one stone, that massage.

\--

With Eren having dressed and sorely waddled downstairs to the spa, Levi went over to the unused (and unsoiled by cum) bed and crawled in to catch up on his sleep.

While he loved Eren to both death and pieces, a quiet morning alone after sex was just what Levi needed.

He could go an entire day and night, hell, maybe two nights without sleep working and still function properly the next day; but there was something about sex with his insatiable young boyfriend that drained him of his energy completely.

At any rate, poor fucked-out Levi slipped into a deep slumber.

-

Eren experienced the best massage of his life- cucumbers on the eyes and everything! He was less sore now than he was this morning, but he still waddled.

With a fresh, mask-renewed face and a massaged body, he found their room and slipped the key card in, quietly shutting the door behind him. The TV was turned off.

And there Levi was, on the bed they didn’t fuck on, sleeping very deeply.

Eren smiled to himself. _Poor Levi_. He felt a bit guilty for fucking him all night and depriving him from sleep. But they did have tons of fun! And that was all that mattered in the end.

Eren made a point to remain very quiet as to not wake Levi- he was a very light sleeper. So he scrolled through his phone on the other bed while Levi finished napping. He needed to let his man get some quality sleep, after all.

It was around 2 pm when Levi inhaled deeply and woke from his slumber.  He peeled the covers off his shoulders and sat up, stretching his arms and relishing in the crack of his spine.

“Hey,” Eren said softly from the other bed. “Sleep well?”

Levi was refreshed now; that nap was just what he needed. “I did. Come here, baby.” Eren crawled into that bed and got beneath the covers with Levi, who was wearing just a light t shirt and underwear while he slept.

“How was your massage?”

“It was ah-MAZE-ing,” Eren gushed. Levi held him tightly in his arms and looked down at his admiringly as he explained the massage and the lotion and the mud mask and the _CUCUMBERS!!_

“The lady really knew what she was doing!” Eren concluded. “And thanks again for buying it for me. You always treat me so well. I love you so, so much.”

“I love you, too, very much, precious,” Levi chuckled. With a final kiss to those chocolate brown locks, they cuddled for another hour before saying good-bye to this wonderful hotel and the imprint they’ve left in it.


	39. Lover's Spat!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A couple of you were wanting to see a bump in the road or a little fight between the baby boys, so here it is! I'm not gonna lie, I kind of avoided writing it because I simply didn't know what to get them to fight about. But, with the help of some precious readers, I got some ideas to work with. The build-up was there all along!
> 
> (And!! THANK YOU HUNNIES who've wished me happy birthday last chapter :3c You've turned an otherwise lackluster day into something so da mudda sweet. *A kiss to both of your cheeks*, each of you.
> 
> \+ Just a little p.s. : I just wanted to say thanks to everyone for reading and being so responsive after each chapter. We have a cute lil community growing here!)

As the weeks went by and the weather got colder, things were heating up in the apartment.

Eren was getting busier with work and class, and Levi was always working. They barely spoke these days, and when they did, it was rushed. Eren’s need for affection and attention was not quite being fulfilled.

Ever since Survey Corporation started working with M.P. a little while ago, Levi drowned himself in work. As soon as he came back from the office, he went straight to his study and stayed there until Eren practically begged him to come to bed.

From what Levi told him, Eren gathered that M.P. was a large rival company, known to be a bit stuck-up and monopolizing. Survey Corp originally didn’t want to work with them, but there was an important case that each company had assets for, and it would be in their best interest to work together. Apparently the CEO of M.P-- Nile, Eren thought he heard his name was-- was a huge jerk and had an especially tense history with Erwin. About what, he didn’t quite know.

All Eren knew was that this case was a big deal, and M.P. was driving Survey Corp up the wall with ridiculous demands.

Levi was Co-CEO. Didn’t he have a bunch of employees to do the dirty work for him?

Well, Eren did appreciate how committed Levi was to his company. But at what cost? They haven’t gone on a date night for as long as he could remember.

With a sigh, Eren finished brewing black coffee for Levi and poured it into a mug. They hardly ate together these days, either. Eren would often fix a plate of whatever he ordered for dinner and place it on Levi’s desk. He would then get a distracted “thank you” from Levi, who would be conducting business on the phone, and then he would go spend the rest of the night alone.

Eren slipped into the study and approached the desk.

“Why don’t you tell them that while his motherfuckers are sitting pretty after last quarter, we’re the ones busting our asses trying to keep all the subsidiaries afloat?” Levi snapped on the phone

Ever since the case started, Eren realized that Levi was always so tense. On the phone or otherwise. He placed the steaming mug down next to a stack papers.

“…They wouldn’t be shit without us. Our PR team is the only reason that lawsuit never left the box. Remember that.” Levi rubbed the bridge of his nose and took a gulp from the mug. “Thank you, Eren,” he murmured, less aggressively than to whom he was speaking to.

Eren put his hands on Levi’s shoulders and looked at the laptop screen. It was full of charts and numbers and names. “Levi… let’s hang out,” he said softly. “You need a break. Please?”

Levi didn’t turn around to acknowledge Eren and he clicked around the laptop while listening to the phone. “Ahh…” he said while distracted, “sorry, Eren, I have a lot of work to do. Later.”

“You told me ‘later’ two weeks ago,” Eren said. But by then Levi was back in the thick of conversation so he just left the room sadly.

\--

Eren was curled up on the couch in his beige blanket, absentmindedly watching TV. There was a knock on the door. Eren didn’t bother taking his blanket off his shoulders and grabbed his wallet.

“Hey, kid, another pizza tonight?” the upbeat, bald delivery guy and Eren were becoming quite friendly as of late. Levi wasn’t cooking too often and they haven’t gone out to eat, either.

“Yeah…” Eren sighed. He payed for the pizza and gave the guy a $20 tip, just because he could. “Thanks.”

With the door shut, Eren went back to the couch and started eating. He was so fucking bored. And he wanted to cuddle. He just wished Levi would finish this stupid case already so they could get back to their normal lives.

\--

“Iced raspberry tea,” Eren called out half-heartedly. He was usually upbeat while working, fueled by the incentive that he would get plenty of kisses and cuddles from Levi when he got home. But he knew deep down that he would be spending another evening alone.

A girl took her tea and left the shop. No tips.

“Eren, where’s that pep in your step?” Jean asked. He must’ve really pitied Eren in his current state because he used his first name.

Eren rubbed his eyes and leaned his elbows on the counter. “I’m just… I’m fine.” Eren got up and shook his head. “I’m fine. Let’s get back into it.”

-

The shift seemed to drag on forever. Eren fixed himself a coffee to go, and another one-- Levi’s signature. He wasn’t particularly excited to go home.

Eren shut the door of the apartment behind him while juggling the cup holder in his hand. “I’m home,” he called out, although he neither expected nor received a response.

He set down the cup holder on the kitchen counter and shrugged off his jacket.

As Eren approached the study, Levi’s angry voice became clearer.

Eren opened the door.

“…No. We’re doing this on _our_ terms. Erwin might be too polite with that asshole to give it to him straight, but I’m not. Objectives first, then we’ll talk numbers. …I don’t give several shits if he cares more about the payout. If we don’t act fast, neither company will be receiving profit. Simple as that.”

Levi was typing numbers and bullet points into a spreadsheet when Eren approached. He put down the cup of coffee next to a thick file and kissed Levi on the head.

Levi wasn’t going to get off the phone any time soon so Eren figured he might as well speak now.

“Levi… can you please stop working for a little bit and spend time with me? I’m bored.”

Levi eyebrows were furrowed in annoyance as he listened to the phone, and he didn’t acknowledge Eren.

Eren was going to try harder. He was getting a bit desperate. He wrapped his arms around Levi’s shoulders and leaned down.

But Levi shrugged him off. “Not now, Eren.” He kept his gaze fixated on the screen and didn’t sound at all guilty for brushing Eren off.

But Eren wasn’t going to give up that easily. He wrapped his arms again, and this down leaned down to whisper in Levi’s unoccupied ear. “Leeevi. I’m boooored.”

“Tsk.” Levi quickly excused himself to the person he was speaking to and whipped his chair around. Eren retracted his arms.

“Eren!” Levi snapped. “Can’t you see that I’m busy? For once can you stop acting like a spoiled brat!”

Eren’s heart was shot with an icy arrow at those words. Levi’s never yelled at him like that before. All he wanted to hang out. With watery eyes and a quivering bottom lip, he turned on his heel and stormed out of the study.

Levi was immediately struck with a wave of guilt at what he said. The hurt in Eren’s eyes before he left the room was going to haunt him for sure.

He turned his chair back to face the screen and resumed the speaking with Oruo. But even as the conversation went on, his mind started to wander. He already regretted what he said. The harsh words echoed in his head.

As he listened to the phone, his eyes fell upon the fresh cup of coffee that he didn’t even notice until now.

His finger traced the rim of the lid. When he turned the cup, there was a scribbling in Eren’s messy handwriting in Sharpie: “Levi” with a big heart drawn next to it.

Levi’s heart squeezed again. He would apologize for what he said. But right now, he had to wrap up some loose ends for this case tonight.

Wiping harshly at his eyes, Eren brisked into the living room and put his jacket back on. He gathered his wallet and and keys and ran out the door.

His own coffee sat untouched on the kitchen counter.

\--

Eren was still sniffling as he slammed his car door closed. _Stupid Levi,_ Eren thought as he wiped his eyes with his palm, _I’ll show him just how much of a spoiled brat I can be._

He didn’t know where he was driving, specifically. All he knew was that he wanted to be reckless.

Eren drove to the park, where he went to a particular tree at the edge of the field. He knew he’d find Connie and some of his friends here. They were passing around a blunt, right out there in the open.

“Eren!” Connie said. Among all the cueballs around him, some of whom he recognized from Connie’s parties, his childlike face and body stuck out. “You came to join the party!”

Eren was not in the mood for jokes. He just wanted to fucking escape. He sat down on the grass and crossed his legs.

“You look like you’ve been through some shit,” Connie said softly. “You wanna hit?” One of the guys sitting in the circle passed the joint to Eren.

Eren didn’t do drugs. At all, normally. But now, with kids running in the near distance, and the dusk of the evening prompting cops to stalk around, Eren just _wished_ he would get caught with this shit. He was going make some bad decisions tonight, just to spite Levi.

He needed to take off the edge. What the hell did he have to lose right now? He took the joint and wrapped his lips around it, taking a forced inhale.

With an unfamiliar sensation in his lungs, Eren passed the joint back. He wrapped his jacket tighter around him against the cold evening air and exhaled the smoke out of his mouth, which ended with a small coughing spasm.

“Thaaaaaat’a boy,” Connie groaned in satisfaction. He took the blunt and drew an expert, efficient hit.

Eren rocked back and forth with his knees drawn to his chest as he waited for his turn again. Even though he was pissed the fuck off at Levi, he still wanted cuddles and to be held.

 _No,_ Eren scolded himself, _you don’t want anything from that asshole. You’re a badass and you don’t need cuddles._

Several passes of joints later, Eren’s nerves were starting to soothe and the sky was getting darker.

“Do you… do you guys have alcohol?” Eren asked, his voice low and depressed.

“Yeah, we’re about to go get drunk right now,” Connie said. “Did you come in your car? Follow us to my house for some.”

Eren got back into his car and followed Connie and his gang to the house. The marijuana was kicking in and his world was becoming airy and out of focus. He should’ve gotten into Levi’s car instead and crashed that beautiful piece of metal into a tree trunk. Eren giggled to himself, despite how shitty he was feeling. _That would be funny._

At Connie’s house, the group of roughnecks continued getting crossfaded, and Eren waited for Connie to share some alcohol with him.

He handed Eren a six-pack of beer. “Ya know, man, you’re welcome to stay and light up with us. You know I like having you around.”

Eren just wanted to be alone right now. He wanted to simmer in his own misery in peace. “Nah, but thanks, Connie. I’ll get out of your hair. Thanks for the beer.”

Eren took the beer back to his car, his breath fogging slightly in the cold autumn wind. He drove to the shadiest part of town he knew and parked, where he could risk getting his car broken into or kidnapped. But he didn’t really care.

He drowned his sorrows in alcohol, and soon enough, the tears were flowing again. In the privacy of his car and the night, Eren sobbed fat, salty tears.

-

Back at the apartment, Levi forced himself to stop working for the night. Ideally, there were a few more points he wanted to prepare to stay on top of things, but the guilt of what he said to Eren was eating him alive. He just couldn’t stay focused with those thoughts.

Eren had left the house. That much was clear. _But where did that boy go?_ Levi took his phone out and called him. He didn’t expect Eren to respond, and his prediction was correct. So he texted instead:

_Eren, where are you?_

He ran his hand through his hair and sighed. _Damn. You fucked up, didn’t you?_ Levi asked himself. This was bound to happen.

It was getting late. Eren was technically an adult, but Levi still worried about his ability to protect himself out there.

He paced around a little. Then another attempt:

_Eren, I’m sorry for what I said. Can you please come home so we can talk it out?_

Ten, twenty, thirty minutes passed, then an hour with no response. Levi was getting stressed out. He knocked back warm whiskey from his office to ease his nerves and began cleaning to release some pent-up frustration.

-

Eren was thoroughly drunk in his car now, and his face was moist with unwiped tears and snot. There was a hard knock on his window.

Eren sniffled and lifted his head from the steering wheel heavily. He expected a cop, but it was a homeless man.

He wiped his face with his hand and rolled down the window.

“H-hey man…” the disheveled man started. His gaze was darting around, and he seemed on edge and paranoid. He was clearly an addict. “Y-you got somethin’? Change, booze?”

Eren finished his booze, so that option was off the table. But he did have money. He stared at his fat wallet, thick with unused bills since Levi bought him everything. Suddenly, he felt angry all over again.

“You want money?” Eren murmured. “I got tons,” he growled. Eren fingered through many $20 bills and gave the fat stack to the man. Then he started crying uncontrollably.

The homeless man hesitantly took the money, albeit a bit shocked at the sheer amount of cash and also the fact that this boy was just sobbing in front of him.

“H-hey, God bless, man. I hope things work out for you.” He wasn’t a therapist or anything. He walked back to where he came from.

Eren rolled his window up again and wiped at his cheeks harshly. He remembered a conversation he had with Levi once, about giving money to people on the street. There were several rules: Don’t give bills larger than twenties; try to give food and water instead; women and children deserved priority; if the homeless person looked like an addict, just like that guy Eren just talked to, don’t give more than twenty because you might encourage their addiction.

 _Well, how’s that, Levi? I just gave the dude $200._ _What are you gonna do?_

Eren’s phone vibrated in his jacket pocket. He fished it out and struggled to read the words while his eyes were blurry with tears.

Most of them were from Levi, asking his whereabouts and if he would come home. The most recent one:

 _Eren, please_. He could hear the plea in Levi’s voice.

But he ignored it. He put the phone back into his pocket and started the car for the next stage of his journey.

\--

Levi scrubbed the shit out of most of the apartment, he knees raw and aching for how long he’s been on the floor on them.

But no amount of shiny and polished surfaces could relieve the tension in his heart. He checked his phone obsessively once more, checking to see if Eren had replied.

He hadn’t.

Levi went to the glass wall and gazed at the glittering lights of the city at night.

Trost was a big city. And it was almost 1 am. It was too late and too cold out there to go searching for Eren. But he couldn’t just do nothing like a sitting duck.

And he couldn’t get himself to sleep without knowing if Eren was okay.

He ran a hand through his hair stressfully and went to pour himself another whiskey.

\--

In a drunken haze, Eren surprised himself by managing to swerve his way through the quiet streets of Trost. He wasn’t caught by police, but he kind of wished he was.

He found himself at Armin’s house. He hesitated to proceed, because it was past 1 in the morning. But Eren couldn’t lie to himself. He needed someone to talk to.

He approached the door and knocked. Armin and his grandfather were probably asleep. _What the hell was he doing here?!_

Just as Eren considered turning back, the door cracked open, and Armin’s blond bob appeared. He rubbed his eyes to wake himself up a bit.

But he was fully awake when he saw Eren standing there- eyes glassy and red with tears, cheeks bitten pink from the wind, and bottom lip quivering as he held back another dam of tears.

“Eren!?” Armin cried. “What’s going on? Are you okay?!” he took Eren’s arm and pulled him into the house.

Eren allowed himself to be yanked in, but he just wasn’t registering his surroundings. “I didn’t mean to bother you. I just-“ his face twisted again and hot tears filled his eyes. “I need someone to talk to.”

Armin shut the door and brisked Eren to his bedroom quickly. “Don’t be ridiculous, Eren. You’re never a bother. Of course we can talk. Tell me everything.”

Eren sat on Armin’s bedroom floor, no longer fully drunk but now extremely depressed.

Armin made sure a thick blanket was thrown over Eren’s back and a cup of hot tea was in each of their hands before listening to Eren spill his thoughts.

Eren told him everything. Levi working non-stop these past few weeks, the lack of date nights and cuddling and anything at all, Levi yelling at him, the fucking weed, the alcohol, the homeless addict. Armin strained to understand Eren’s speech as he sobbed through his story.

“…What if Levi was right, Armin?” Eren sniffled in conclusion. “What if I am just a spoiled brat?”

Armin joined him on the floor and hugged his blanketed body. “You’re not a spoiled brat, Eren. Everyone knows you’re a kind individual with a big heart. Levi just said that in the heat of the moment. Everyone says things they regret in the thick of an argument. It’s not your fault that he was so busy. You have needs, too. I’m sure he regrets what he said.”

Armin was right. He _did_ have needs. Needs that have been ignored for the past few weeks, despite how patient he’s been.

“I just want him to pay more attention to me. Does that make me selfish?”

“Not at all. I just think there’s a lack of communication. While he’s busy working, he pushes aside other priorities unconsciously to focus on his case.”

Armin took a sip of tea and sighed, then continued. “To be honest, Erwin and I haven’t been spending as much time together since the M.P. case. But we’ve talked about it. We both acknowledged that this case requires more of his attention than usual. We’ve agreed that he’s not allowed to work on Saturdays, because we’ve dedicated that time to each other. Ideally, I’d love to spend all week with him, but we all know this case is a big deal.”

Eren listened, and his crying quieted. That made sense.

“Compromise, Eren,” Armin said gently. “You need to sit down and have a long chat with Levi about how you feel. I’m sure he’s realized by now that you’re feeling neglected. But you need to tell him that you have needs that need to be fulfilled. Work is important, but so are you. Okay?”

Eren nodded silently. Armin fished out a tissue from the box and wiped Eren’s face delicately.

“And remind me to tell Connie not to booze you up while you’re upset,” Armin nagged. “You’re lucky that a cop didn’t notice you tonight. Do you realize how much trouble you could’ve gotten into!? Plus, you’re still underage! Oh, my God…”

Eren giggled through his remaining sniffles. He did good coming here. Armin always had good insight.

“Do you want more tea?” Armin asked.

“No, thanks.”

“Alright. You can spend the night here, if you want. I don’t mind at all.”

“No,” Eren said with determination. “I have to go home and stop avoiding my issues.”

Armin smiled proudly and gathered their cups. Eren followed him to the kitchen.

After a quick chat at the sink, Armin walked him to the door, and they hugged good-bye.

“Thanks for everything, Armin. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“Don’t thank me,” Armin breathed into Eren’s shoulder. “I’m just doing my job.”

“And I’m sorry if I woke your gramps. Tell him I said sorry.”

Armin laughed. “You didn’t wake him. He sleeps with his door closed and he can’t hear anything over his snores. And you didn’t wake me, either. I had just finished a book and I was looking for a new one when you knocked.”

Eren snickered. “…Nerd.”

Armin punched Eren playfully in the stomach. “Wanna say that again, Mr. Sniffles?”

“Hey!” Eren laughed. “Not fair, that’s some low-hanging fruit.”

They said nothing else but pulled each other in for another hug, finding comfort in each other’s touch.

With their final goodbyes, Armin waved Eren off and he started making his way to his car.

With a newfound determination, Eren found the strength and insight to make his way home.

\--

Levi was completely on edge as he anticipated a response from Eren. His mind raced with scenarios—some more unrealistic than others—and he ran his hand through his hair repeatedly. He was worried sick. Even with all the alcohol.

It was almost 3 am now. Levi was starting to lose hope. Maybe Eren was spending the night at a friend’s house.

He fucked up royally. He wanted nothing more than for Eren to come home so he could tell him how sorry he was. He wished he could rewind time and take back what he said.  

Levi sat at the couch, elbows on his knees, and fisted his hair back off his forehead. Just then, the door lock clicked.

Levi whipped his head around.

Relief washed, no, _crashed_ over him like tsunami when he saw Eren walk in.

Eren entered the apartment and locked the door behind him. The apartment smelled even nicer and stronger than usual—Levi must’ve stressed cleaned while he was gone.

 _Good,_ Eren thought. Part of his petty punishment to Levi was making him worry sick over him. Keep him on his toes.

He took off his shoes and joined Levi on the couch. He sat rigidly near the edge, expecting an apology before anything else.

Levi scooted closer. He took a deep breath and reached his knuckles out to stroke Eren’s face. But Eren was still upset, and he turned his face away from the touch.

 _That’s fine, I’d be upset, too_ , Levi thought, and then drew his hand back. He thought about his words for a second. “Eren. I’m so, so sorry for what I said. I didn’t mean it. I was stressed out in the heat of the moment and it just came out. You’re not a spoiled brat. I never want you to think you are.”

Eren was silent and waited for more. His brows were furrowed.

“I realize that I’ve been neglecting you again. And I’m sorry for that. This is a huge case, which doesn’t excuse my actions, but I find that I drown myself in work when big events like these come up. It’s a bad habit I’ve had, even before I met you. You didn’t deserve the way I treated you. I’m asking for your forgiveness, Eren.”

Eren was silent still, but he still looked huffy and pouty.

Levi tried touching again. His fingers found Eren’s cheek, which were cold and red from the chilly weather outside. Eren didn’t turn his head away this time. “Please, baby,” Levi whispered in that deliciously deep voice of his.

 _Well, he got the sincere apology he was waiting for,_ Eren figured. He would still need some time to air himself out, but everyone made mistakes. Levi was no exception.

But despite everything, Eren found a ghost of a smile pulling at the corners of his lips. He turned and met Levi’s eyes for the first time in a long while. “I can’t stay mad at you,” he whispered.

It was unclear who moved first. Levi’s arms opened up, and Eren found himself in them, meeting their lips harshly.

Eren sucked at those plush lips; once again, a feeling he’d forgotten recently. But he still had some aggression to release. He took Levi’s lower bit between his teeth and bit at it hard enough to draw blood.

Eren sat back and watched Levi wince and touch his lip gingerly with his finger, staring at the drop of blood on his finger. “I deserved that,” he smirked.

Eren stood up and took Levi’s hand to lead them to the bedroom. There was plenty more where that came from.

Eren pushed on Levi’s chest hard to get him to fall back on the bed. As he walked on his knees to crowd Levi towards the pillows, he shed his jacket and shirt and unzipped his pants quickly. No teasing tonight. It was going to be quick and dirty.

Eren usually loved to be dominated, but he was ready to powerbottom the shit out of Levi right now.

He took the hem of Levi’s shirt and yanked it over his head, then pulled his shorts and underwear down. Now that they were fully naked, and their clothes were strewn on the floor, Eren was ready to blow off some more steam.

He backed Levi against the wall behind the pillows, aiming his hips towards Levi’s face. “Suck my dick, Levi,” he commanded. _Figuratively, and literally._

Levi took Eren’s hips into his hands and his mouth wrapped around the head. He began sucking gently, running his tongue along the shaft.

Eren moaned lowly, and curled his fingers in soft black hair. His hips unknowingly started bucking into Levi’s mouth.

Levi aimed to please. He hollowed out his cheeks to give a suction effect, and his eyes looked up to see Eren’s eyes screwed shut in pleasure.

Eren wanted more. He began thrusting his hips into Levi’s mouth, slow at first, then getting faster and more aggressive.

“Uh,” Eren moaned softly. “Uhhhh…” He held Levi’s head down and continued facefucking him without abandon. And Levi was doing _that thing_ with his tongue, so he hunched over and tried to hold his head down for as long as possible.

The curve of Eren’s dick was brushing up against Levi’s uvula, which was threatening to activate his gag reflex, but he kept going anyway.

Eren fucked his hips into Levi’s face against the wall, moaning loudly and unashamedly. Finally, he pulled out.

Eren reached for the lube in the bedside table and tossed it to Levi. He got on his hands and knees and waited.

Levi uncapped the lube and proceeded to prep Eren. It was less indulgent this time around. Eren made that much clear. They weren’t fucking for fun right now; they were fucking to get their anger out.

He aligned himself into Eren’s entrance and eased himself in. Jesus, they haven’t fucked in so long—the tight heat was so lovely and inviting. _Shit!_

Eren didn’t need to say “faster”. Levi was already pounding into him, elicited a string of once-reserved cusses and groans.

Eren was rutting his hips back on to Levi’s cock, to make the slapping of skin on skin even louder. Eren’s ass was so firm and bouncy. Levi grabbed his hips so hard that his fingers created bruises, and then slammed into Eren a mile a minute.

“ _Fuuuuuuuuck_ ,” Eren groaned obnoxiously. He wanted to be in charge tonight, but he would allow Levi to have these few minutes.

Levi increased the stimulation by smacking Eren’s ass twice, hard. Each spank had Eren spilling precum onto the sheets like a faucet.

“AH! Levi!!” he cried. “I’ve been such a bad, bad boy tonight!”

Red was already blossoming on Eren’s buttcheek where Levi’s hand made contact. He reached his hand back and pushed Levi’s abdomen.

“I don’t want you cumming yet,” Eren said breathlessly. He was already nearing his limit after that fucking of a lifetime, but he wanted to try another position.

Eren lay on his back and spread his legs. “Hurry, Levi, Jesus! We don’t have all day!”

Levi aligned himself into Eren and slammed in again, watching Eren’s eyes widen in shock. Those mesmerizing emeralds were another sorely missed sight.

He planted his hands on either side of Eren’s head, his forearms flexing against the strain.

Eren wrapped his legs around Levi’s waist and his arms around his back.

A few seconds into it, Eren started getting confident again. “Come on, Levi, is that the best you can do?” he teased.

“Not at all, Eren,” Levi smirked. To prove his point, he aimed his hips and slammed directly in Eren’s prostate.

Eren squealed but went back to try to put on his little master act. “Now we’re talking! I think you can go a little harder, yeah?”

“Maybe I should just fuck the cockiness right out of that pretty little mouth of yours,” Levi mused. He pummeled Eren’s ass ruthlessly with a low groan drawing from his throat.

Eren bit his lip and his eyes rolled back. Maybe he really should’ve kept his slutty mouth shut, because this was _too. Damn. Much!_ He raked his nails down Levi’s muscular back, leaving lines of red in their wake.

“Fuck!” Levi growled. The truth was, it’s been weeks since they’ve had sex. And now they were catching up on all that they’ve missed.

“L-L-Levi!” Eren struggled to speak, being pounded into so mercilessly. “G-GOD!”

“What were you saying earlier about the best I can do?” Levi growled against Eren’s mouth. He peeled Eren’s arms from off his back, pausing for just a brief second to pin Eren down by his throat. Not hard enough that it was painful, but just enough so that the pressure was a firm reminder of his presence. Just enough that Eren breaths were short and so sadistically sweet.

“Safeword is ‘red’ from now on, understand?” Levi said quickly. He didn’t stop moving his hips. “Nod if you understand.”

Eren nodded, his face twisting in that mischievous smile. He held the veiny forearm that was keeping him down.

“Fuck me like you mean it, Levi.” This boy and his mouth. When would he learn?

Levi grunted and with every remaining bit of energy he had, he snapped his hips into that sweet little ass with bloodlust in his eyes, leaning his face down so he could enjoy Eren’s adorable defenseless face as it curled in pleasure close-up.

Creaks of the mattress. So much skin; it was on fire in there. Growl, grunt, moan, whimper. Balls-fucking-deep. This was weeks of frustration and tension.

Levi aimed for Eren’s bundle of nerves and finished off there, angling his hips into it to have Eren choke up and cum so hard that the whites of his eyes showed.

Levi came seconds later. He pulled out and spilled his white heat all over Eren’s stomach and chest with a string of ‘ _fuck’_ s and ‘ _shit’_ s and ‘ _GOD_ ’!

Levi collapsed onto his back and just needed a goddamn minute. Because what in the actual fuck came over him in the past few minutes?

Eren caught his breath and reached down for his t shirt to clean the cum off his torso. He balled it up and threw it back on the floor.

Levi was already crawling beneath the covers. _What an old man_ , Eren thought humorously. _Needing to sleep right after sex._

 _…Could he even call that sex?_ No, that was, disgusting, raw, deep-dick, train-running _fucking_. There was nothing sweet or sensual about that mess.

But Eren was spent, too. It must’ve been like 4 am now. It was a long night. And there were so many emotions.

He crawled into Levi’s arms, and familiarity and comfort brought a smile to his lips. He reached over and lay a loving kiss to Levi’s jaw.

“I forgive you, Levi.” He lips curled sweetly.

Levi chuckled in relief and tightened his arms around Eren. “Thank you, sweetheart.”

Eren was still in a post-orgasmic high. He traced lazy shaped onto Levi’s bare chest. “I know how important this case is to you. And I want to do everything I can to help. But I miss you. So damn much. I miss our cuddles. I need to spend time with you. To be honest, I’m kinda used to this feeling. My dad is always working at the hospital and it’s so rare for us to have family time. I don’t want that to happen with us.

So I figured you could set aside a day of the week where you’re not allowed to work, and we can only focus on each other.” He looked up with big green eyes. “Can we do that?”

“Yes, darling. Of course we can do that. That’s a mature compromise. Thank you for understanding how important this case is. M.P. could open up huge doors for the company—as much as I hate to admit it—so I’m trying really hard to make it work. Our employees have worked tirelessly to make it happen, too, so I want to pull my weight as well.”

 _What an honorable man_ , Eren thought. _He really did have the best intentions._ But he figured now was as good as time as any to ask.

“But Levi. You’re one of the CEOs. Technically you don’t have to do any work. You have a bunch of people doing that for you.”

Levi chuckled, and his chest rumbled beneath Eren’s head. “Technically, you’re right. The only item in mine and Erwin’s job descriptions is signing the paychecks. But we like to be hands-on. I like to be in the loop. Erwin likes communicating and organizing. In the end, we figured it just wouldn’t be right to sit back and sip champagne while our employees are working hard to better the company.”

Eren nodded, his eyes wide in fascination. “I understand. I like when you tell me about your work, Levi. I like being in the loop, too.”

“Then, I will keep you in the loop,” Levi said, proceeding to lay a long, firm kiss into Eren’s brown locks. “And since Saturday was already date night, Saturdays are officially no work, and all Eren day until this case is over.”

“I’m glad we had a chance to talk,” Eren breathed. He and Levi have argued about minor things in the past, like how Eren left his dirty clothes and towels scattered on the floor, or how Levi would wake Eren for lunch (no, not breakfast) by yanking open the curtains and blinding him with the noon sunlight. But this was their first real fight. And it only strengthened their relationship.

“I’m glad we had a chance to talk, too, baby,” Levi said. “By the way… where did you go tonight?”

Flashbacks of drugs and underage drinking and shady neighborhoods played back in Eren’s mind. “Ummm… some things are better kept a secret,” Eren laughed sheepishly.

Honestly, Levi didn’t really want to know. He would give his chocolate-haired cutie the benefit of the doubt. “Alright,” he laughed again. “Good night, baby boy. I love you very much.”

“Good night, Levi. Love ya!”


	40. Details

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There isn't much more I can tell you about our baby boys that you guys don't already know. But let's keep watching snapshots of their life, which is what we do best here!
> 
> (Wauw... 40 chapters! Also, please comment. I'm begging now lol. You can tell me anything- comments, questions, concerns. Anything at all! :3 )

It was Wednesday morning, and the thick of the week. Yesterday was quite emotionally charged, and now Eren and Levi needed to get back into routine.

Levi had already risen a while ago, blew off some steam at the gym, and showered. Now he was in the kitchen, brewing a fresh pot of coffee.

Eren was very deeply asleep. His alarm clock began ringing loudly, and Eren groaned and blindly reached around to turn it off. God, he so wished it was the weekend so he could sleep in until noon. But he had a whole day of classes and work to get through.

With the obnoxious sounds from the phone turned off but still echoing in his head, Eren sat up with furrowed eyebrows. The sheets were pooled around his naked hips, and he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.

He was not in a good mood.

He brushed his teeth and washed his face, and tied his sleep robe on.

Levi watched as Eren quietly padded his way onto the barstool and rested his head on the counter.

“Good morning, Eren.”

Eren didn’t answer, but there was the faintest of grunts.

“What would you like for breakfast?”

“Lucky Charms. And coffee.” His voice was muffled and thick.

“You got it.” He took out a bowl and poured Eren’s favorite cereal and fixed his coffee just the way he liked it.

Eren felt like pure shit. He came home late last night, so he ended up getting only a few hours of sleep. All the alcohol he had last night caught up to him, and now he had a throbbing headache.

“Here you go,” Levi said gently. He placed the bowl and hot mug in front of Eren.

Eren finally lifted his head and took a spoonful of the magically delicious cereal into his mouth. He crunched with his head resting on his hand. There was an air of silence around them.

Levi watched as Eren’s grumpy face puffed as he chewed and took grateful gulps of coffee. His eyes had heavy bags beneath them. Even at his worst, the boy looked adorable.

“Levi. Do we have painkillers in the pantry? I have a headache.”

“We do. I’ll get you some.” He reached into the cupboard and retrieved two pills. He also poured Eren a glass of orange juice.

He watched as Eren gulped down the pills and rubbed his temples.

After Eren finished his breakfast, Levi came up to him and rubbed his back. “Hey, sweetheart. I know we decided not to talk about it last night, but do you want to tell me what you did yesterday?” Maybe he could figure out why Eren was feeling like garbage.

“No more secrets,” Eren recited their mantra. He sighed, his hands jammed between his thighs. “Well… I did a lot. I smoked some weed.”

Levi rolled his eyes but continued listening intently.

“…And I drank.”

“Eren…” Levi’s tone of disappointment made Eren regret his decisions. But then there was a flash of realization across Levi’s face as he put all the pieces together. “Wait. Eren, _please_ don’t tell me you were driving while drunk.”

Eren looked away guiltily.

Levi got into the next chair and took Eren’s face to meet his eyes. Anger pricked his skin. “Eren. Look at me, Eren Jaeger.”

It took some time for those green eyes to make contact. Levi only used his full name when he was dead serious.

“You shouldn’t be drinking yet, but more importantly, you’re smarter than that. You know the dangers of drunk driving. If something were to happen to you…” his jaw tightened and he was quiet for a moment before shaking his head. “I wouldn’t be able to live with myself. Never drink and drive. Promise me, Eren.”

Eren was looking back with wide eyes.

Levi squeezed Eren’s cheeks a bit harder. “Promise me,” he said a bit more forcefully.

“I promise. I’m sorry. I was really upset yesterday. I was stupid.”

Levi took a deep breath. His mind just pictured Eren’s corpse in a totaled car and then a coffin, and he ran his hand through his hair. Luck was on his side that Eren wasn’t reckless in the middle of the day.

“What else happened?”

“I went to Armin’s house. Then I came home.”

“Eren,” Levi started. “I love you. You’re my everything; you know that. But please don’t act recklessly. You’re a smart boy. I want your decisions to reflect that.”

Eren nodded shyly, like a kid getting chastised by his parents. He never wanted to disappoint Levi again. He wanted to be called a good boy.

“Understand, dear?”

“Understood.” Eren opened his arms for a much-needed hug. Levi took him and they stayed in their hug for a long moment—but for different reasons. Eren was now ridden with guilt and he craved Levi’s touch and attention and validation. Levi was just grateful that this boy didn’t get himself or anyone else killed last night.

But he also couldn’t be too angry. What happened yesterday was his fault. Eren was there even in the most stressful moments, providing coffee and shoulder massages and the most innocent affection. All he wanted was something in return.

Levi stroked Eren’s hair. “I know I’m working a lot these days. I know you have needs. But I haven’t forgotten about you, baby.”

Eren responded by nuzzling his face into Levi’s shoulder. After their long talk last night, Eren realized there was more to the situation than he saw. Levi was working hard because this case was a big deal to the company. He would have to hold out for extra attention until it was over. But until then, he would do his part by making it easier on Levi—making coffee and not being disruptive. Besides, now Saturdays were dedicated only to him and only him. It’ll be alright.

They separated, and Levi stroked Eren’s cheek. “Go out and have a wonderful day, Eren. I love you so much.”

\--

Eren was hazy and unfocused as he listened to his professor ramble on. The headache was starting to go away, but the extra-strength pills he had earlier was making him feel woozy. He doodled in his notebook.

\--

At the coffee shop, it was just another shift. Eren was fixing a white chocolate frappuccino, which was a bit refreshing—pumpkin spice lattes were all the rage in October.

Eren’s mood was better now than it was in the beginning of the week. The tips were starting to roll back in.

The coffee shop was warm and inviting amid the continuously colder temperatures outside. People bundled up in scarves and warm cashmere sweaters made their way in, laughing with friends and flirting with first-time dates. It was one of Eren’s favorite times of the year.

He took another order of pumpkin spice latte and the door bell jingled. He finished scribbling a young lady’s name and order on the cup for Jean and looked up to see who walked in.

A particularly good-looking, dark skinned man with a signature diamond stud earring made his way in.

“Shit,” Eren muttered. He shoved the empty cup into Jean’s hands. “Hide me. Take care of the next customer for me.”

Eren frantically escaped to the break room.

Why did his exes always show up at the worst fucking times?

He got a text from Jean, who was holding down the fort out there:

_Hey, I recognize this guy. Didn’t you used to have a thing with him?_

Eren replied:

_Yeah. Tell me when he leaves._

His relationship with Adrian wasn’t as destructive as with Mark. But it was always awkward seeing your old exes in public. They separated because Eren was bored with him. But Adrian wanted to make it work.

The list of people Eren had flings with was long and inconsistent. But now that he’s found Levi, he wanted to finally settle down.

A little while later, another text from Jean:

_He’s gone, you can come back out now_

Eren fixed his apron and tentatively returned to the register.

“He asked about you,” Jean said. “I lied and said you had to get something from the backroom and that you were busy.”

“Thanks for that. You saved me.” _And it wouldn’t have been the first time Jean was an unlikely savior…_

Relieved that he successfully avoided the situation, Eren got back to work.

\--

Eren got home after the long day and collapsed on the couch. Levi wasn’t home yet.

He was fucking exhausted.

He texted a few friends and absentmindedly tuned into the TV.

After a while, the door lock clicked, and a frazzled Levi came in with his leather briefcase in hand.

“Leeevi,” Eren smiled and went to meet him for a hug.

“Hey, doll,” Levi smiled and wrapped his arm around Eren’s waist, then shut the door behind him with the other.

Eren kissed Levi’s cheek and took his hand to lead him to the couch. Levi sunk into the couch with a long groan and Eren dropped down to get on his knees.

He unlaced and took off Levi’s polished shoes, then started massaging his feet. Working his fingers into sore feet, he looked up with a cheeky grin and relished the sight of totally useless and relaxed Levi, whose head was thrown back against the back of the couch in pleasure.

Eren wanted to get in deeper, so he peeled off Levi’s socks and continued massaging.

Levi’s body pulsed with jolts of electricity as his tired feet was worked on. He didn’t deserve this. This treatment. He didn’t deserve Eren. He was in fucking heaven.

Levi could just _feel_ the stress roll off him. He looked down at Eren, who was focused on his own hands and Levi’s feet. He alternated between his right and left foot.

Today was a long day at work. Attending meetings, calling representatives from M.P., dealing with irritating negotiations. Maybe he could allow himself this little pleasure and just…

…close his eyes.

Levi was dangerously close to the brink of sleep when Eren giggled, but he didn’t stop massaging.

“You know, you’re allowed to go and take a little nap, Mr. CEO.”

Levi opened his eyes, feeling like his head was in the clouds after that delicious treatment. He reached down and took Eren’s elbows to bring him up off his knees.

Eren sat on Levi’s lap and rubbed his chest soothingly. His green eyes gazed at Levi’s face lovingly.

“Eren… you’re the sweetest thing. Thank you for that massage. But I have to go work some more. I can’t sleep just yet.” Mr. CEO had priorities.

Eren wanted Levi to sleep, like he so deserved. He could tell how tired his man was. His face etched with concern.

Levi took Eren’s face and lay a grateful kiss on his forehead. He squeezed Eren’s ass to get him off his lap.

Levi retreated into his study, and Eren turned off the TV before retreating into his own bedroom.

-

Eren was in the zone, working on an assignment for a class. His tongue stuck out in focus as read his textbook and looked over his notes.

There was a soft knock on the door before Levi entered. He set down a plate of sandwich and chips and a cold bottle of root beer.

He ruffled Eren’s hair. “Hey, sweet boy. I forgot to ask you what you wanted for dinner earlier.”

Eren turned around and grinned. “Sandwich is fine; thanks, Levi.”

As Eren turned back around and took a bite of his sandwich, Levi took in the scene. Papers were strewn about, a thick textbook was open, and Eren’s laptop had an essay in progress. Eren’s small stereo sat on his desk as well, playing background music. He never really did like it too quiet.

Eren polished off the sandwich quickly. It was just the way he liked it—Levi knew him so well.

“Alright, I’ll leave you alone now,” Levi said. He rubbed Eren’s shoulders before turning on his heel and walking away.

“Wait, Levi.”

Levi came back.

Eren was wearing his glasses, making his eyes sparkle a lot more adorably. “Kiss,” he stated. He puckered his lips.

Levi’s face softened. That was a request he could be happy to fulfill. He took Eren’s face in his hands, caressing those sweet cheeks with his thumbs. He leaned down and took Eren’s lips firmly and slowly. Both their eyes were closed as they tasted each other and shared the moment. Levi’s lip was still a bit swollen from where Eren bit into it yesterday.

They separated after a tender minute.

“Mm,” Levi looked at Eren’s gorgeous eyes.

Eren giggled and stole one another quick kiss from Levi’s lips before turning back around.

-

That night, Eren was waiting in Levi’s bed, flipping through channels for something to watch while winding down.

He settled on WWE wrestling. There was something about muscular guys in colorful underwear and eyeliner that was endlessly entertaining.

Eventually, Levi stopped working for the day and joined him in bed. He looked and sounded totally exhausted.

This was about the only time they cuddled and talked these days. And Eren took full advantage of it.

He sat back against pillows, and he wanted Levi to lie back on him.

As they watched wrestling, Eren played with Levi’s soft hair, rolling the clean black strands between his fingers.

“Tell me about your day, Levi.”

Levi told him all about his meetings, the annoying people he had to deal with, and the progress of the case. Eren listened closely.

“Tell me about your day, dear,” Levi said after he was done.

“I was really out of it in the beginning of the day. I almost fell asleep during a lecture. And the professor assigned us another project.”

“Mm. Is that what you were working on today?”

“Nah. That was an essay for another class. Which I didn’t finish. I want to get it done tomorrow, even though it’s due in like a week.”

“It’s good you’re ahead of the game. Diligence is key.”

“Totally. My dad always said procrastinating leads to nothing but failure.”

“Straightforward, isn’t he?” Levi chuckled.

Eren laughed. “Yeah. Sometimes a bit too much.”

“I can take that advice, too. I have a list of priorities to get done every week. It’s a bitch to manage, though.”

“Did you get this week’s priorities done?” Eren asked.

“I have three more items on the list. I have to brief the PR team tomorrow, and I have to discuss Erwin’s report with him. Then I have to make my own report.”

“Why do you wanna discuss Erwin’s report with him?” Eren inquired.

Levi was tickled pink that Eren was always so curious about his work. “It’s not that there was anything wrong with it. But this is a report we’re submitting to M.P. I want him to take a more aggressive stance. He can sometimes be too polite and formal. I want him to pull out more hard-hitting facts and show them that Survey Corp is talking money.”

“Ohh,” Eren breathed. He paid attention while twirling Levi’s hair in his fingers.

“Tell me more about your day.”

“Coffee shop was same ol’,” he said. “Everyone wants pumpkin spice lattes. It gets kind of boring to make.”

“Are they good, at least?”

“I tried it. It’s alright. I don’t really understand the hype. I’ll bring some for you so you can try it. I want to hear what you think of it.”

Levi laughed. And suddenly a surge of fatigue washed over him. Sleep was calling for him.

“And I almost ran into an ex at work. I kinda hid in the break room until he left.”

“How many exes do you have, Eren?” Levi wondered.

Eren thought for a moment. He’s had sex with people countless times. But only a few were official relationships.

“Eight. Two girls and six guys.”

Levi nodded. He was glad that he got them both tested for STDs a while ago. Both of them were clean.

“How many exes do you have?” Eren asked.

“Two. Two women.”

Eren grinned and leaned over so his face was near Levi’s. “Aww. I’m your first boyfriend?”

“You are.”

That fact seemed to make Eren happy for some reason. He rubbed the top of Levi’s chest lovingly.

They didn’t even need to tell each other that they were the best relationships they each had.

The lull of the TV as well as Eren’s touch was really starting to drag Levi’s eyes shut. Eren prompted to get under the covers.

With the room dark save for the TV, Levi yawned. “Eren, you do realize that WWE is staged, right?”

Eren looked appalled. “What? No, it’s not.”

“It is. Those aren’t even real punches. No one’s touching. It’s all for show.”

“That’s not true! That metal chair? Those brutal pile drivers? Are those all ‘staged’, too?”

“I’m afraid so, my dear,” Levi smiled. “That’s not real fighting.”

“Levi… why do you like to ruin my hopes and dreams?” Eren acted out melodramatically.

“I’m sorry, Eren,” Levi chuckled. “I had to let you know the truth.”

Eren laughed and crawled into his arms. Levi reached around for the remote and turned the TV off.

Levi showered Eren’s head with several loud smooches before submitting to the clutches of sleep and drifting off in seconds. He was absolutely spent.

\--

 “’Night, Mark.”

“’Night.”

Mark was out cold within minutes. He had his way with Eren tonight, as he usually did, and now he was finally all fucked out. Eren could finally take a break.

When he was sure Mark was fully asleep, Eren turned off the lights of the bedroom and went to the couch in the living room.

Everything felt so cold and lonely right now. He felt like a piece of meat.

He also pitied himself. Sex with Mark wasn’t fun anymore. But he orgasmed. Every time. _Why must his body betray him?_

Eren wrapped a blanket around himself. This was the closest thing to being cuddled. And the tears started flowing.

Sniffling quietly into the night, Eren cried while curled up on the couch. The darkness of the apartment was almost soothing.

His phone vibrated, and it startled him.

It was Jean Kirschstein. They don’t really talk much. But they had the same friends and Eren saw him at most of Connie’s parties. Why would he text him now?

_Eren- I heard you were looking for work. Trost Coffee can use an extra hand asap if you’re willing. Here’s the manager’s number._

Jean included the manager’s information.

Eren wiped his tears with his palm. _A coffee shop, huh? Why not?_ It was better than mowing several lawns every week and walking his neighbor’s dogs. This could be his big chance.

_Thanks, Jean. I’ll get in touch._

Eren finished crying, and he slipped into a naked, hazy sleep.

-

Eren called the coffee shop manager the next day, and she said to come in to see her on the same day.

He wore the best clothes he had, and combed his hair extra nice. He needed this job. No one else in town was hiring, it seemed.

The manager was a kind lady. She said a bunch of employees quit recently, and the shop was desperate for help. She hired him on the spot.

He would start this week. She said that Jean would show him the ropes.

Eren Jaeger finally had a job. He was all smiles as he left the shop and went to the drugstore to buy a tub of chocolate ice cream. And for once, he didn’t feel guilty about spending his money since soon he would have a stable income.

He slipped back into his apartment. Mark was still asleep on the bed.

Well, he could afford it. Mark worked as a coordinator for high-end events, and he worked on his own time. And he made a lot of money. It was the type of life Eren aspired for. But he also didn’t want to become an asshole like Mark.

Eren was pouring Lucky Charms into a bowl when he felt a familiar pair of arms wrap his waist from behind.

“Hey, babe.” Mark pressed his crotch against Eren’s back. Then he lay a sweet kiss on Eren’s head.

Eren smiled. “Hey.” Mark must’ve been in a good mood this morning. This day was already working out for the better.

He took his cereal and ice cream to the couch and ate while watching TV. Mark ate beside him.

It was strange like this. Mark usually demanded sex within the first five minutes of waking.

After his totally unhealthy, sugary breakfast, Eren capped his chocolate ice cream and crawled into Mark’s lap innocently. “Mark. Let’s go on a date today.”

“A date?” Mark’s hazel eyes gleamed. “Alright.”

They went to the movies. The next stop was the aquarium that Eren always wanted to go to.

It was the middle of a weekday, so they were among only a few other visitors. Eren laced his fingers in Mark’s as they walked through a world of deep blues.

Eren wasn’t sure why he was so relaxed. Was it because he finally got a job, and he could stop feeling like a freeloader? Was it because deep down inside, he knew that this would be his last date with Mark? _What the fuck was this feeling?_

He laughed and pointed at strange-looking fishes, gushing his thoughts about them.

Eren’s eyes were all wide and sparkly, like they usually were when he was excited about something. Mark gazed down into those green lookers, filtered by the blue around them. His heart squeezed. He wanted to pick Eren up and fuck him against this shark tank until he was a moaning, whining mess.

“…Mark? Are you listening to me!?” Eren pouted.

He shook his head and snapped back into focus. “Huh? Yeah.” To be honest, he couldn’t give a fuck about these fishes. But it made Eren happy to be here, and when Eren was happy, the sex was better. He would wait this out until he could finally take Eren home and see him start acting like the freaky slut he was.

“Mark…” Eren groaned. “You’re not listening! When we go on dates, we’re supposed to talk about stuff!”

Mark took Eren’s chin. “Yeah. Sorry, babe, I zoned out a bit. What were you saying about this shark?”

-

After Mark took Eren to dinner, they called it a day and went back to Eren’s apartment.

They were barely in the door when Mark picked Eren up and took him to the bedroom.

Eren wrapped his arms around his neck as he felt himself getting carried away. He wanted to cuddle, not have sex. But he had fun on their date. It was the first one they’d been on in a while. He would seem selfish if he said he wasn’t in the mood.

So, what the hell. He would indulge Mark. It was the least he could do. _It was all he was good for_ , he thought.

Mark peeled Eren off him and slammed him onto the bed. He got to work taking his clothes off while Eren stripped himself.

Mark slathered lube onto his erect cock and aligned himself against Eren’s entrance.

“Give it to me, baby,” Eren moaned.

Mark smirked. “That’s what I like to hear.”

He slammed himself into Eren, enjoying the flash of pain across those beautiful emerald eyes. Eren wrapped his arms around Mark’s neck and whimpered. He was still a bit sore from yesterday. Not to mention Mark practically never prepped him. The first minute was always painful as hell.

 _Eren was so fucking tight_. _How!? They fucked multiple times a day. You would think he’d be loose._

 _Whatever,_ Mark thought. _Don’t overthink it._ All that mattered were pretty sounds Eren was making right now.

“You like that, Eren? My pretty little slut.”

“Uh-huh!”

Mark reached over and slapped Eren across the face hard, watching red blossom where his hand met. Eren’s bottom lip quivered, but he moaned nonetheless.

“You’re such a little whore! You love it when I beat you up, huh?” Mark sneered. He sucked up some saliva and spat on Eren’s face, right on those pretty eyelashes. A few more thrusts, and he took Eren’s hips and turned him over so he was on his knees.

Eren used the few seconds between positions to wipe the spit off his face. He didn’t like this. Not one bit. He started crying. _Man up! Don’t let him see you like this! He took you on a date, dammit!_

The tears that clung to his face dropped to the sheets as Mark took him from behind, hard and ruthless. His fingers clung to the sheets and he hung his head in shame. He saw his own cock spill precum onto the sheets, even though he was in pain. _He really was a slut._

He felt Mark unknowingly brush against his g-spot and he was getting close. “M-Mark… I’m-I-I’m…” he reached out and held onto Mark’s thigh as he buried his face in the sheets.

“What is it, babe? Getting close?” He pounded into Eren’s ass with blinding speed and strength. “Fuck...” Mark was getting there, too.

And just like he was trained to, Eren crawled up and got on his knees, waiting for his facial. Tears streamed down his face. “I love you, Mark.”

Hot cum splattered onto his awaiting face. Mark groaned long and loud as he finished, and he ran a hand through his hair. He reached down and wrapped a hand around Eren’s aching red cock and rubbed him off to completion.

It was awkwardly silent for a while. The cum hid the tears, at least. Eren stayed on his knees until Mark bought over some tissues to wipe Eren’s face clean.

Mark collapsed onto the bed and caught his breath. Eren slipped back on his t shirt and boxers and drew his knees close. He browsed through his phone quietly.

A few minutes later, Mark patted Eren’s back. “Alright babe. Let’s go again.”

“Mark…” Eren sighed. “I’m not feeling it. Can’t we just talk instead? Or watch TV?”

“But you liked it. Look, you’re still hard.” He pointed at the small tent in Eren’s boxers.

“That’s not the point. Don’t you wanna do anything else with me besides fucking? Don’t you love me?”

Mark got up and crawled over Eren’s body, wedging his knee into Eren’s crotch. “I do love you, babe. And that’s why-“ he dragged the waistband of Eren’s boxers down so that his cock peeked out, “I want to fuck you and make you happy.”

“No.” Eren said defiantly. He pushed Mark off and pulled his boxers back up. “All we do is have sex. It fucking hurts, Mark. You never ask me about my day or how I’m feeling. I’m just tired. You don’t care about me.”

“What the fuck, Eren?” Mark raised his voice. “After all I’ve done for you!? I pay all your bills every month, and I buy your groceries. I took you on a date today. I always pay for dinner. And you have the nerve to say I don’t care about you!? Maybe I should let you pay your own bills this month. Maybe that’ll teach you!”

“YOU’RE A FUCKING DICK, MARK!” Eren cried. “I’m done being your little fuck toy! I have a real job now! I don’t need your help! So get dressed and get the fuck outta my apartment!”

Something crossed Mark’s eyes. Regret? Pity? Sadness? Eren’s never stood up for himself. He’s never raised his voice like that. Eren was his boyfriend, after all. And he was younger than he was. He was still figuring things out.

“Eren…” Mark said softly.

“GET OUT! WE’RE DONE!”

Mark clenched his jaw and pulled his clothes back on. He gathered his keys and looked back at Eren one last time.

“Fine. But you’ll regret this, Jaeger. No one will treat you as well as I did.”

“OUT!” Eren sobbed.

Mark stormed out of the apartment and slammed the door behind him.

And Eren sobbed. And sobbed, and sobbed. It was over. It was finally fucking over. He got beneath cum-soiled blankets and cried his eyes dry, his lungs heaving with each forced breath.

It was time for him to reclaim his life.

\--

The end of the week was here, and it couldn’t come sooner. Eren was munching on chips while watching TV. It was the perfect way to wind down alone after a long day.

Levi emerged from the hallway, and he was dressed. “Eren, no more chips, sweetheart. You’ll spoil your dinner.”

Eren stopped crunching for a second. “Where ya goin’?”

Levi was lacing his shoes. “I have to stop by the office to pick up a file. I’ll get dinner on my way back. What would you like to eat?”

Eren thought for a second. “I want a burrito! Please.”

Levi smiled. “You got it.”

The door shut and the apartment was silent again. Eren opened his bag of chips and began crunching his chips again, with a totally mischievous smile.

It was Friday. Tomorrow he would have his man all to himself.


	41. No Work, All Eren Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys don't get tired of reading fluff, because I don't get tired of writing it. :3 After recent tensions and busy lives, our baby boys finally get to hang out together with no distractions. So da mudda mushy-gushyyyyyyyyyyyy!!
> 
> (I'm seeing a lot of new faces around here these last few chapters, and I wanted to tell you hunnies WELCOME and I SEE YOU ;D ! And as usual for everyone reading, please let me know your thoughts! I love hearin' from ya!)

It was one of the rare days where Eren was actually excited to wake up.

The minute he opened his eyes, Eren smiled a face-splitting grin and sat upright–stretching his arms to the ceiling with a crack of his spine. He threw the covers off and ran to the bathroom to brush his teeth and wash his face.

Today, _finally_ , he would have Levi all to himself.

The smell of French toast being cooked seductively coaxed Eren to the kitchen. There Levi was at the stove, flipping the bread over.

Eren marched right up to him and gave him a big hug, inhaling that sexy sandalwood and musk scent. Levi wrapped his arms around Eren’s waist and pressed his lips to his cheek.

“Good morning, darling boy.”

“’Morning. I love you.” Eren closed his eyes and wrapped his arms tighter around Levi’s neck.

“I love you, too,” Levi breathed. “Hungry? I made your favorite.”

“Mm-hmm.” Eren unwrapped his arms from Levi and took a seat at a barstool. He checked his messages while waiting for his breakfast. He was so excited that he found his feet kicking beneath the counter.

Levi smiled as he flipped over another toast. Eren was so damn precious. He never combed his hair on the weekends or if he didn’t need to leave the apartment, so he sat there with his adorable bedhead-untamed cowlicks and all.

Levi loaded a heaping pile of toast onto a plate, spread some butter, and then sprinkled different kinds of berries. Next, he drenched it in syrup, and finally, he squirted a smiley face in whipped cream. Then he poured Eren a mug of coffee, and used his favorite creamer and just the right amount of sugar.

Levi felt like a hypocrite; he would always make fun of Erwin for baking cookies and cakes for his guests, but now he was acting just as sappy. He couldn’t help it- Eren Jaeger has softened his once-guarded heart into a lovey-dovey pile of mush.

Eren was dancing and shaking in his seat as Levi brought over his breakfast. That face-splitting grin never went away.

“Enjoy,” Levi smiled and stroked Eren’s chin before going to fix his own coffee.

“Thank you!” Eren squealed. His heart warmed at the complimentary smiley-face Levi made. He cut into his French toast ravenously with his fork and knife and took a huge, syrupy bite. His eyes rolled back and he moaned loudly as the flavor hit his tongue. He took in another forkful while his mouth was still full.

He chewed and swallowed quickly just to make room for another delicious bite, his stomach grumbling with the welcome food. Levi sipped his coffee and watched Eren’s adorable display as he leaned against the kitchen counter.

“Just marry me already, Levi!” Eren said. He cut into his stack and took another bite.

Levi’s laughed, rich and full and deep. His heart pounded- no one has ever made him feel this way. Eren was far too young for marriage now, but…

_One day. One day._

“Is the French toast that good?” Levi mused. His heart was still a fluttery fucking mess.

Eren nodded profusely, his unkempt bangs flopping a bit over his eyes. “So damn good! Levi, you’re the best!”

And he was already sopping up the last of the syrup on his plate with his last forkful. Levi was a step ahead. “Seconds, baby?”

“Yes, please!”

Levi loaded another plate for Eren, and one for himself. Eren was gulping down coffee as he waited.

Breakfast together was the very best way to start the morning. Levi wanted to feed Eren his second plate, more to help him slow down while eating, but also because Eren was the cutest thing ever. He ate his own toast as Eren chewed.

With breakfast out of the way and the dishes done, the next destination was the couch.

Eren clicked through Netflix and crawled over Levi’s body, rubbing his chest soothingly. Those big green eyes were full of life.

“Thank you for breakfast…” he placed a kiss on Levi’s forehead. “But now… I have something else in mind.” His eyebrows wagged.

“And what would that be, Eren?”

Cuddling. They cuddled. (Eren wasn’t _completely_ nasty!)

But in actuality, it really was what Eren craved the most. He waited for what seemed like eons for Levi’s undivided attention, and he wanted those strong, warm, muscular arms wrapped around him.

Levi stroked and scratched Eren’s head as they lazed away and watched their show.

Eren looked up. “I’m so glad I have you all to myself today,” he said. “You work too much.”

“I know, baby. I’m glad I get to focus on you. I’ve missed you terribly.” He placed a kiss on Eren’s head. “Saturday is all about you now. I promise not to work.”

Eren nuzzled into the crook of his neck gratefully.

“This case must be tough for you,” Levi continued. “You want attention, don’t you?” he cooed apologetically, and stroked Eren’s cheek with his finger.

“Yeah…” Eren sighed melodramatically. “Lots of it. Especially from you.” He giggled and craned his neck up to place a kiss on Levi’s jaw. “I just love you so much,” he whispered. “So, so much.”

Once again, Levi Ackerman’s poor heart was a fluttery mess. He didn’t think there were words to explain to Eren how much he meant to him, so instead he wrapped his arms around Eren’s shoulders again, and pressed a long kiss into that morning-scented hair.

-

Levi’s body was so warm, and his chest was firm, and that along with Eren’s beige blanket drawn over his head was the perfect recipe for napping. Eren drifted in and out of a soft, dreamy sleep for about an hour.

Levi didn’t mind at all. He actually loved it when Eren slept on him- with a smirk, he remembered the first time Eren spent the night in this apartment, and how Eren accidentally fell asleep on his lap. He kept stroking those chocolate locks as he watched the show.

From here, Levi could see the sky out the glass wall. The morning was hued by light blues and pale oranges. The rising sun shone through buildings and lay sunbeams on Eren’s napping body.

He liked this domestic life with Eren. He could definitely get used to this.

Eren woke up again with a deep sigh, and he smiled. “I love you,” was the first thing he spoke, then kissed Levi’s chest.

“You already said that, sleepy boy,” Levi chuckled.

“Because it’s true!”

“And I love you, too, my sweet Eren.”

-

As the morning wore on, the cuddling did not wear down one bit, but their positions changed. Eren requested tummy rubs. He leaned his back against Levi’s chest, then reached around to grab Levi’s wrist to lead his hand up his shirt.

With Eren’s head resting back on his shoulder, Levi rubbed Eren’s stomach for a long while, occasionally dipping his fingers into Eren’s waistband to feel the warmth of Eren’s lower belly.

Eren fell asleep once again.

Levi used the chance to go get himself a snack. Pistachios. His favorite.

He slipped out beneath Eren’s weight and covered him with a blanket before going to the kitchen.

As he looked through the pantry, Levi remembered a conversation they had when Eren first moved in…

_Eren flung open the pantry doors, eyeing the selection within. He pursed his lips._

_“Levi, what kinda munchies are these?” He reached in and took out plain tea biscuits with a disapproving look. “Where are your good snacks?”_

_“I’m sorry I couldn’t meet your snack standards, dear,” Levi said. “We can go shopping, if you want. I need to restock the fridge anyway.”_

_“Yeah! Let’s go!”_

_They drove to the supermarket. It would be the first time Eren has gone grocery shopping with Levi, and he was excited._

_Eren had on a sly smile as they began their trip._

_Levi picked out a bunch of bananas and put them into the cart. “What’s that smile for?”_

_Eren leaned on the handles of the cart, his face resting on his hand. “Nothing. It’s just weird seeing you like this. You always take me to expensive places, so it’s kinda funny seeing you in the fruit aisle.”_

_Levi chuckled and shook his head, shaking open a clear bag for apples. “None of us are above the grocery store, my dear. It makes a man humble.” He showed Eren a particularly shiny dark red apple._

_“Ain’t that the truth…”_

_“Do you know how to pick out prime fruit, Eren? Let me teach you.”_

_Levi explained how to spot and feel bruises on different kinds of fruits, and which were the best in each season. Eren listened in fascination, and he learned a lot. Levi knew about everything._

_They continued through the grocery, and Levi was slowly filling his list. They came across the snack aisle._

_Eren was methodical and swift as he pulled down bags of Cheetos, potato chips, Pocky, candies… and now he was prepared for any type of craving._

_Levi hasn’t had most of those snacks for a long time in his life, but it seemed now he would have the chance to revisit his teenage palate._

_“We’re all set on snacks now,” Eren grinned._

_With a loving smile, Levi squeezed his butt quickly before they continued onto the dairy aisle._

And now Levi stared into their pantry, filled with colorful bags of sugary and salty and totally unhealthy shit, as per Eren’s wants.

He reached for his bag of pistachios, and took a bowl back with him to the couch.

Eren was still napping, so he slipped back beneath him and slowly lay Eren’s head on his lap.

So Levi kept watching TV while cracking open and munching pistachios.

Eren’s snoring hitched loudly and he smacked his lips as he woke back up. Levi looked down and stroked his bangs off his forehead.

He sat up and rubbed his eyes. “Ugh. Sorry I keep falling asleep on you. You’re just so warm and comfy.”

“Don’t worry, I don’t mind. You’ve had a long week.”

Eren pointed at the bag of nuts in Levi’s hand. “What are those?”

“Pistachios. Want some?”

Eren cracked one open and ate it, nodding his approval. “Mm. These are actually pretty good.”

“They’re also healthier than your Cheetos.”

“Cheetos have my heart, Levi. You’re a close second, though.”

Levi laughed. “Damn. Just a close second, huh?”

Eren headbutted Levi’s shoulder and giggled.

\--

“Let’s play games!” Eren said. He went to the TV and turned on the Xbox.

Levi hasn’t played video games in years. The systems were completely different now. But he would try for Eren. It seemed to be a common theme now for Levi to revisit his youth whenever he spent time with Eren.

Eren handed him a controller. They played a fighting game first, which Eren excelled at and Levi struggled to learn the controls.

But Levi was a fast learner, and soon he was starting to memorize moves and combos, and Eren wondered if there was anything this man couldn’t do.

Then they moved on to Call of Duty, which Eren was sure he could annihilate Levi in because he’d honed his skills on it for months.

But it was a combat game, and Levi was an unexpected beast.

He flawlessly switched between different kinds of guns and hid like an expert, taking Eren down each time.

Eren slammed his controller on his lap with a frustrated huff, once again defeated by Levi. “What the hell!? How are you so good at this?”

“It’s because you never check your surroundings when you start running. You’re an easy target.”

“Not true. I stared at your dot for like ten minutes. Let’s play with some people online. Maybe they can help me take you down.”

Their final round was one for the books. Both teams were neck-and-neck, everyone working hard to defend their honor.

Eren was focusing with every fiber of his being, his tongue sticking out a bit like it did whenever he was in the zone.

Meanwhile, Levi was leaning casually against the armrest of the couch, destroying everyone in his path.

There were twenty seconds of the match left.

Eren was squealing as his teammates fell, taking down Levi’s team with them. It was so nerve-wracking, but he refused to lose to Levi!

Not even bothering to use strategy, Eren screamed in real life as he aimlessly ran through the field and shot his machine gun in the game. He hoped Levi was one of the people in his path.

But he wasn’t. In fact, Levi was hiding somewhere in the map, shooting down Eren’s teammates one by one while waiting for his chance to target Eren.

Ten seconds.

Now Eren had to resort to scummier methods. He got up and plopped down on Levi’s lap to block his view of the TV, moving his torso in front of where Levi was craning his neck.

“Eren! Stop cheating!” Levi laughed. He strained his neck around to get a view of the screen.

“Never!”

Levi darted his hand out and jabbed Eren in the rib, and Eren squealed as he collapsed onto the couch weakly. With Eren no longer blocking his view, Levi had a perfect sighting of Eren’s avatar standing still on the screen, and he shot him down from above.

Levi’s team took the trophy.

Eren got up and looked at the screen in disgust. “I’m done.” He took his glasses off and put them in their case.

Levi placed his controller on the coffee table. “Don’t be a sore loser, sweetheart.”

Eren punched Levi’s arm. “I’m not a sore loser!”

“You couldn’t win even when you cheated,” Levi teased with a smirk.

“I did what I had to do to help my team win! Next time I’ll give you a blowjob to distract you even more!”

“You would do all that to help your team win?” Levi tackled Eren into the couch and commenced with a tickle attack.

Eren squealed and squirmed and flailed around to escape Levi’s grip, but it was useless because he was pinned into place, and Levi was jabbing and curling his fingers into his ribs, neck, armpits, chest, and stomach.

“LEVI, PLEASE! STOP, I’M BEGGING!” Tears gathered in the corners of Eren’s eyes as he laughed painfully under Levi’s attack.

“Mm… I don’t think I’m done quite yet.” Levi growled. “No mercy for cheaters.” He dug his fingers into Eren’s sides, receiving a loud squeal.

Eren’s face was a deep red as he struggled to breathe, and his body was going numb under the tickles. Levi finally took pity and climbed off him.

Eren rubbed his body to soothe it and panted as he calmed down. He eyed Levi tentatively, praying that there would be no second round.

Eren giggled and kicked Levi’s leg. “Asshole.”

“Are you looking for another tickle attack?”

“No! I’m weak!”

“Then I suggest,” Levi reached and rubbed Eren’s inner thigh gently, “you behave, Eren.”

Eren got up and threw himself into Levi’s lap again, wrapping his arms around his neck in a tight hug.

\--

The rest of the afternoon was filled with cuddles, petting, head rubs, and kissing. Eren was catching up on all the affection he’s been missing while Levi was working.

He was straddling Levi now, stroking that jaw lovingly, and taking deep tongue-filled smooches.

“Mmm…” Levi groaned.

Eren separated, and bit his lip as he stared into Levi’s steely-grays. His own green eyes were cloudy with lust, his pupils blown wide.

“Guess what?” Eren asked.

Levi rubbed his thighs, edging up into those boxers. Eren hardly ever wore pants at home. “What?”

With a giggle and then a quick kiss to the lips, he put his hand on Levi’s shoulder. “I love you. That’s what.”

“I love you, too, precious.” He looked out the glass, and the sun was retreating into the soft blue late afternoon sky. “Where would you like to go for dinner?”

Eren thought for a moment, but then his eyes sparkled. “Take me to a restaurant where they make the food in front of you!”

A hibachi restaurant. Levi went to a few with Erwin before.

“Of course. Let’s get dressed.”

“Carry me to my room?” Eren asked. He wrapped his arms around Levi and braced himself.

“Don’t be lazy, Eren,” he laughed. But he held the bottoms of Eren’s thighs anyway and stood up with some effort, taking Eren to his room.

Eren wore the tightest jeans he had, a tank top, his jacket, and his beanie. He went to the living room and put his shoes on.

Levi emerged in a patterned short-sleeved button-up and black jeans, and he shrugged on his leather jacket as he looked for his keys.

“Ready?” He found his keys on the bar counter and turned towards the door, but then stopped in his tracks as he watched Eren start for the door.

Levi’s seen Eren wear skinny jeans before, but _these_ jeans… so fucking tight that they clung to Eren’s gorgeous legs like spray paint, hugging his firm thighs and calves and his ass—dear _lord_ that ass—so fucking juicy and tight and firm and round… Levi wanted to take Eren over his knees and slap that lovely little ass.

Eren turned his head and caught Levi staring. “What?” he asked innocently, but he had a knowing smile on his face.

_Fucking illegal…_

Levi walked up and snaked his hands around Eren’s hips to get a handful of his ass. He kept his eyes on Eren’s. “You know what. These tight ass jeans of yours.” He squeezed Eren’s ass hard, drawing a giggle.

“Levi! Behave!” And with a lower, more careful voice. “What would our ten babies say?”

Levi laughed out loud, remembering that Eren wanted to be the proud mother of ten children.

“Our ten babies don’t know that their mother is a tease.”

“They also don’t know that their papa needs to be teased every once in a while. Y’know, to keep him on his toes.”

Their faces were within breathing distance, their noses brushing.

“Get in the car before I lose whatever ounce of self control I have left,” Levi whispered up into Eren’s mouth.

And it was no question that Papa Levi smacked that ass hard before they reached his car.

\--

They got to the Japanese steakhouse, and the host seated them at a square table with a few other couples.

Eren and Levi placed their orders, and waited for show to begin as they sipped their drinks.

A chubby, older chef carted in with the ingredients. “Hello,” he called in a friendly tone.

“Hello,” all the couples replied, Eren’s response being the loudest. He was excited.

The Japanese chef rubbed down the range with a wet cloth, and he squirted oil in a swirl. Quickly, he took out a lighter. “Watch your eyebrows,” he said and lit the oil, creating a huge fiery flare.

“Whoa!” Eren laughed.

After the fire died down, the chef juggled a spatula and a knife, tapping them against the range rhythmically while he did. He took an egg out of his chef apron and bounced it in the air with his spatula before cracking it open with one hand.

“Wow!” Eren was so impressed to be this close to such amazing talent.

Levi sipped his drink and took out his phone to snap a photo of awestruck Eren.

The chef went on to cook a pile of rice and chop vegetables with quick precision. He took out an onion and sliced it into rings with decreasing width so it made a small stack. He squirted oil into the stack and lit some fire into it, which fizzled out and made steam.

The chef scooted the steaming onion stack across the range and tapped against the metal surface with a train-like sound. “Choo-choo,” the chef said with a flat and humorous tone.

“A train!” Eren grinned. The rest of the couples laughed at the onion train.

The chef scooted the onion stack to the middle of the range and dragged the rice pile around it. “Hawaii,” he chuckled.

Eren laughed, and even though Levi has seen similar tricks with Erwin before, Eren’s excitement was infectious. He couldn’t help but laugh as well.

The chef scooped up a bite-sized amount of rice onto his spatula and showed it around the table, hoping for volunteers. Pretty much everyone shied away and shook their heads, so the chef settled on his most involved audience member, Eren.

“Ready?” the chef called. Eren focused in on the rice. The chef launched it in an arc in the air towards Eren, and Eren caught it right in his mouth.

Everyone at the table clapped for Eren, Levi included. The chef smiled proudly.

Next, the chef cut a square piece of butter and tossed it into the pile of rice anticlimactically. “Butterfly,” he said with a serious tone.

Eren cracked up at the joke, and the chef laughed along with him, a bit humored that he found it so funny.

Eren shook Levi’s arm. “Levi, butterfly!” he kept laughing uncontrollably.

Levi smile grew wider and soon he found himself laughing again. “Yes, baby, butterfly.”

The chef lay out the meat and sliced it up to allow it to cook, and he kept working as everyone watched. Occasionally, he would toss more rice into Eren’s mouth.

Soon enough he was serving everyone what they ordered. Everyone separated their chopsticks and began eating.

The chef cleaned up and then bowed respectfully. “Thank you.”

Everyone put their utensils down and clapped for his performance, and thanked him for the food.

After their meals, Levi handled the bill and they made their way back home.

\--

The sky was a dark, sleepy blue by the time they were back in the apartment.

Levi shrugged off his jacket and stretched his neck out.

“I’m getting kinda tired,” Eren sighed. He took off his shoes. It really has been a long day.

“Agreed. How about a bath?”

“Only if you join me.”

And despite how long he’s lived here, Eren’s never experienced the bath in Levi’s bathroom. Levi scattered scented candles around the bathroom and dimmed the lights for a romantic vibe, then loaded his music on a dock nearby. It was the absolute perfect way to wind down.

They stripped and Eren waited with a robe on as Levi fiddled with the bath’s settings. Eren watched as he poured soap into the stream, creating fluffy bubbles in the water.

Levi took off his towel and lowered himself into the bath with a groan. “Come on in, Eren.”

Eren slid his robe off and joined him. As he lowered himself into the water, he sighed and then giggled. “It’s so warm!”

The room smelled like lavender and vanilla. Levi reclined his back against the tub and put his arms up. Eren noticed some buttons near his hand.

“What do those do?”

Levi pressed one of the buttons, and little holes in the tub released pulsing bubble jets into the water. Eren laughed at the sensation against his back. But it felt amazing.

“Oooh, yes.” Eren melted against the side of the tub and closed his eyes.

Levi let his head rest back and they sat in silence as they listened to the soothing music. Eren picked up some bubbles in his hand and blew them towards Levi.

Their muscles and work fatigue after a busy week melted away with the pulsing jets. Eren could probably sleep here…

A while later, Levi sat back up and opened his eyes. “Alright. I’m getting wrinkled. Let’s clean up and get out of here, shall we? I’ll wash you.”

Eren scooted back between Levi’s legs. He played with the remaining bubbles as Levi squirted expensive shampoo into his palm and scrubbed it into his chocolatey locks.

“You’re awfully quiet, baby. Something wrong?” Levi asked.

“…It’s nothing.”

“Eren.”

“It’s just that… we had so much fun today. And tomorrow you have to get back to the case. I just want to spend every moment with you.”

Levi took the handheld showerhead and rinsed Eren’s hair off. “I had a lot of fun today, too. But this case won’t go on forever. Soon enough we can get back to our normal routine.”

“I know. And I understand the situation. But I’m selfish and I want you all to myself, Levi.”

Levi squirted some body wash onto a loofah and scrubbed Eren’s back. “You’re such a sweet boy. You mean everything to me, Eren. No matter how busy I get.”

After Eren was fully scrubbed, he got out of the tub into a robe and went to get dressed. Levi finished washing himself off and got into a towel, walking around the bathroom and blowing out the candles before going to get dressed.

Eren sat on Levi’s bed in his pajamas as he flipped through the TV. His damp hair was uncombed and splayed out on his forehead.

Levi got into his own pajamas, and climbed onto the bed with a comb and some oil for Eren’s hair.

He styled Eren’s hair neatly, and it was a time of bonding and quiet trust.

And now Levi was spent. It was finally time to call it a day. He lay on his stomach, the side of his face resting on his pillow. Eren sat on his stiff back and watched TV.

Eren’s weight was once again perfect for Levi’s tense body. He started thinking about the case again, and what he needed to accomplish in the week ahead. _Well… today was a healthy distraction if anything,_ he thought with a deep sigh.

He felt Eren’s weight shifting and he was now straddling his back. Levi felt Eren’s hands start working his shoulders in a massage, and he groaned deeply.

“You’re so tense, Levi,” Eren said. “I think I want to start giving you massages every night.”

It must be because he was hunched over a desk for hours on end these days, but it was really starting to take a toll on his body.

He let Eren’s skilled hands roam and work through his shoulders, then his neck, then his back. And Levi usually took a long time to fall asleep, but with his body melted after that bath and Eren’s massage, he was out cold now.

He didn’t get to tell Eren good night, but they exchanged so many “I love you’s” today that it would’ve been redundant, anyway.

Eren gazed lovingly at his work-weary older boyfriend, so hard-working and exhausted. They had quite the day. When Levi said he wouldn’t work today to focus just on him, he definitely didn’t disappoint.

With a smile, Eren turned off the lights and TV, and got Levi beneath the covers before crawling in himself. And with a final smooch on Levi’s intoxicatingly nice-smelling hair, Eren cuddled close and fell asleep, too.


	42. Busy and Tired

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We get back into it.
> 
> (Yes, I do realize Levi is a bit ooc in this fic. He's not in love with Eren in canon; or so everyone thinks- hehe <3\. He's also not as romantic or soft-hearted to the baby boy in the anime/manga. You don't need to mention to me that he's ooc in this fic. I know. It was a creative choice, but it seems most of you don't have a problem with it. He's still his usual stoic self when he's around people other than Eren baby.
> 
> Anyway, please continue to let me know what you're thinkin'. I love hearing from you hunnies, you know that :3 . And hello to any new faces!!)

Eren woke up on Sunday rather late, it seemed, judging that Levi’s spot on the bed was no longer warm. He checked the time. 12:47. Well, sleeping in was always nice.

As Eren fixed himself breakfast, he figured Levi was back to work in his study.

He got his fill of Levi yesterday, though. So much cuddling and attention… Eren was living for it. But now he owed it to Levi to let him work with no distractions to finish this important case for the company.

Eren crunched Lucky Charms as he watched TV and texted Mikasa. It was such a beautiful day today. Through the window, the bluest sky; and down below, rusty October trees.

Maybe he could go to the park for a jog. Or see if Armin wanted to hang out. Perhaps he could read a chapter for class and get ahead. Maybe hit the gym with Reiner?

…Or he could just wrap himself up in his blanket and take a nice, long nap…

Levi cracked his fingers and stretched his wrists. He felt quite accomplished, having woken up early, squeezing a workout in, writing a report, reviewing some notes for a presentation, and analyzing several statistics. It was about 2:30 pm now. He could allow himself a little break and make some lunch for Eren.

Entering the living room, Levi sees Eren lying on the couch, with the TV on, taking a nap. There was an empty cereal bowl on the coffee table.

Waking Eren up for lunch is not a new concept, Levi thought with a light laugh. He took the empty bowl to the kitchen and washed it, then peered into the fridge for lunch ideas. The fridge was pretty empty. With how busy he’s been, he hadn’t had the chance to go grocery shopping lately. He might as well go now, while he was on a quick break from work.

-

Levi came back home with arms full of groceries, as well as a bag of fast food for Eren- who, by the way, was still napping away.

He put the groceries away, then went over to the couch.

He stroked Eren’s hair. “Eren… wake up, my dear… I brought you lunch.”

At the word ‘lunch’, Eren woke up and crawled up into a sitting position. He stretched his arms out with a yawn, still a bit drowsy.

He smiled gently. “Thanks, Levi.” He started taking out the contents of the bag and spreading them out on the coffee table.

“You’re welcome.” Levi took Eren’s face in his hand and squeezed his cheeks together, giving one hard kiss on his face before going back to his study.

\--

Monday was here, which meant another busy week for everyone. Marco had to go see some family, so Eren offered to cover his shift.

Sasha was fun to work with. She was upbeat and supportive, unlike Jean. He and Jean did make a good team with everything considered, though. They didn’t even need to talk most of the time; they fed off each other’s energies. Which was good- if they talked too much, they would start arguing in front of customers.

The coffee shop during the evening felt quite strange to Eren. The customers were a lot more mellow during this time of the day. It was a lot emptier, too, and the scents and the dark sky through the window was a pretty nice way to wind down while working.

“How can I help you?” Sasha beamed at a tired working man.

“An espresso macchiato, please.” He sighed wearily and took his wallet out.

“Comin’ right up, sir!” Sasha punched in his order, then turned to Eren. “Got that?”

“Heard,” Eren said, then got to work.

Eren felt good while he worked. He could technically get away with not working at all, since Levi added his name to one of his bank accounts. With an ever-rich joint account, Eren could afford pretty much anything he wanted. But it felt good to work for his own money. It gave him a sense of independence. And Levi never brought it up or questioned him about it because he understood and respected Eren’s mentality on the matter.

Eren’s parents would probably agree on his way of thinking, as well.

The work-weary man had already taken a seat and took off his jacket while he waited for his drink, so Eren brought his drink over to him. “Enjoy!”

“Thanks,” the man smiled in appreciation, but his eyes were dull and lifeless like he’s been sitting in front of the computer all day.

Eren was familiar with this look; it was Levi’s current situation.

“Long day?” Eren asked.

The man snorted. “You have no idea, kid.”

Eren gave one more smile and went to get a rag to wipe down some tables.

\--

Having stayed at the coffee shop way later than usual, Eren finally returned home, exhausted and in desperate need to fall right asleep.

He turned the key to the apartment and walked in, expecting to see no one since Levi was usually hard at work in his office, but at the kitchen, Levi as well as Erwin of all people were standing and having drinks.

“Oh. Hey, Erwin,” Eren grinned. “Hey, Levi.”

“Hello, Eren.” Erwin’s voice was soothing and steady even in the worst times.

“Have you eaten yet, Eren?” Levi asked gently.

“Yeah, I got something on the way back.” Eren took his shoes off. “I’m going to bed. ‘Night.”

“Good night,” Erwin smiled.

“Good night, darling.” Levi took another drink of the amber whiskey in his hand.

-

Much later, after Erwin left and Levi was thoroughly drunk after a hellish day at work, he decided to turn in for the night, too. Eren was fast asleep in his bed, and the TV was turned on to the late night show Eren watched often. That gave Levi an idea.

But now, sleep was calling his name.

\--

Eren’s alarm clock started ringing, and he reached over to his phone to turn it off, desperate to get the annoying sound out of his head.

He was having a good dream, which made him that much more irritated to wake up.

He sat up and yawned with his knees drawn close. Levi, being the light sleeper he was, woke from Eren’s alarm as well.

The two didn’t speak, but drowsy Eren collapsed weakly into Levi’s ready arms and snoozed for a couple more minutes.

Breakfast was just about as quiet. Levi made eggs, bacon, and toast.

It wasn’t until Levi had a full cup of coffee that he was ready to talk.

“Eren. I need to tell you something.”

Eren looked up with baggy eyes.

“I need to go on another business trip soon. I wanted to let you know as soon as possible.”

Eren was disappointed he had to be away, but work was work. He was getting used to it. “When do you leave? And for how long?”

“I leave tomorrow, and I should be back Saturday night.”

“Oh.” Eren lightened up a bit. “That’s not too bad. I expected longer.”

“Not bad at all,” Levi agreed. “I have to see some representatives from M.P. and attend a few meetings.”

Eren nodded in understanding and took a forkful of egg. He chewed as he thought, but he remembered an important detail. “But wait. If you’re gonna be gone all Saturday, when are we gonna spend time together this week?”

“I thought about that, dear. I know I said Saturday is all about you, but this week, it’ll have to be Sunday. Is that okay?”

Eren smiled and nodded again. ”Yeah, that’s fine. Gotta get my fill of my CEO boyfriend, after all.”

Levi’s mouth curled in a slight smile, giving a light, rather humble laugh. “Thank you for being so understanding and patient, baby.”

Eren had to leave for class, and he gave one loving kiss to Levi’s cheek before heading off. “Love ya! Have a great day at work!”

\--

Eren finished his shift as well as Marco’s, and was ready to turn in again.

His phone buzzed. A message from Marco:

_Thank you so much again for covering my shift! You’re a savior, I don’t know what I’d do without you!_

Eren smiled as he typed:

_It’s seriously no problem at all. The shop is so much easier at night, and Sasha is great to work with. I’m glad to help!_

There was another text, but this one was from Armin:

_Wanna come over?_

Eren’s grumbling stomach spoke on his behalf:

_You know it, but you’re making me dinner._

From his room, Armin laughed.

_Not a problem! Actually, Erwin has taught me some recipes and I’d love to try one out with you!_

If Erwin had a hand in it, it was bound to be delicious.

At Armin’s, Eren was fed lime chicken soft tacos. It definitely got his seal of approval. He got seconds, and then thirds.

But then, Armin started making Erwin’s legendary chocolate chip cookie recipe, and Eren was jumping and grinning in his spot in excitement. He got another text, from Levi:

_Eren, it’s late. Where are you?_

Oh. Eren forgot to tell him.

_Oh shit sorry I forgot to mention it. Im spending the night at Armin’s._

_Ok, that’s fine. Good night, I love you._

_Night! LOVE YA!_

The bed felt just a bit too empty without his brown-haired cutie, but Levi used this last opportunity to get as drunk as possible before needing to deal with Nile’s irritating representatives starting tomorrow. He was sure Erwin was doing the same right about now.

He didn’t like getting too drunk around Eren, anyway. He knocked back whiskey after whiskey before putting the cap on and crawling into bed.

Meanwhile at Armin’s, the two boys were relaxing and talking in Armin’s room, catching up on the latest news in each other’s lives and bitching and complaining about how much their men had to work. It was a healthy session.

Eren was wearing Armin’s pajamas, since he didn’t expect to spend the night and therefore didn’t bring his overnight bag. He was taller and a bit more muscular than Armin, so the clothes were a bit snug and the shirt showed a bit of Eren’s stomach.

“Well,” Armin said from his bed at the sight, “you’ll be okay for the night.”

Eren inspected himself in the mirror. “I look like I’m starring in a porno.”

“How so?”

“I kinda look like a stripper. With my stomach showing like this.”

Armin cocked his head to the side. “Hm. Never saw it like that. But now that you mention it… you do look a bit slutty,” he giggled.

Most friends would feel a bit awkward having this conversation, but with Eren and Armin, it was just another thing.

“Introducing…” Eren started dramatically and lowered his gaze with a sultry gleam in his eyes, “the pride and joy of Trost, our diamond in the rough, our awakened lion… Eren Jaeger!”

Eren turned around from the mirror and started striding towards Armin confidently, making sure to stand up straight and puff his chest out to raise the fake sex appeal.

He ended up on the bed with Armin. Walking towards him on his knees, he took that blond head and shoved it into his own stomach while grinding his hips. It was the worst fake stripper performance ever.

Armin laughed. “Get off me!”

“Is that any way to treat the best porn star in the world?” Eren kept casually suffocating Armin’s face into his torso.

“I’m serious!” Armin’s muffled voice said. “Let me go, you dork!”

Eren finally let him go while laughing wolfishly. Armin’s hair was teased from where Eren was holding him down.

“You’d be the worst pornstar,” Armin stated breathlessly as he smoothed his hair back down.

Eren lay down on the bed, suddenly feeling how fatigued he was after such a long day. He really could curl up beneath Armin’s covers and call it a day. It wouldn’t even be strange. Eren and Armin were so close that growing up that they used to share a bed during sleepovers. Nothing stopped them from doing as they got older, other than the fact they both grew bigger and it became too cramped.

“Armin, don’t be a hater. The pride and joy of Trost just gave you a special show and this is how you talk to him?”

Armin calmly took a pillow and smacked Eren’s face with it. “Good night, dork of Trost.”

Eren rolled off Armin’s bed and got into his own; a makeshift mattress on the floor made up of a bunch of comforters stacked on each other.

Armin turned out the bedside light and crawled beneath his own blankets.

“Good night, hater.” Eren said softly in the dark. His smile was audible.

Armin took a stray pillow and chucked it on the floor, hoping it hit Eren’s face.

And judging on Eren’s surprised laugh, it did.

\--

Eren drove back to the apartment early the next morning. Of course, Levi was already awake and in the shower.

Eren used the main bathroom in the hallway to brush his teeth and went to his room to get dressed.

Now that he was ready to start the day, Eren went to the kitchen to get some breakfast. It was just when he put his empty cereal bowl into the sink that Levi emerged in his business attire.

“Aww,” Eren frowned and walked towards him. “I’m gonna miss you, Levi.”

They fumbled towards the couch and collapsed, and Levi wrapped his arms tight around Eren. Eren buried his face in his chest and smiled. Levi smelled even stronger than usual. It made him woozy with lust.

“I’m going to miss you, too, sweetheart,” Levi said softly. He scratched Eren’s scalp gently.

“…What if I came with you?”

Levi chuckled. “No, Eren. You have classes and work. Plus I would be too busy to spend time with you.”

Eren groaned into his chest.

“Okay,” Levi said finally. “You need to get going now if you don’t want to be late.”

Eren peeled himself off and checked the time on his phone. He needed to be on his way in five minutes.

But he was going to make these five minutes count.

He got up on Levi’s lap- his favorite position, because it allowed maximum control and crotch friction. Plus, sitting on top like this made him feel important.

He trailed his hands up Levi’s chest, slowly, making sure to drink in the feel of the body underneath. He smoothed down and held the crisp shirt collar before going in for the kiss.

It was a firm, reassuring smooch that lasted a minute. Levi groaned softly and snaked his hands around Eren’s waist.

They finally separated. Eren attacked Levi’s lips with a few more fleeting, light kisses.

“Think about me, okay?” Eren said softly.

“I’m always thinking about you.”

_Could this man be any more perfect?_

Eren wrapped his arms around those broad shoulders and squeezed with all his might before forcing himself to go and start his day.

\--

Levi got to his hotel and took some time to review his notes one last time before his meeting. It was 3 pm now, which meant Eren was at work. Hopefully he’s eaten.

-

Levi completed the meeting successfully. He wasn’t taking shit from anyone, and he was here to talk money. Getting riled up during his presentation and answering tedious questions had him a bit tense. And now he wanted to blow off some steam.

He ended up at a mall for some reason. Wandering aimlessly about, he stumbled into a technology store. There was nothing here that he wanted in particular, but he did see some things Eren might like.

Eren hardly asked for anything. Levi wasn’t sure if it was because he was still a bit shy about having so much money at his disposal all of a sudden, or if he was just humble. Probably the latter. _What an innocent, precious thing._

So Levi picked up on Eren’s unintentional hints from their chats and purchased some new goodies for him.

The cashier looked a bit stunned at Levi’s selection, as if he wasn’t sure how Levi could afford it all. It wouldn’t be the first time Levi’s experienced this.

The total price tag was thousands (plural) of dollars. Levi calmly took out his card and paid for it.

“Do you have some sort of gift wrapping and delivering option?” Levi asked.

The cashier was still stunned this man in front of him could afford all this. _What was his occupation?_ “Uhh, yes, we do. I’ll get that taken care of for you.”

While the cashier got to work wrapping the gifts for Eren and loading them into a box for delivery, Levi filled out an empty card with a quick scribble.

\--

The apartment was a bit isolating with Levi gone, Eren thought. Even if he was in his study most of the time, Levi’s presence in the apartment was soothing and reassuring.

Well, it would be back to pizza and takeout every night. Eren studied and did classwork to distract and busy himself.

He rewarded himself for getting ahead on yet another essay and reading a chapter ahead by getting a pizza. He texted Armin and Mikasa to come join him for a slice, but they were both busy.

After his lonely dinner, Eren walked to the laundry room at the end of the hallway and looked through Levi’s dirty clothes hamper. He found a t shirt.

They didn’t get to have sex before Levi left. Eren was craving it. He crawled into Levi’s bed and pressed the fabric to his face, inhaling Levi’s scent as he stuck his hand down into his boxers and slicked himself up.

Pretending it was Levi touching him and not himself was just the thing to work him up.

“L-Levi… Oh, Levi… I miss you… H-harder…” Eren groaned between deep sniffs of the shirt.

When he felt himself on the brink, he wrapped his cock with the t shirt to avoid dirtying the sheets. He came with a choked moan, furrowing his brows and screwing his eyes shut.

Eren balled up the soiled shirt and tossed it to the floor, then curled up into Levi’s pillow to fall asleep to that same scent.

\--

Eren came back from work the next day, not as exhausted, because Marco had returned and resumed his shift. It was back to Eren’s normal routine.

He turned on the TV to make the apartment seem less empty as he dialed the pizza place. Some of the people working there were starting to memorize his name and order.

As he waited for his food, he lounged on the couch and texted some friends.

There was a knock on the door and Eren retrieved his wallet to pay for the pizza.

But it was a different type of delivery guy, a package runner.

The man checked his clipboard. “Mr. Jaeger?”

Eren was skeptical. “Yeah… that’s me.”

“I’m gonna need you to sign this.” He handed over the clipboard. Maybe it was a delivery on Levi’s behalf.

The man carted in a large box and a longer, rectangular one into the door.

“Have a good one!” He took his clipboard and walked out.

Eren clicked the door shut behind him. The boxes had his name on it, not Levi’s. He went to the kitchen and got a knife to slice open the boxes with.

He started with the biggest one. At the very top of several wrapped smaller boxes, a card:

_Only the finest for my baby boy._

_-L_

Eren covered his face in his hands and it was something between a blush and laugh. This was like the first time Levi went on a business trip, and sent sex toys in his absence. Perhaps business trip gifts would be a new tradition.

Eren tore open the wrapping of the first gift and sliced the tape open. His eyes widened.

A brand new tablet!! The latest and the greatest! Eren turned on the sleek device and started messing around with the settings. This will be awesome for school. Levi thought of everything.

He set it aside, wondering what could possibly top that gift. The next gift was a Beats pill! This could definitely replace the shitty stereo he uses to listen to music while studying.

And in the same box, a new pair of Beats headphones! And it was blue, his favorite color.

Eren bit his lip. Just these alone must’ve cost a fortune. He felt a pang of guilt. But he had the money conversation with Levi before. Levi said to never worry about money or gifts; if he bought things it was because he wanted to and it was no problem at all; don’t feel guilty; blah blah…

Eren was definitely more comfortable with the concept of Levi’s wealth than when they first met, but it was a bit of a culture shock, even now.

He moved on to the next gift. It was the rectangular box. He tore the wrapping paper off.

_Holy. Fucking. Shit._

It was a _hoverboard_.

These things were all the rage! Eren turned it on and took it to hardwood floors in front of the glass wall to try it out. He fell several times, but he would get the hang of it soon enough. With his imminent boredom, he would have plenty of time to master it.

These gifts were spectacular. Eren quickly called Levi’s cell to thank him, but there was no reply. He must have been in a meeting.

-

That night, Eren climbed into Levi’s bed and tried his cell again.

“Hello, Eren.”

“Leeeeeeeeeeeviiii,” Eren gushed. “I got your gifts! Thank you sososososososooo much, you’re so fucking thoughtful! Ugh! I love you so much!”

“I’m glad you liked them,” Levi said softly. Eren could hear the exhaustion in his voice. “I hope it doesn’t seem like I’m trying to buy your love… It seems I’m leaving you alone often and I wanted to give you something for entertainment to make up for it.”

Eren’s heart squeezed. “No, don’t think that way, Levi. I don’t think you’re trying to buy my love. You already have my love. You went outta your way during your trip to get me these things. I’m very grateful!”

“I’m grateful to have you for a precious boyfriend, Eren.” Levi paused over the phone, probably yawning. “But I’m very exhausted and I need to get some rest for an early meeting. So I’ll hang up n-“

“Wait, Levi. Don’t go yet. Pillowtalk me.”

“Pillowtalk?”

“Yeah. Like we do when you’re here. Just talk and let me fall asleep to your voice.” Eren curled up against Levi’s pillow and put his phone on speaker, placing it beside his head.

“Alright. I’ll tell you about what I did today. The first thing was a meeting with some analytic consultants…”

Levi’s voice was soothing as he explained his day, and the sound trailed off in his head as he slipped asleep. It was minutes before he was snoring.

Levi heard Eren’s snoring and stopped talking. “Good night, Eren. I love you.” He ended the call and slipped asleep himself.

\--

It was finally Friday and Eren couldn’t be more grateful. A few more hours of class and work before he could let loose.

Maybe he should have a party tonight.

He texted Levi:

 _Levi, can I throw a party at the apartment? Pleeease?_ He threw in some cute smiley emojis for good measure, since he couldn’t utilize the puppy eyes in person.

Levi sat on his hotel bed, rubbing his hair dry with a towel. He wasn’t going to lie to himself; the idea of a bunch of youths in his apartment made him nervous. But it _was_ Eren’s apartment now, too. It would be unfair to deny him that.

_Ok. But living room only, no drugs or alcohol, and when it’s done it needs to be spotless in there._

Levi wasn’t stupid. He knew how parties with college-aged students were. Of course there would be drugs and alcohol. But he would give Eren the benefit of the doubt.

 _Yay! THANK YOU! It’ll be spotless, you won’t regret it!_ Eren replied.

\--

After work, Eren stopped by the grocery store for snacks and drinks for his party. At home, he strategically moved the small black table in front of the hallway and placed his new stereo on it so that people wouldn’t wander into the bedrooms.

Armin was the first to show up; Eren told him to come early to help set up.

It was actually Armin’s first time in Trost Tower. He clutched the strap of his messenger bag as he looked around in awe.

“Wow, it’s quite nice here!” Armin said. “I’m surprised Levi let you throw this party. He doesn’t seem like the type of person to let a bunch of kids into his apartment.”

“Honestly, I’m surprised, too.”

Armin helped him spread out the snacks and load playlists.

Slowly, people started trickling in, and the party was getting in motion. Eren texted Sasha to bring in her guacamole, and Connie to bring in his strobe lights.

It made Eren a bit nervous that some people were coming in with alcohol, but he couldn’t exactly help it- they were people he didn’t know.

There were lots of comments about the building and apartment- people wondering if Eren had a secret side job to afford to stay here.

The large glass wall was the perfect place for people to make out, it seemed.

Connie and Sasha came in together, each with their signature items. With the strobe lights hooked up, Eren dimmed the overhead lights and the air was filled with people’s cigarette smoke.

He left the door unlocked so people could walk in and leave as they pleased.

Reiner and Bertholdt came through, as well.

“Hey guys!” Eren ushered them in.

Eren inspected the room. Some people were lounging on the couch and playing video games. Others were gathered around the stereo and dancing a bit. Most were near the glass wall, smoking or cuddling. There was a small group of people trying out his hoverboard; some being more skilled than others. Some were standing about and talking with other guests.

Marco walked in with a big bag of chips. “Hey, Eren. I brought chips.”

Eren took the bag. “Just in time. We were just running out. Glad you could make it!” He looked behind Marco. “… Jean didn’t tag along?”

Marco shook his head. “He said he had something else to do.”

Eren was secretly relieved. He wasn’t ready to answer Jean’s invasive questions about the apartment yet. He didn’t even know about Levi yet. He wasn’t ready for the sugar daddy questions, either.

Mikasa of all people slipped in. Eren was more shocked than anything; Friday nights were when most of her big fights were scheduled.

She approached Eren for a hug. “I missed you.”

“I missed you, too,” Eren rubbed her back. “I thought you’d be busy today. Now I feel bad for not formally inviting you. Although, you’re always invited, and you know that.”

Mikasa smiled. “Don’t worry about it. I heard about it from Armin. My fight is later tonight. I wanted to drop by and check the place out.”

 _That’s right_ , Eren realized. _Mikasa hadn’t seen the apartment, either._

She wandered and looked around, pursing her lips at the people smoking weed near the window. “Is Levi allowing this, though?”

“Armin asked the same thing. Yeah, he was okay with it, but he said the place needs to be spotless when he’s back.”

She nodded and took a water bottle from the cooler, going to watch the cityscape through the window.

Eren was pretty happy with the turnout. His parties will probably never be as lit as Connie’s, but this was a healthy function.

After a bit, he watched Mikasa excuse herself from a conversation with Marco. She came back with an apologetic smile. “I must be going now. I’ll come back to see the rest of the apartment some other time.”

Eren hugged her good-bye. “Alright. Come by any time, seriously. You have the address now. And kick some ass tonight.”

-

It was about 3 am when the last of the guests left. The apartment was a bit trashed.

Armin collected his bag and was getting ready to depart. But Eren held his arm. “Don’t leave. Help me clean up.” He looked kind of desperate.

Armin took pity.

“And then spend the night here. I’m lonely,” Eren said.

“Fine. Just for you,” Armin smiled. He took off his messenger bag and rolled his sleeves up to clean with Eren.

Eren kept the door of the apartment open to air out the dank smell of drugs. Armin walked around with a garbage bag and collected empty plates and cups.

“Did Erwin go on the business trip, too?” Eren asked.

“Yeah,” Armin sighed. “Actually, he’s coming back sometime Saturday and he wants to rest for the remainder of the day, so he said we need to spend time on Sunday instead.”

Eren grinned. “Hey, that’s just what Levi’s doing! Maybe we can spend Sunday together! Like a double date or something!”

Armin looked up from the pile of cigarette butts and trash he was sweeping up. “A double date sounds really fun, actually. I’ll tell Erwin.”

Eren put on some gloves and got on his knees to start scrubbing the floors like he sees Levi do. Next was vacuuming and polishing surfaces. He double, then triple checked that there weren’t any hidden beer bottles anywhere.

Armin finished wiping the fingertips off the glass wall with Windex. The apartment was finally starting to come together again.

He looked at Eren, who was peering beneath the couch and bar counter. “Did you lose something? What do you keep looking for?”

“I need to be positive that there isn’t any evidence of alcohol here. Levi would flip his shit.”

“I saw you drinking tonight, Mr. Hypocrite.”

“I had _one_ drink to loosen up! Count ‘em: one!”

They laughed and Eren finally ended his search. The apartment was pretty thoroughly cleaned now, so he moved the table back to its original spot and wafted incense around like he’s also seen Levi do.

It was starting to smell like lemons again and the incense burned away any offending odors. They could finally call it a night.

Eren gave Armin some of his pajamas, which were a bit too big, but it was adorable on him.

The bed in Armin’s room was small, but Eren had a king-sized one in his room, so they slept in the same bed together like the old days.

 _It felt good to not sleep in an empty bed,_ Eren thought.


	43. Parallels

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren is such a naughty baby boy ;3c   
> \+ double date with our favorite blondies
> 
> (Ok, hunnies. I gotta keep it 100 with you guys. Lately I've kinda been beating myself up over this fic. It's not as angsty or plot-heavy as other ereri fics, and it's a lot more fluffy than we're all used to for these two. But I'm finally admitting to myself that this is the way this fic is meant to be. I've decided not to take myself seriously. I hope you guys don't take me too seriously, either. Just like how a lot of you read this fic to relax, I write it to relax.
> 
> Anyway, as usual, enjoy, and lemme know your thoughts!!)

Eren and Armin slept in very late- both of them thoroughly exhausted after last night’s party and the clean-up afterwards. The sun shined brightly outside, but the boys wouldn’t know because the covers were drawn tightly over their heads and they had no care in the world.

Eventually, Eren took a deep, long breath and got up slowly. He rubbed his eyes and yawned. Armin was still fast asleep next to him.

He shook Armin’s back gently. “Armin, let’s get up and eat breakfast.”

Armin stirred and opened his eyes, but kept the blanket wrapped tightly around his shoulders.

Eren’s eyes were still heavy with sleep himself but he willed himself to peel the covers off his legs. Levi was coming back today, he realized with a smile. He took one of his robes and wrapped it around himself- a plaid blue one. He took a red one for when Armin got up.

Armin peeled the covers off his body and swung his legs over to the edge of the bed. His hands were jammed between his thighs as he attempted to escape the clutches of sleep.

“It gets kinda cold here.” Eren gave him the robe and Armin slipped into it thankfully.

“Do you have extra toothbrushes?” Armin asked, then proceeded to yawn deeply with a stretch of his arms.

“Yeah. Let’s go.”

-

They lounged on the couch as they ate cereal, even though it was past noon and they should technically be having lunch.

“…Alright. I’ll be going now,” Armin groaned quietly as he got up. He took his cereal bowl to the kitchen to be washed.

Eren liked lazing the morning away with his best friend. It made him forget how lonely he was without Levi.

“When is Levi coming back?” Armin asked over the sink’s running water.

“Tonight sometime.” Eren washed his own bowl beside Armin.

“I think Erwin’s already back by now. But he said when he comes back from business trips, he likes to spend some time alone and recharge. So I can’t see him until tomorrow.” Armin frowned a bit.

“Don’t be upset,” Eren said gently. “Maybe he wants to recharge so that he can have as much energy for you tomorrow. I’m sure day after day full of meetings, he’s worn out and irritated.”

“Hm. Never thought of it that way.”

They finished drying their dishes and Armin went to change into his own clothes.

Eren saw him out with a hug. “Come hang out any time, seriously. Levi won’t mind. You’re my number one.”

“Thank you, Eren. I’ll keep that in mind.”

With the door clicking shut behind him, Eren was alone again. But he won’t be for long. He lay back on the couch and took some selfies for Levi- some just smiling, some pouting cartoonishly, one with his signature wink and bite of the lip. But after almost a week with no sex, he was starting to feel hot and bothered again. He rubbed himself up through his pants, palming aggressively to get some friction.

His simple attempt to get a little hard for the picture ended up getting Eren fully erect and groaning. He pulled his pajamas down a bit, just to have his cock peek out. He didn’t wipe away the beads of precum that gathered on the head. He snapped a picture of it and captioned it _Wish you were here to take care of me_ with several winky faces. He lay on his stomach and pulled his pants down from the back to show off his ass, and took a picture of his body this way, biting his lip.

He took a few more nude shots, and finished it off with an innocent one with his smiling face. The caption: _I can’t wait for you to come back home! I’m proud of you, Mr. CEO!_

Levi had some motivating pictures coming his way, to say the least.

-

From where he was having a light lunch at a café before his next round of meetings and presentations, Levi received some messages from Eren.

He’s had an irritating morning. Nile’s representatives always knew how to push his buttons.

Eren’s messages were all pictures of him- some nude, some of him making silly poses. It cracked and softened Levi’s poor, agitated heart.

Scrolling through the pictures with a smile curling at his lips as he sipped his drink, Levi couldn’t wait to finish work so that he can go back and please his young boyfriend. The last picture in the collection was Eren grinning brightly, his big green eyes sparkling. The caption was _I can’t wait for you to come back home!_

Levi’s heart melted. Before he met Eren, he finished work and went back to his apartment. Now, he finished work and went back _home_. Eren was his home.

The other half of the caption: _I’m proud of you, Mr. CEO!_ It had the same cheery vibes as a housewife waiting for her husband to return after a long day.

Whatever negative mood Levi was harboring from the beginning of the day, Eren’s pictures lifted them right off.

 _Just a few more appointments, and you can see Eren,_ Levi thought to himself as he wiped his mouth with a napkin and got up from his seat. He was determined to go above and beyond with his next meeting, if not for himself, then for his lovely little plaything rooting for him at home.

\--

It was almost midnight, and Eren was watching TV as he waited for Levi to come home. He could just go ahead and sleep, but he just missed Levi too much and wanted to be awake to welcome him back.

He sent a few texts to figure out his whereabouts, but Levi did mention it was a far trip, so he was probably too busy driving to answer.

The door finally clicked with the turn of keys, and Levi shuffled in with his arms full and shut the door with his foot.

Eren whipped his head around with a huge grin, and jumped up from the couch to run to his lover. “Leeeeeeeeeeviii!” his voice was increasing in volume as he ran closer.

Levi had approximately three and a half seconds to put his briefcase and duffel bag down to catch Eren in his arms, who had sprinted and launched himself in the air, fully expecting Levi to catch him.

But Levi didn’t disappoint. As Eren’s body hurled onto him and clamped his legs and arms around, Levi grabbed the bottoms of his thighs to keep him steady. He reached up and showered Eren’s face in kisses.

“I.” A kiss. “Missed.” Another kiss. “You.” A flurry of wet kisses. “So.” A growling smooch. “Much.” Several butterfly kisses. “Eren.” Another shower of unrelenting kisses as Levi squeezed Eren’s thighs.

Eren giggled sweetly. “I missed you, too, Levi.” He trailed his finger along Levi’s jaw lovingly, gazing into those steely-grays before going in for another kiss. “Did you get my pics?” he asked innocently.

Levi pulled Eren’s thighs up because he was slipping a bit, and started towards the hallway. “I did.”

“Good,” Eren purred. He was always happy to satisfy his man. They passed the couch and were going into the hallway. “Where are you taking me?”

Levi was completely in control as he carried Eren to his bedroom. “I’m going to take the mother of my ten babies to the bedroom and make love to him.”

Eren laughed and held on tighter.

“Far overdue, don’t you think, my dear?” Levi asked gently, once again closing the door behind him with his foot.

“Far overdue!” Eren agreed.

\--

Eren’s arms were wrapped tightly around Levi’s torso as he snored away, his head resting on the crook of his shoulder and chest.

Levi woke up eventually, but was still quite exhausted from his trip yesterday. He drew the covers over them and shifted his position to hold Eren tighter in his arms before snoozing for a bit.

Soon, it was really time to wake up. Levi tried to slip out of Eren’s vice-like grip. But he failed, so he decided it would be easier to wake him up instead.

“Eren,” he sang lowly into those soft brown locks, “good morning.”

Eren grunted.

“It’s time to rise and shine, my love.”

Eren opened his eyes and furrowed his brows. Finally, he unwrapped his long limbs from Levi’s body.

They were both naked after the sex from last night. Eren sat up and stretched, and the covers pooled low on his hips. He licked his lips and crawled off the bed to get into his robe.

Levi smirked as he watched that sweet little ass the whole time.

And Eren must’ve noticed, because he turned his head and shimmied his hips a bit. “Enjoying the view, Levi?”

“I am.”

“Maybe we can play some more later on,” he purred.

-

Breakfast was French toast, Eren’s favorite, and it was refreshing for him to eat something other than cereal and pizza for a change.

They didn’t get to text or call much throughout the week, because between Levi being in and out of meetings and his exhaustion, and Eren’s classes and work, they simply didn’t have the time. But they used breakfast together to get caught up. Eren loved being in the loop for Levi’s work, and he wanted to know every detail of the trip. Likewise, Levi wanted to know exactly how Eren’s classes were going and coffee shop stories.

Breakfast was over, so they retreated the couch to catch up on quality cuddling time.

“So, Erwin messaged me about a double date tonight?” Levi asked while scratching Eren’s scalp.

“Yup. Armin and I planned it.”

“It will be my first of the sort. I’m always experiencing new things with you.”

“Yeah, at least you know everyone in the mix, so it won’t be awkward.” Eren remembered awkward double dates he’s had in the past with his exes.

They were silent for a while, Levi massaging Eren’s head, and Eren laying on Levi’s chest to listen to his heartbeat.

“Oh, I also forgot to tell you earlier:” Levi said. “I bought tickets for a live screening of that late night show you like. I’ll take you after the double date.”

Eren lifted his head and his eyes were wide. He’s never been to a live screening before. “Whoa, for real!?”

“For real.”

Eren threw his arms around Levi’s neck in a grateful hug. “Oh, my God! Thank you so much! I’m so pumped!” he gushed. “How did you know?”

“Well, you hardly ever spend our money, and you never ask for anything,” Levi explained, “so I have to get a bit creative with you.” Levi had to observe the things Eren enjoyed to get ideas.

“Our money?”

“Yes, Eren. For the hundredth time, my money is yours. And you hate spending any of it, which I still don’t understand.”

“Because it’s weird! I’ve never had that much money waiting around for me.”

Levi laughed lightly. “It’s not weird, darling. You need to get used it. And spend it,” he said, reaching out to attack Eren with a tickle.

“I’ll try,” Eren said breathlessly after the tickling was over.

More comfortable silence and cuddling.

“Levi, we should go camping one time.”

Levi pursed his lips. “I thoroughly dislike camping.”

“How come?”

“It’s dirty. The weather is unpredictable when you’re out in the middle of nowhere. There are insects. There are no bathrooms and you have to do your business in the bushes like barbarians.”

Eren laughed. He wasn’t surprised by his answer- he always knew Levi was more of a homebody. “Acting like barbarians is half the fun, though! Have you tried camping before?”

“Yes, I have, so you can’t say I haven’t tried,” Levi said. “Kenny took me.”

“Uncle Kenny seems more fun than you,” Eren grinned teasingly.

“I will admit that he is,” Levi chuckled. “But if you’re serious about camping, you can ask Erwin to take you and Armin. He’s into trying new things.”

\--

Armin walked through Erwin’s quaint apartment complex until he found suite number thirteen. He was wearing a brand new outfit for their double date tonight, courtesy of Erwin.

He knocked on the door.

Erwin swung the door open after a moment, a large, pearly smile gracing his chiseled face. Armin invited himself in confidently and walked into Erwin’s arms for a hug. He missed that clean, powerful scent so dearly.

Erwin clicked the door shut, and pressed Armin closer in his arms. He buried his nose in Armin’s blond bob. “I’ve missed you so very much, Armin.”

Armin tried to wrap his arms all the way around Erwin’s mountainous body, and even when he squeezed with all his might, Erwin didn’t flinch.

They stayed in their embrace for a long while.

Finally, Erwin let go and held Armin’s shoulders at arm’s length. “You’re looking quite sharp, my dear.”

Armin grinned. “Thank you! For the compliment and for buying me the outfit. You’re looking sharp, as usual.”

Erwin was wearing dark gray slacks and a simple white button-up, but he made any outfit look photo-ready.

Erwin smiled broadly, then took Armin’s face in his hands. “Thank you. But,” he said slowly, “I’ve been waiting for almost a week to taste your sweet lips.” He leaned down and met Armin’s lips in a soft, romantic kiss.

Two sets of blue eyes closed under the magic of this overdue smooch. Armin took his hands to Erwin’s waist and held on.

And even though they’ve been together for a little while now, and they were growing more comfortable with each other with each passing week, Armin still felt weak at the knees while experiencing Erwin’s deep and totally unfair kisses.

Their lips slid off with a plush smooching sound, their mouths mixing breaths with the close distance. Erwin finally leaned back up and stroked Armin’s face with his thumbs before letting go.

Armin’s flames were ignited from that kiss, and he realized how much he’s been craving intimacy since Erwin left on the business trip. In a moment of passion and impulse, he grabbed the crisp collar of Erwin’s white shirt and yanked him back down for another surprise, hard-sucking kiss.

Erwin’s eyes widened in shock, but he tried to return Armin’s fervor.

Armin furrowed his brows as he intensified the kiss quickly one last time before releasing Erwin. He bit his lip innocently at the memory. His face no longer flared up in dark red blushes when he kissed Erwin, but that did not mean his heart wasn’t pounding furiously right now. Every moment with the two of them was like a fairy tale.

Meanwhile in Trost Tower, Eren and Levi were fucking like rabbits, filthy and vulgar and totally unashamed.

Erwin blinked as he stood there with his collar tousled. _What’s gotten into his sweet Armin?_

Armin reached up and smoothed Erwin’s collar back to its original state, expertly and quietly like a housewife would. “I missed you, too, Erwin,” he said softly. With one more pat on that large, broad chest, he walked away towards the kitchen like nothing ever happened. “Did you make me cookies and tea?” he asked expectantly.

Erwin still stood like a fool in front of the door, his heart pounding as well, unbeknownst to Armin. He finally snapped out of it and made his way to the kitchen. “I sure did.”

\--

Eren and Levi rolled up to the restaurant in the Aston, determined to begin the evening. Eren was very hungry but Levi insisted that he hold off on spoiling his dinner with snacks.

Armin texted Eren and said that he and Erwin were on their way. Eren laced his fingers into Levi’s as they made their way into the restaurant.

The restaurant was one that Erwin chose, an upscale place with nice ambiance. It was dim and the chairs were lined with soft plush. There were a few flat screens on the wall that showed news outlets and advertisements. Dark, leafy plants also stood on the edges of the dark carpeting.

They got seated at a round table and were served water to start off.

“You look hot, Levi.” Eren grinned.

Levi was wearing pressed pants and a long sleeved black button-up underneath his form-fitted peacoat. The collar of his coat was propped up around his neck wonderfully. It wasn’t anything out of the ordinary than what he usually wore, but perhaps Eren was foggy on what he looked like after a week.

“Thank you, darling. You’re adorable, yourself. As usual.”

Eren was wearing one of his nicer shirts and black jeans, and his fur-lined jacket. Levi helped him slip out of his jacket and hung it on the back of his chair before shrugging off his own coat.

Armin and Erwin finally strode in, Armin holding on to Erwin’s forearm. Eren beamed when they sat.

“Hey, Erwin!” Eren greeted.

“Hello, Eren. How are you?” Erwin asked smoothly. He took off his jacket and hung it on his chair.

“I’m doing great!”

“Levi,” Erwin smiled. “It’s been quite the week, my friend.”

“It has, hasn’t it?” Levi said. Then he turned to Armin. “Hello, Armin. Doing well?”

Armin gulped a bit. Levi was still a bit intimidating to him. It was something about his dark gaze and sharp presence. Or how he managed to pack so much muscle on such a short body.

“H-hey, Levi. I’m doing very well, thank you!”

The server brought a pitcher of water to fill Erwin’s and Armin’s glasses, and lay down some menus.

Eren had Levi on one side of him, and Armin on the other. He chatted away with Armin as Levi and Erwin talked about their trips.

The server brought a complimentary basket of bread and Eren tore into it gratefully.

Levi leaned into Eren’s ear a bit. “Slow down,” he said lowly.

Armin watched as Eren forced himself to take more controlled bites, just like the barbeque.

“May I take your orders, or do you need a few more minutes?” The server took out his pen and notepad.

“I think we’re ready,” Levi said. “I’ll have the steak. Done medium.”

“Good choice,” the server mumbled as he wrote down the order. Then he looked to Eren expectantly. “And for you, sir?”

“I want the lasagna, please!”

“Yes, sir.” The server nodded and wrote down his order.

“He’ll be on my bill,” Levi referred to Eren, who was back to nibbling on bread.

“Understood.” The server turned to Armin. “And for you, sir?”

“I’ll have the lasagna as well.” He shared a silly, knowing smile with Eren.

“Of course,” the server smiled and jotted it down. He smiled and turned to Erwin. “And for you, sir?”

“I’ll have the shrimp alfredo, and the stuffed mushrooms.” He ushered to Armin. “And he’ll be on my bill.”

The server wrote the last order and shut his notepad. “Understood. And are we doing wine tonight?”

“No,” Levi and Erwin said instantly in unison.

The server nodded slowly, a bit unsure why they were so quick to turn it down. The two younger gentlemen in the table seemed of age at first glance, but now that he had a second look, the green-eyed one that was nibbling on the bread and the blondie with the long hair could pass for teenagers. He bowed slightly and went to submit the order.

Erwin turned back to Levi and resumed their conversation. “But have you seen last quarter’s reports? I’m starting to wonder if he knew that having that absurd amount of manufacturers is worth the risk in profit.”

“Well…” Levi said thoughtfully, tracing the rim of his glass, “we all know they’re not as… wholesome with their suppliers. I wouldn’t be surprised if Nile was working with some underground names to offset the numbers. I noticed that some of the figures didn’t make sense. I talked to Hanji and her team and they all said Nile’s leaving something out.”

Eren and Armin sipped their drinks and listened to the conversation intently.

“How typical,” Erwin shook his head. “At least once the collaboration is over, we can finally have a hand in the matter and get to the bottom of it.”

Levi lifted his glass in an agreed toast and took a drink.

“Wait, so,” Armin started, “you’re saying that M.P. has suppliers they’re not accounting for in their reports?”

“Precisely,” Erwin nodded.

“Isn’t that illegal?”

“Quite. Actually, there have been lawsuits on the matter. Lawsuits that are still under wraps.”

“I’m starting to think he only wanted to start working with Survey Corp. so our team can clean up his mess,” Levi said.

“Wow. What an asshole.” Eren had nothing of substance to add, but he liked listening anyway. He took another bite of bread.

“That he is, Eren,” Erwin sighed. “That he is.”

Levi mentioned something a while ago about Erwin having an especially tense history with Nile. Maybe he would ask Levi what happened at a later time.

The server came back again with a tray carrying all their plates.

“Lasagna… lasagna,” he stated as he placed the plates on the table. “Steak… and finally alfredo and stuffed mushrooms.” He tucked the tray under his arm. “Enjoy, gentlemen.”

It was silent for a bit as everyone started on their meals. Levi slapped open a cloth napkin and placed it on Eren’s lap before continuing.

“Try some of this, Armin.” Erwin cut into the stuffed mushrooms and picked some up on a fork. He slowly took it to Armin’s mouth.

Armin tucked some blond hair behind his ear before wrapping his lips around the fork. “Mm. I like that!”

“I ordered a whole plate to share,” Erwin said.

Meanwhile, Eren was polishing off his lasagna at an alarming rate. He finished it off by eating more bread.

As Eren sat digesting quietly, Levi took the cloth napkin from his lap and wiped Eren’s saucy mouth with it. He kept working on his steak.

Erwin began speaking again, and the conversation was back in motion as everyone finished up the last of their meals.

Levi was listening and nodding in understanding.

And Eren was feeling frisky.

From underneath the white tablecloth, Eren slowly snaked his hand down while maintaining eye contact with Erwin to seem unsuspicious. 

He searched around for Levi’s thigh, and when he found the strong, muscular leg, he trailed his hand up to Levi’s crotch.

A ghost of a smirk found Eren’s face when he heard Levi’s light gasp.

Eren began rubbing through Levi’s pants, wrapping his hand around the print before stroking softly but firmly.

Levi looked at Eren abruptly, but Eren pretended not to notice and kept looking at Erwin as he spoke.

Erwin followed Levi’s gaze in confusion, but then kept talking. Armin asked a question, so Erwin directed his answer to him. Levi groaned lowly.

With the focus off them, Eren leaned in to Levi’s ear, without taking his hand off his crotch, and whispered: “Follow me to the bathroom, hot stuff.”

Eren scooted his chair back and wiped his mouth one last time. “Excuse me.” He walked away to the bathrooms, his hips swaying confidently.

Levi scooted his chair back as well. “I’ll be back.”

The table seemed a lot emptier without half its occupants, but Armin suddenly realized what was going on. He groaned and rubbed his face in embarrassment. _Eren was unbelievable! That little slut!_

But it seemed Erwin didn’t realize what was going on, thankfully. Armin sighed and allowed Erwin to keep feeding him.

Eren pushed the bathroom door open with Levi close behind. It was just as clean and refined in here as it was in the dining room. It smelled like lavender.

They went past the urinals and into the large handicap stall.

Eren smiled mischievously. Levi pushed him against the wall and pressed their lips together hard. “I forgot I had an insatiable little brat on my hands,” he growled into Eren’s lips. “When will you behave for me, Eren?”

“Mm… probably never,” Eren purred as he trailed his finger up Levi’s jaw.

It was a flurry of zippers and fabric. Eren stepped out of his fallen pants and squatted down to pull Levi’s cock out of his unzipped pants. He began sucking and licking sloppily. Big green eyes looked up for a reaction.

Levi groaned and fisted his fingers in Eren’s hair to keep him still as he rutted his hips into the back of Eren’s throat. Eren was surprisingly quiet at he allowed Levi to face fuck him brutally.

Levi pulled out suddenly, riled up and achingly erect. “Get up,” he ordered.

Eren got back up and Levi took his hips to spin him around and slam him against the wall.

“Oh, yesss, Levi,” Eren giggled. “Give it to me.”

“Are you prepped?”

“Yeah.”

Levi slammed into Eren from behind, earning a yelp before Eren bit his lip to control his sounds.

Skin slapped against skin, and Eren mewled as Levi ruthlessly pounded into him. His arms went up and rested against the wall for support.

“Fuck…” he whined.

“What is it, Eren? Isn’t this what you wanted?” At the word “wanted”, Levi aimed his hips in a particular angle that had Eren weak.

“Levi,” Eren whimpered. He reached around to touch Levi’s hip. “Pick me up.”

Levi pulled out again and Eren turned around and lifted his arms. Levi held the bottom of those thighs and hoisted them up with a grunt, and draped Eren’s legs over the crooks of his arms.

Eren held onto Levi’s neck as he braced himself for more. He felt Levi slam himself in, and he whimpered again in a flash of pleasure and pain. His head collapsed weakly and he clawed the back of Levi’s shirt.

“Shhh,” Levi whispered.

Just then, someone swung the door of the bathroom open and they heard footsteps, which ended as a man stopped and unzipped his pants in front of a urinal.

Levi did not go any softer; if anything, he slammed Eren’s body down even harder. And Eren was forced to remain quiet, since this is what he asked for.

It was hot, though, Eren thought, that they were fucking about 15 feet away from this stranger.

The stranger finally finished and washed his hands, then left. Eren let out a loud, pent-up moan. “I-I’m close.” He lifted his head back up and from where he was pinned up against the wall, he had a nice view of Levi becoming undone as well.

Levi slammed his hips into Eren furiously for a few more seconds before pulling out and putting Eren back down on his feet. Eren got on his knees and wrapped his lips around Levi’s cock, feeling the warm pleasure slip down his throat.

When Levi was done, he unrolled some toilet paper from the dispenser and fashioned it into a plush stack to finish Eren off.

The mischievous brown-haired boy stood with his face flushed in humility as he stood waiting with an aching, leaking cock. He bit his hand to silence himself. With a firm hand wrapped around Eren’s cock, Levi pulled steadily just twice before Eren threw his head back silently and came into the toilet paper in Levi’s hand.

They quietly cleaned up and put their clothes back on properly. Levi inspected Eren’s clothes to make sure there was no evidence of their activities, and fixed Eren’s messed up hair.

The bathroom was still empty. “Eren,” Levi said softly. “Was I too rough with you? I apologize.”

“Not at all,” Eren assured with a pat to Levi’s cheek. “Don’t ever worry about that. Plus, we have a safeword now.”

“Alright.” A ghost of a smile pulled at Levi’s lips. “Wash your hands. That was filthy.”

“ _I’m_ filthy, hot stuff,” Eren winked.

After washing their hands, Eren and Levi made their way back to the table.

Erwin was sitting very close to Armin as he fed him with an admiring smile.

Eren scooted his chair back in with a cocky smile at Armin.

 _“Slut,”_ Armin mouthed before taking a bite from Erwin’s fork.

Erwin watched Armin take the bite before putting his fork down. “Welcome back, you two.”

“Yeah. Welcome back,” Armin said to Eren teasingly.

“We waited for you to return to order dessert,” Erwin said.

“How considerate,” Levi said calmly. He took the menu from the table and gave it to Eren. “Pick something for us to share, baby.”

The server came back and took their dessert orders. Erwin and Armin wanted to try the cheesecake, and Eren wanted to share a brownie volcano thing with Levi.

Levi and Erwin sipped complimentary coffee and talked as they waited. Eren scooted his chair closer to Armin and showed him some things on his phone.

-

After the bills were handled, Armin and Erwin waved their good-byes and made their way out. Armin held onto his arm as they walked.

Levi chivalrously helped Eren into his jacket and put on his own coat to get going.

In the parking lot, Eren smacked Levi’s ass- masked by the anonymity of the night. And as usual, Levi smacked him back, much harder.

“That was fun!” Eren said as he buckled his seatbelt in. “We should go on more double dates with them in the future.”

“Agreed.” Levi checked his watch. “We have about an hour til the screening. What would you like to do until then?”

“Can you take me to the gas station to get candy?”

“Haven’t you had enough sugar tonight, sweetheart?” But Levi started the car anyway and took them to the gas station.

With Eren stocked up on sweets, they made their way to the screening.

Eren was pumped as they made their way into the building. Or maybe he was just bouncing because of all the sugar he’s had tonight, Levi thought. Either way, it was cute.

After Levi presented the ticket receipts, they went through metal detectors and body screening before getting their bracelets.

Eren was finally in a live studio!

“Levi,” he whispered with a touch on his arm. “There he is!”

The host Eren was always watching on TV was sitting on the stage as a makeup artist was patting powder on his face.

Levi squeezed his hand. “It’s exciting, isn’t it?”

A stage crew member announced that everyone had two minutes to sit down. It was a quick scramble as everyone got seated. Levi accidentally bumped into a tall woman.

“Sorry, ma’am,” he raised his hand apologetically and sat down next to Eren.

The woman must’ve melted under that rich, deep voice, because she was blushing red all the way until the show.

\--

“That was so fucking fun!” Eren gushed to Levi as they were ushered out the building after the show. “Thank you so much again for taking me!”

“You’re very welcome, darling. I had a lot of fun, too.”

The studio’s name shone brightly above them in white letters. It illuminated the people below with an energetic glow.

“Levi, take a selfie with me.”

“A selfie?”

“Yeah. I want to save this moment!”

Eren wrapped his arm around Levi’s shoulders and held him close. He leaned down to get on Levi’s level and faced the camera.

“Readyyy…” Eren said, then grinned brightly.

Just as the picture took, Levi closed his eyes and pressed his lips to Eren’s cheek.

It was the cutest fucking picture ever.

Eren stood up straight and his face softened at the picture. “Oh, my God! We look so good here! I’m sending this to my mom.”

Levi took Eren’s hand and walked them to the car. Most of the other guests were gone at this point.

It was a long drive home. Eren’s phone vibrated and he popped his lollipop out of his mouth. It was Carla: _Both of you are simply adorable!! This is my new phone background!_

Eren laughed. “My mom liked our selfie so much that she made it her phone background!”

Levi glanced over at his young lover and smiled.

When they got home, they were much too tired to do much else besides cuddle and whisper sweet nothings in each other’s ears until they fell asleep together.


	44. Accounting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren baby learns more about money, and Survey Corp. has a hidden gem.

Eren was really getting this whole routine down pat. Levi was in the home stretch of the case, so he made it a point to stay out of his hair. They slept together and talked a bit every night, and Eren would look forward to Saturday, which was all about him.

Sometimes after work, Eren would bring back a medium black coffee and slip into Levi’s study to place it on his desk. There wasn’t a whole lot more he could do, but little did he know that Levi appreciated it immensely.

And to return the favor, Levi would get up extra early some days and fix Eren French toast before he had to leave the apartment.

On this particular Tuesday, Levi found himself having completed most of the items on his priority list that day. He went over to Eren’s room to check up on him.

He knocked twice and awaited a response.

“C’min.”

Eren was at his desk, hard at work, and his study materials were splayed out around him.

“Hey,” Levi said, and rubbed Eren’s shoulders. “Just wanted to check up on you.”

Eren reclined in his chair and inhaled deeply. “I’m alright. I’m having a hard time with this financial lit assignment, though. If you’re not too busy, do you think you can help me out?”

Levi took the backpack that was sitting on a second chair and placed it on the floor to have a seat. He glanced through some of Eren’s problems.

“I didn’t know you were into finances…” he mumbled as he flipped through some pages. It was one of the classes Eren didn’t mention in their conversations, or maybe it just flew past him.

“I’m not,” Eren said bluntly. “My dad insisted that I take it.”

“Smart man. If you know about finances, you’re all set.” He put the papers down and nodded. “Yes, these are quite simple. I’ll show you my way to solve them.”

\--

“Thanks so much for helping me, Levi!” Eren smiled. “You explained it way better than my professor.”

“Not a problem. I’m glad I could help.” It kind of was what his company was about, after all. “And if you need more help with it in the future, you can also ask Hange. She’s even more skilled than I am. Stop by the company some time and I’m sure she would be happy to.”

“Ohh, okay! I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Alright.” Levi got up and stretched his neck around. “I’ll go fix you a sandwich for dinner.”

Eren turned his music back on. “Thanks, I love yaaa!” he sang.

Levi held Eren’s shoulders and lay a kiss on his head before going to get that sandwich started.

\--

By the time Eren brushed his teeth and got into his pajamas, Levi was already in bed. He was going through his tablet.

Eren crawled in under Levi’s arm to look at the tablet with him.

“Stocks?” Eren asked.

“Mm.”

Eren watched as Levi looked through different numbers and companies.

“Can you teach me about them?”

“I can. So this company, for example…”

-

Time flew by as Levi pointed around the tablet and taught Eren some new things. Eren loved listening to that dark, soothing voice, plus, he was quite the fast learner.

“Now you try,” Levi said. “With what you know now, make an investment.”

Eren’s eyes widened. “My very own investment? I dunno, Levi… this is a big step for little ol’ me.”

Levi laughed. “I believe in you, Eren. Go ahead.”

Eren thought for a moment. He pointed at his favorite shoe company. “They turned a huge profit last quarter.” He went with it.

“Nicely done.” Levi rubbed Eren’s arm up and down. “You’ve learned a lot today.”

“Sure have, all thanks to you.”

“Actually, it was all you, my love. You’re a sharp learner. And you’re very attentive. I enjoy teaching you new things.”

Eren nuzzled into Levi’s body. “You really think that about me? Aww…”

“Of course I think that about you. You’re an excellent student, and you’re hardworking, passionate, honest, adorable, talented-“

“Aw, stop, Levi, you’re making me blush!” Eren wrapped his arms around Levi’s waist and buried his face.

“But most of all,” Levi said lowly, “you’re all mine.” He inhaled the scent of Eren’s hair before kissing him.

Eren looked up, a flattered grin on his face, and attacked Levi’s cheek in a quick kiss. “You’re so cheesy,” he whispered against his face.

“Cheesy,” Levi repeated. “But I speak the truth.”

They turned out the lights and crawled underneath the sheets. Eren crawled into Levi’s warm arms.

It was silent as they got comfortable and their breathing deepened. Eren’s voice was almost startling in the silence:

“Levi, when are you gonna wife me up?”

Levi chuckled silently, and Eren enjoyed the way his chest rumbled as he laughed. “I was hoping that when I married you, it would be a little classier than just ‘wifing you up’.”

“Don’t have to keep it classy with me,” Eren purred with a goofy voice, “you can let it aaaaaaall hang out.”

Levi laughed out loud this time, a musical, beautiful sound. He squeezed Eren in his arms tight and smiled into his hair.

“You’re the silliest thing, Mr. Jaeger.”

“Good night, Mr. Ackerman. I love you.”

“Good night, my sweet. I love you, too.”

\--

One day, Eren decided to visit the company after work. He mainly wanted to surprise Levi, but he also needed more help with financial literacy, so he would find Hange as well. He figured Armin wanted to surprise Erwin, so he would pick him up on the way.

With Levi’s signature coffee order in hand, Eren moved along.

The company was just as brilliant as it was on his first visit. It was Armin’s first time in the building, so he was already wide-eyed and in awe.

“It’s huge!” Armin looked up at the towering building, clutching onto the strap of his bag.

“It’s very nice inside, too!” Eren took Armin’s arm along through the glass doors.

The gigantic, sleek lobby echoed with the sounds of clicking shoes and heels. Eren took Armin up to the secretary desk.

Petra looked up from her computer. “Oh, hello, boys! Welcome back!” She looked at Armin. “Armin, right?”

Armin stuck his hand out to shake hers. “Yes, nice to meet you, Ms. Ral. Erwin’s told me good things about you.”

“Oh, honey, call me Petra! And Erwin’s told me wonderful things about you, too. Are you both here to see Levi and Erwin?”

“Yup!” Eren said.

Petra checked her planner. “Hm. They both have to be in a meeting in twenty minutes, so go and make it quick!”

Eren took Armin’s arm gently and began moving. “Thanks, Petra!” he waved.

They entered the huge chrome elevators and Eren punched the button for the top floor. The executive floor was quite empty this time around.

“That’s Erwin’s office,” Eren smiled and pointed to Erwin’s door. He went and knocked on Levi’s office door.

“Come in,” Levi said in his stern work voice.

Eren slipped in, a huge smile gracing his face. Levi finally looked up from his laptop and piles of papers around him. His face instantly softened. “Eren. I wasn’t expecting you, sweetheart.”

Eren went over and straddled his lap, in that big leather chair. Levi snaked his hands around Eren’s waist.

“Petra told me you have to be in a meeting in twenty minutes so I have to make it quick.” Eren punctuated his sentence by shutting his eyes and pressing his lips to Levi’s, exhaling harshly from his nose.

When they separated, Eren ran his hands through Levi’s hair. “Look at you, working so hard. My very own Mr. CEO.” Eren eyed the mess of work on Levi’s desk. When he met Levi’s eyes again, he had a particular cheeky grin on his face. “I think I wanna give you a blowjob to get you through that meeting.”

He didn’t wait for Levi’s response before getting on his knees and spreading Levi’s legs wider. Based on Levi’s loving strokes on his hair as Eren unbuckled his belt and unzipped his pants, Eren took it as permission to keep going. Well… he probably wasn’t going to listen to Levi’s protests, anyway. When you work as hard as Levi, you deserve a blowie whether you think you need it or not. _Eren knows best_ , Eren thought proudly.

He pulled Levi’s cock out and got to work.

-

After knocking on Erwin’s door, Armin clutched the strap of his bag as he awaited a response.

“Come in.”

Armin entered the office, unsure of what to expect. Erwin looked up and shut his laptop. He immediately got out of his seat, and Armin walked into his open arms.

“Armin! What a pleasant surprise.” Erwin petted Armin’s long, blond locks.

“Petra said you had to be in a meeting soon. I didn’t mean to bug you, I know you’re busy. I decided to come with Eren to surprise you.” Armin smiled apologetically.

Erwin took his shoulders at arm’s length. “You’re never a bother, dear. You just made my day.” He leaned down and kissed Armin’s forehead.

Armin grinned under Erwin’s smooch and when they separated, he got a chance to look around. He ran his fingers along the large, polished desk, a filing cabinet, a bookshelf filled with books about economics and business, and [real] plant near the glass wall. His eyes automatically widened when he took in the view.

“Whoa…” he breathed.

Erwin watched from his chair as Armin explored the office. “The view is wonderful, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, it’s even better than the view from Levi’s and Eren’s apartment.” He pointed at a boundary. “Is that Sina?”

“It is. You can tell because the buildings are smaller and more neutral-colored than Trost.”

Armin smiled and went over to stand next to him. Erwin took his waist and lifted him onto his lap.

Now, Armin was in the perfect seat to pretend to be a CEO. A huge desk in front of him, a distant door to grant someone access to his royal presence.

He giggled. “I feel so important!”

Erwin wrapped his arms around Armin’s waist. He couldn’t help but smile at his little lover’s excitement. “You are important, dear. You don’t need a big desk to prove that.”

Armin tapped at a little mouthpiece thing on the desk. “What’s this?”

“It’s a PA system. If I speak into it, everyone in the building can hear what I say.” And with a small tickle to Armin’s stomach: “Would you like to try?”

“Oh! What should I say?”

“Anything you want! Just press the button down until you’re done speaking.”

Armin pressed the button, which lit a small dot red. He leaned in close. “Hello, everyone!” he said. His voice echoed in a speaker somewhere in the wall.

Armin hid his face shyly and laughed. “That was so embarrassing!”

-

Back in Levi’s office, Eren was zipping back up a liquid and groaning Levi’s pants after having swallowed every bit of his warm pleasure.

Armin’s voice was heard from somewhere in the wall: “Hello, everyone!”

Eren whipped his head around to figure out how he did that. “Whoa! What the hell?” he laughed.

“Erwin must have let him use the PA,” Levi said.

“I want to use it, too! Do you have a speaker here or is it just Erwin?”

“I have one.” Levi reached over on his desk and readjusted some papers to show a mouthpiece. “Everyone in the building will hear what you say. Press the button down while you talk.”

Eren stood over the mouthpiece as Levi rebuckled his belt. Eren thought about what to say for a second. “Hey, everyone! It’s Eren! I want everyone to keep working hard on this case. I’m proud of every single one of you!”

Levi laughed. His company might just have a cute new motivational speaker.

Seconds later, Armin’s voice came from the wall speakers. “I’m Armin, and I’m really proud of you all, too!”

Eren grinned and leaned over the speaker. “Hey, Armin!” His grin only grew wider as he listened for a response from the speakers.

Armin’s voice: “Hey, Eren!”

“Okay, that’s enough, baby.” Levi reached for Eren’s waist and pulled him away from the microphone. “You’re distracting my employees.”

“But I have so much more to say!”

“Another time. Let them work in peace.”

Little did Levi know that almost every employee who heard Eren’s and Armin’s exchange over the PA were laughing and their days were made. Their CEOs may have been serious and rather intimidating, but their little boyfriends were the cutest damn things.

Levi checked his watch. “I have to head out for the meeting now.” He stood up and opened his arms. “Come here and let me give you some love.”

Eren threw himself into Levi’s arms and squeezed his shoulders tight in a close hug. “I love ya, Levi. Kick some ass in your meeting.”

“I will indeed kick some ass,” Levi replied softly. “I love you, too, Eren. I’ll see you at home.”

Levi walked out with him, just about the same time Erwin walked out with Armin. Eren and Armin found each other and dissolved into a fit of giggles that they got to use the PA system. Levi and Erwin walked into a conference room with a clear glass wall, and Eren watched as they began to prepare for the meeting. Soon, a handful of people exited the elevators and went into that same conference room.

Mike exited the elevator as well, pushing in a mail cart. He paused at Eren and Armin.

“Hello, Eren.” He turned to Armin and stuck his hand out. “You’re Armin. Nice to meet you, I’m Mike.”

Armin smiled at him and took his hand. “Nice to meet you, Mike!”

When their hands connected, Mike loomed over Armin’s head a bit and inhaled quietly. Armin pursed his lips and withdrew his hand with another smile. Eren laughed and shook his head. He was sniffed by Mike before, too.

Mike stood up straight. “How about I finally give you two that building tour?

“That sounds fun!” Eren said.

“Yeah, I’d love to look around!” Armin agreed.

“Alright,” Mike smiled. “Let me just drop some things off and we’ll get started.”

As Mike dropped some mail off on some tables near the wall as well as some boxes near each office door, Armin turned to Eren.

“Erwin’s office is really cool! I got a chance to look around and the view is amazing! He even let me sit at his desk! What did you do with Levi?”

Eren grinned. “I gave that man a blowjob. A pretty good one, at that.”

Armin laughed and budged Eren’s shoulder. “You are _such_ a slut.”

Eren cackled. “Uhh, is this coming from Mr. Daddy Kink himself?”

“Hey, I _fantasize_ ,” Armin clarified. “You, on the other hand, have no sense of danger or risk.”

“You should give Erwin a blowjob soon. I’m sure he’d love it!” Eren is the blunt friend, if nothing else.

“I’m too shy to initiate,” Armin sighed. “We’re getting to know each other really well, but I don’t know how to bring up sex.”

Eren rubbed Armin’s back. “The thing is, you might have to be the one to initiate it. He’s probably like Levi, he doesn’t want to rush into things to make sure you’re comfortable. Y’know. Age difference, and all. But I’m sure whenever you’re ready, he’ll be excited. Trust me. No one could resist a cutie like you.”

Armin lifted his head with a grateful smile. “Thanks for saying that, Eren.”

“Just doing my job,” he winked. That was the same thing Armin said to him on the day he fought with Levi.

“Also, did Mike sniff me back then?

“He does that. Happened to me, too.”

They shared another laugh.

“Alright, gentlemen,” Mike reapproached them with his cart. “Follow me.”

They followed Mike into the elevator. Mike pressed one of the buttons and they descended.

“We’ll start with the Public Relations floor first,” Mike said. “That seems to be the busiest part of the building nowadays.”

The elevator dinged and opened up to a massive floor; way larger and more spacious than the top floor. The furniture was mainly white and glossy here, with large chrome desks arranged symmetrically all the way down the floor. The employees at the desks had their heads ducked into their work and looked very immersed in it, hardly noticing the elevator doors open.

It was a small detail, but Eren noticed that the employees had big desks and not small cubicles like most 9 to 5 jobs. Levi and Erwin must treat their employees really well to make sure that they were this comfortable.

“Coffee, guys?” Mike asked. He led them to a break room at the edge of the floor. Eren and Armin fixed themselves drinks and Mike waited patiently.

With coffees in hand, the boys followed Mike back out into the room.

“So it’s pretty self-explanatory by the name,” Mike started, “but these people specialize in communications with other companies, as well as getting information from potential partners and collaborations. M.P. has them on their toes right now.”

Eren and Armin got some smiles from some of the employees. They probably heard them over the PA.

After they’ve had some time to poke around, they followed Mike back into the elevator. He took them to Marketing; the floor that was strictly for conferences and meetings; the lunch/break floor; and Analytics.

“Most of the floors have a similar setup,” Mike said. “So now you pretty much know what the whole building looks like. I’ll take you to Accounting. There always seems to be a party in there,” he sighed wearily.

And Eren and Armin were about to find out why.

The elevator door opened up, and this floor was already much louder than the rest of the building. They heard distant arguments and screeching.

Suddenly, Hange was making their way towards them. She hugged Eren first, then Armin. “Why, hello, my young friends! Come for a little tour, I see?”

“Shouldn’t you be working?” Mike raised his eyebrow at her. “Shouldn’t you all be working?” he called out loud, and employees with headphones on while punching numbers into calculators looked up casually. A bunch of employees on this level put their feet up on their desks and some were even working on the floor.

“Oh, Mike,” Hange patted his chest. “Loosen up! We’ve all been doing our assignments! I made sure of it!” _That’s right, Hange was one of the executives after all._

“Doesn’t seem like it. It’s just a bit too festive in here. Perhaps I should tell Levi and Erwin so they can provide this floor another _chat_.”

“Noooooooooooo!!” Hange cried dramatically. “We’ll all behave, I promise!”

“It’s no use,” Moblit said as he approached them. “I’ve tried to whip them all into shape. I figured as long as they were doing their work, it should be no problem.” He seemed frazzled and exhausted, like a single parent. He noticed Armin and shook his hand. “Nice to meet you, you must be Armin. Hello, Eren.”

“Come on, I’ll show you guys around!” Hange took both their hands and led them around the floor. Mike rolled his eyes and began distributing more mail.

Even though this was probably the messiest and definitely the loudest floor they visited so far, Eren noticed charts and graphs with very complicated equations and numbers lined along the walls. Papers were strewn about and missed drafts littered the space around overflowing waste bins. It was clear that these employees knew what they were doing.

Armin stopped and asked and employee a question, which engaged them into a conversation. Now it was just Eren and Hange.

“Actually, Hange, I had a question for you.”

“And what would that be, Eren?”

“Well, you see, I’m taking a financial lit class that I’m kinda struggling with. Levi said you really knew your stuff, so I was wondering if I could come by every once in a while and get some help from you?”

“Levi said that!?” she squealed. But she got back to the subject. “Of course I’ll help you out, my lovely! Come by and find me on the day of the week that you have your class and I’ll make sure you’re ahead of the game!”

“Thanks, I’m super grateful.” Eren grinned in relief. “I have the class on Wednesdays. I’ll come by then. And thanks for showing me around the floor.”

Mike waited near the elevator and organized his mail cart. Eren and Armin found him again.

“Shall we?” Mike beckoned them towards the elevator.

“Accounting is wild,” Armin giggled.

“That was definitely my favorite floor,” Eren said.

“I’m almost embarrassed to show visitors that floor. It’s an absolute madhouse,” Mike said. “But they all mean well.”

“They just know how to fun,” Eren told him. “I think the ability to relax and get work done at the same time is an important key to success.”

“Hm.” Mike grunted with a small smile. “Maybe you’re right, Eren.”

They reached the ground level again, and Armin and Eren waved their good-byes to Mike.

“I hope the tour was satisfactory, gentlemen,” Mike said. “I’m completely at your service should you ever come by.” He went back into the elevator.

Petra smiled from her desk when she saw them. “You two are the silliest. I heard your conversation over the PA.” She giggled. “I think you two are the rays of sunshine this company needs during this stressful time.”

She continued. “So I hear Mike gave you the tour? How did you guys like it?”

“We loved it!” Armin said.

Petra smiled, but then cringed. “Did he show you Accounting?”

They all laughed, which answered Petra’s question.

“Bye, now! Come back anytime!” she waved them off.

\--

That night, Eren worked hard on his assignments as he waited for Levi to come back home.

Now, the night was rolling on. Eren closed his book with a satisfied sigh. He reclined in his chair and stretched out his arms. He got so much done!

Eren decided to give Levi a ring to figure out where he was.

“Hey, baby.” There were clinking sounds and conversations in the background.

“Hey, Levi! Where are you? Will you be back for dinner?”

“I’m having dinner with Erwin and Petra. Go ahead and eat without me.”

“Oh, alright. Have fun, I’ll see you later!”

“Bye, Eren.” Levi sounded thoroughly exhausted.

Eren ended the call and sat in silence for a few seconds. Hopefully the pizza place was still open.

-

The doorbell rang, and Eren rolled on over with his hoverboard. He hopped off and swung the door open.

“Hey, kiddo,” the bald pizza guy said. Eren was probably the restaurant’s most valued customer at this point, since he ordered pizzas regularly while Levi was busy.

“Hey, Brad!” He took the pizza and paid for it, then gave him a $40 tip.

Brad took the tip hesitantly. “Eren, you gave me two twenties.” Maybe it was an accident.

“I know,” Eren grinned. “I meant to. Thanks for the pizza!” Eren had more than enough money lying around anyway. His wallet was so thick from unused coffee shop money that he gave fat tips just to make his wallet fit better in his pocket.

“Thanks, kiddo.” Brad smiled and made his way out.

Eren ate his pizza as he zipped around the living room on his hoverboard. He could just hear Levi’s voice telling him “Please sit at the table and eat properly, Eren.”

With the pizza polished off, Eren was bored and his fatigue was setting in. He decided to take a shower.

Eren was washed and dressed, and Levi still wasn’t home. He climbed into Levi’s bed and watched TV. He insisted on staying awake to welcome Levi back home.

Finally, there were footsteps in the living room and Eren heard Levi sigh. His man was finally home!

Levi walked into the bedroom and slipped off his coat. His face softened when he saw Eren waiting in his bed with a smile on his face.

“Eren, it’s late, sweetheart. Why aren’t you asleep?”

“I wanted to wait for you!”

“You need to rest,” Levi concluded. “I’ll just have a quick shower and I’ll put you to sleep.”

Eren watched more TV as he waited for Levi to finish in the bathroom and get dressed.

Levi climbed into bed, and Eren immediately tucked himself under his arm to cuddle.

“How was your day?” Levi asked, rubbing Eren’s arm up and down.

“It was good! I asked Hange if she could help with financial lit and she said yeah! And Mike finally gave me and Armin a tour of the building!”

Levi nodded. “That’s great to hear.” But then he pursed his lips. “Did Mike show you both Accounting?”

Eren laughed. “Why are you all so ashamed of Accounting? That was my favorite floor, they all know how to have fun!”

Levi chuckled a bit. “I’m not ashamed of them. Quite the opposite, actually. I want their behavior to look as good as the work they put out. They’re just a bit too rowdy for my liking. I might need to have another talk with them.”

“Well, I really liked the whole building. Everyone really seems happy working there.”

“I’m glad you think that, Eren. Your opinion means so much to me.”

“And Mike seems really cool! What’s his job?”

“Erwin and I call him the buildingmaster. He’s in charge of all the mail, interns, custodians, and maintenance. He’s the only person who has the keys to the building besides me and Erwin.”

“Whoa… you must really trust him.”

“I do. Very much. He deserves a lot more credit than he wants. He’s very humble.”

“Mm,” Eren nodded. “How was your day?”

“Between you and me, exhausting.”

“How did the meeting go? Did you kick some ass like I asked?”

“It went well. I kicked ass. We’re placing some finishing touches on the case. Everyone is pulling their weight, which I’m happy about.”

Levi noticed that Eren’s breathing was deepening and his eyes were starting to drag shut despite how much he tried to stay awake to talk. This boy would neglect his own needs to get a chance to talk to him. What a sweet thing.

“Okay, Eren,” Levi groaned quietly and shifted them around to lay Eren down. “We can talk more later. But you need to sleep now.”

Eren was much too tired to argue. He nuzzled into his pillow. “Rub my back, Levi.”

Levi chuckled and snaked his hand up Eren’s shirt. He dragged his nails gently along Eren’s spine. “My little prince has had a long day. But he needs to rest now, because he has another day tomorrow.”

Levi watched patiently as Eren drifted off to sleep. Soon, he was snoring steadily, and Levi pulled his shirt back down and drew the covers over him.

“Good night, Eren,” he whispered into Eren’s hair before placing a kiss. Those chocolate locks smelled like shampoo.

But Levi was exhausted, too. The buzz of the alcohol from dinner was making him woozy and the day’s events were working to drag his eyes shut, too.

He turned out the bedside light and crawled into the covers. It wasn’t long before he was deeply asleep, just like his brown-haired cutie.


	45. Sweet Happenings at Dawn and Dusk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All the baby boys are so in love :3 So sweet, we'll all get diabetes.

“Good morning, precious.”

Eren shuffled into the kitchen very early in the morning with his arms raised expecting a hug. When he embraced Levi, strong, calloused hands snaked around his waist to press him close.

“I made your favorite.”

“Of course you did, you perfect boyfriend,” Eren laughed quietly into Levi’s shoulder.

Levi’s heart fluttered. “Sleep well?”

Eren nodded into his shoulder. “Mm-hmm. I really like it when you rub my back until I sleep.”

“I’ll do it more often, then.” Levi rubbed Eren’s back soothingly and separated the hug so he could flip over some toast.

Eren went over to the couch to grab his blanket and wrapped it around himself before hopping onto his hoverboard. He rolled around in front of the glass wall, taking in the view of the sparkling, sleepy city that was covered in a hue of dark 5:30 am sky. It was breathtaking.

Eren rolled around the spacious living room, still feeling quite drowsy. Levi didn’t turn on the living room lights, instead letting the tiny track lighting at the kitchen illuminate the area like stars. He was standing in front of the stove in that soft blue shirt that accentuated his muscles, and dark plaid pajama pants. Eren smiled from afar at this sight of his future husband.

Levi looked up and their eyes met. “You’re getting quite good at that.”

“You haven’t seen anything yet,” Eren laughed. “Watch this!” He put some extra weight on his right foot, and the hoverboard spun around in place rapidly.

Levi smirked, impressed.

Eren continued rolling around as he waited for breakfast, yawning occasionally. His beige blanket trailed after him like a cape.

“Breakfast is ready,” Levi called from the kitchen. He placed two plates on the bar counter.

Eren hopped off his hoverboard and made his way. His plate had a smiley face in whipped cream. He looked up and grinned at Levi. Levi smiled back knowingly.

“Let me feed you,” Levi said after he climbed onto his stool.

Eren happily accepted, drawing his blanket tighter around himself as he was fed.

But a little while later, Eren wanted to switch it up a bit. He took off his blanket and hopped off his stool to drape it over Levi’s shoulders.

“I want to feed you, now,” Eren stated. He began cutting up some toast on Levi’s plate.

He held out the fork and hovered it in front of Levi’s mouth, just like he observed. “Open up, baby,” he sang.

Levi laughed lightly, and two plush lips opened up and accepted the fork.

Eren’s grin was ever-widening. “I love you, Levi! This is so much fun!” He cut up another piece and fed it to him.

“Fun?” Levi questioned, then accepted the fork.

“Yeah. I feel like a real wifey now. Gotta make sure my husband eats,” he said matter-of-fact. When Levi rested his chin on his hand and took another bite, Eren squealed happily.

“You’re very adorable, Mr. Jaeger.”

“Thank you, Mr. Ackerman. I like taking care of you.”

And since he was on a roll, Mr. Jaeger provided Mr. Ackerman a top-notch blowjob and foot rub after breakfast, in that order.

-

Levi was in fucking heaven as Eren wrapped up his foot rub. There truly was no better way to start a long day.

He leaned down to touch Eren’s elbows and help him up. “Hey. Come up here.”

Eren got off his knees and straddled his lap.

“You’re such a saint. You didn’t have to do all that for me.”

“Don’t be silly, Levi. You take care of me all the time. I want to reciprocate.”

“Well,” Levi breathed and rubbed Eren’s thighs gently, “thank you very much.”

“No problem!”

“But there was also something I wanted to talk to you about, my dear.”

Eren cocked his head to the side. “What’s that?”

“We both know the case has me coming home very late sometimes,” Levi started as he continued rubbing Eren’s thighs soothingly, “but I don’t want you staying up and waiting for me. You need your sleep, and I don’t want you to sacrifice that for me.”

Eren pouted, and placed his hands on Levi’s shoulders. “But I want to talk to you before bed.”

“I know, Eren,” Levi cooed. “But we can always talk during the day. I’ll make time. You have long days, too, and it would make me really happy if you slept instead of waiting for me. You need your rest. Understood?”

Eren sighed, lacing his hands in his lap. “Understood.”

Levi opened his arms for a hug. “Come here. I love you.”

Eren smiled as he went in for the hug, a bit clueless as to what would happen next. “I love you t- HYA!”

Levi clamped his arms around Eren’s body and tackled him to the couch, commencing in a surprise tickle attack. Eren squealed as Levi’s fingers ruthlessly dug into his ribs and stomach. He punched his fists out to defend himself, but of course Levi easily dodged them all. Levi moved his attack to the armpits, and Eren laughed uncontrollably.

“LEVIIIIII!”

But Levi wasn’t done yet. A sadistic smile curved his lips as he went into the crooks of Eren’s neck. He watched as Eren flailed around beneath him, wheezing and out of breath.

 _Okay,_ Levi thought. _I’m done now_. He ended his tickle attack with a growling kiss to that boy’s cheek. Something so deep and delicious ignited within him these past few minutes.

 _Well… maybe I’m not completely done yet_. He took some of Eren’s cheek between his teeth gently in a possessive bite. “Ugh, I could just eat you up.” He inhaled the morning scent of Eren’s face.

“Then eat me, Levi,” Eren whispered breathlessly. He had that cheeky smile to him.

Levi climbed off of Eren and carried him bridal-style to Eren’s bedroom. It was still early; they had some time to play before starting the day.

Eren rested back on his pillows as he watched Levi take out lube and his purple dildo from the bedside drawer. The big plush bear oversaw the scene with his beady little eyes.

“What’re you gonna do with those?” Eren asked.

Levi took the items with him as he climbed onto the bed and crawled closer to those long legs and spread them apart. He edged his fingertips along the waistband of Eren’s boxers and pressed his nose where his belly button was. A calloused hand slipped up the hem of Eren’s shirt to expose that tight stomach. “I think I want to taste you, Eren.”

Levi started laying butterfly kisses onto Eren’s abdomen, now rising and falling rapidly as Eren started becoming hot and bothered. Butterfly kisses turned into smooches, and smooches turned into loud wet sounds as Levi groaned and sucked spots into Eren’s tummy.

Eren reached down and held Levi’s head, relishing the feel of that glossy black hair. A secret low heat pooled in his stomach from arousal.

Levi moved further down Eren’s body, pausing for a second to draw Eren’s legs up around him. He placed a hand on Eren’s crotch, pleased that it was firm and erect.

“So responsive,” Levi stated. “I love it.”

He wrapped his hand around Eren’s print ever so lightly, careful not to have him orgasming too quickly.

He hooked an arm around Eren’s leg and began kissing the insides of his thighs.

“You’re delicious,” Levi growled in between smooches.

Eren reflexively tried to clamp his legs around Levi’s head from the stimulation like a vice, but Levi knew him too well and kept his legs spread with his hand.

Levi sucked dark, fat hickies into those juicy thighs, enjoying the increasing sounds from Eren. The firm placement of the hand on his cock was strangely comforting and hot to Eren.

Once Levi was pleased with the dark, wet galaxies that littered that littered the insides of Eren’s thighs, he started taking the sensitive skin between his teeth and leaving bite marks.

Eren’s hand shot up to his mouth to stop himself from screaming, and he jammed the other hand beneath his pillow to restrain himself.

“L-L… L...” Eren couldn’t even get Levi’s name out.

“Patience, baby.” That fucking deep ass voice was doing nothing to help Eren’s case.

Levi kept at it, making sure Eren was fully marked up and a squirming, whining mess before sitting up and finally pulling down Eren’s boxers.

That adorable curved dick bounced against Eren’s stomach.

Levi smiled and took it into his hand, just to tease Eren a bit. He wasn’t going to start pumping yet. No, he had something else to do first.

He uncapped Eren’s lube and slathered the clear liquid onto his fingertips. After warming it up, he inserted one finger into Eren’s entrance, then a second. He started scissoring his fingers casually, and Eren sighed contently.

After a long while of pleasing and stretching Eren open, Levi pulled his fingers out. Eren waited patiently for the next activity.

Levi drizzled lube onto the head of the purple dildo, and slathered it around the surface. He aligned it against Eren’s entrance, and slowly, ever so slowly, he pushed it in.

“Oh,” Eren sighed. “Ohhh… yess.”

Levi pushed in a few more inches. After all that fingering, Eren was pliant and it went in like butter. When the toy was all the way in, he pulled it back out at that indulgent slow pace.

Levi quite liked Eren’s reactions. He loved seeing those big green eyes stare at him in anticipation, and watching those soft pink lips curl and mewl.

And Eren liked being able to take things slow with Levi. Eating… sex… he was encouraged to indulge and feel every second of pleasure. With his impatient personality, had he been the one with the dildo in his hand, he would have spent all of a few minutes fucking himself with it fast and dirty before having an explosive orgasm and going back to whatever he was doing like nothing happened.

But Levi made him forget the world around him, allowing his skin to prickle and heat up in passion.

Eren bit his bottom lip in an ecstatic smile and turned his face away, letting Levi do his thing. He stretched and arched his back in pleasure, and he let his eyes close.

Time stretched out, so lovely and sensual.

“Does that feel good, my little prince?”

Eren didn’t say anything, mainly because he was too up in the clouds, but he managed a quick, giggly nod.

And just when Eren thought it couldn’t feel any better than this, Levi wrapped a firm hand around his cock and began pumping up and down slowly.

This was calculated, and Eren knew it. They both knew that if Levi fucked him with that dildo any faster or pumped him any harder, he would be cumming in no time. But Levi knew just the pace that allowed Eren to feel the lovely sensation with no end in sight. His orgasm was climbing and lacing up his spine wonderfully. Slow and snake-like, not the usual red and jagged claws that flashed in his mind when he fucked himself.

A long while passed again. Levi noticed that Eren was getting close. So, he squeezed his hand a bit when he reached the base of Eren’s cock, and began milking him out on the way up.

He aimed the toy into Eren’s lucky spot, the spot that Eren didn’t know how to find on his own. He made sure the toy brushed into that bundle of nerves.

“L-Levi.” Eren’s eyes remained closed, but he started squirming again. “C-close. Cumming.”

It was quite literally seconds before Eren spilled warm cum onto his own stomach and Levi’s hand, biting his finger and curling his toes.

And Levi knew when Eren was finished releasing, but he decided to milk him out a bit more. He slid the toy in and out a bit more vigorously into his prostate, and pumped him out more furiously.

Eren was lost in a sea of pleasure, the waves crashing around him threateningly. _Just take me already_ , he pleaded with them. Perhaps he could swim his way out of this blind madness, so overwhelming and wonderful at the hands of Levi, but that man decided not to let him go that fast, and kept overstimulating him while he was still orgasming.

He was suspended in mid-air now, no longer at the sea, and the exhilaration seemed dangerous especially since Eren couldn’t see the end.

Levi couldn’t know any of those thoughts right now, but he watched as Eren squirmed and whined at the overstimulation. He made sure Eren was truly spent and back to Earth before unwrapping his hand and pulling the toy out.

He didn’t speak just yet. He just watched as Eren face twitched with a few times and his body shivered as he rode out the last aftershocks of his lengthy orgasm. Finally, Eren opened those beautiful emerald eyes, still panting.

“How was that?” Levi asked.

Eren kicked Levi’s leg playfully. “It was fucking amazing. I don’t think I can move right now. I’m too fucked out.” He smiled expectantly. “Can you give me a piggyback ride into the bathroom?”

“Eren,” Levi chuckled, stroking his naked leg. “Don’t be lazy.”

Eren sat up just enough to take off his soiled shirt so that he was completely naked. “Sorry, hot stuff, I don’t make the rules.” He got up crawled to Levi’s back before latching his arms around his neck.

Levi smiled as he piggybacked Eren to the bathroom. He couldn’t get himself to say no, anyway.

\--

“Jean, could you open a new jug of milk?”

Jean was already crouched by the fridge looking for a can of whipped cream. “Sure.”

The end of the week was here, and Eren put in 110 percent effort to end the Friday shift on a strong note.

The overflowing tips cup seemed to reflect that.

“Ah, hey, Annie! Long time no see!” Eren flashed a wide grin at his rather reserved friend.

“…Hi.” she tried not to let Eren’s radiant demeanor crack her façade, but who really could withstand that boy’s charm? A ghost of a smile pulled at the corner of her lip. “The usual.”

“Comin’ right up!” Eren wrote down Annie’s signature order on her cup- small mocha frappe with extra whipped cream- and took her money. “How are your matches going?”

“Good. I’m changing up my training routine.”

“Oh! I think Reiner can help you with that. He trained me for a little bit, too.”

“Reiner is the one helping me out,” Annie nodded shortly. “I meet him at the gym.”

Eren shook his head in regret. “That guy is ruthless. His workouts almost killed me.”

A very rare expression graced Annie’s face. Did Eren Jaeger manage to make Annie giggle?

“Alright. I’ll have your drink ready for you in a minute,” Eren said as he handed the empty cup to Jean. “It was very nice seeing you again, Annie. Come by more often!”

“I’ll try.”

Jean was pouring some mocha shots into Annie’s cup. “Wow,” he mused, impressed, “I think I saw her smile a bit when you were talking to her. That shit’s miraculous.”

“Miraculous shit seems to happen when you least expect it, Jean-boy.”

\--

Eren made it home, a bit weary but very content. As expected, Levi wasn’t home yet. He put on his glasses and used the time to get ahead on an essay that wasn’t due until a month.

\--

“I knew I’d find you in here.”

Erwin walked into the library room to find Armin curled up in the big plush velvet chair, reading a book. He looked up over the book and grinned.

“I made you some cookies,” Erwin smiled gently and placed the plate as well as a glass of milk on the small coffee table next to the chair. But Erwin’s face etched a little with concern. “Although it’s a bit irresponsible of me, because I’m spoiling your dinner.”

Armin had already taken a big bite of one of Erwin’s legendary cookies. He waved his hand to quell Erwin’s worries. “Don’t worry about that. You know I’ll still eat whatever you make.”

“I’m glad to hear that, dear. What are you reading?”

“ _Roots_.”

Erwin nodded. “I’ve been meaning to re-read that one.” He checked his watch. “Okay. I’ll leave you alone now. I’ll let you know when dinner is ready.”

They shared a loving gaze before Erwin turned on his heel and left the room.

Armin had another cookie. This was becoming a bit of a routine. He would stop by Erwin’s place, sometimes even unannounced, and they would spend a quiet night in. Well, Erwin was often busy working on the case, so Armin would retreat in his new favorite place in the apartment- the library, filled with what seemed like hundreds of books- and read quietly. Even with all the work he had to see to, Erwin tried his best to make it a point to cook Armin a nice dinner whenever he came over. He was the finest man Armin had the pleasure of claiming.

He especially liked coming over on Fridays, because Saturdays were dedicated to him and Erwin was forbidden from working. It made for an easy transition out of the busy work and school week for each of them, respectively.

There was something very soothing about Erwin’s place. Well, with all the books and albums and art and historical trinkets, it was pretty much Armin’s dream home. It was quiet here, too, but a cozy sort of quiet. Erwin would make the best food and they would hold the most profound discussions. Armin felt like a prince whenever he came over. And he was completely okay with that.

He managed a few chapters before he heard Erwin’s voice calling him for dinner. Today was baked salmon. Armin was grinning in excitement as Erwin pushed his chair in.

\--

Eren was tired of studying for the night. With all his free time without Levi home, he always found himself completing assignment weeks before they were due and having read several chapters ahead of his classes. His parents would be proud.

He slammed his book close and made his way into the living room. Video games seemed like a good way to wind down. He lounged and played as the sky continued to darken.

-

The door clicked and Eren’s ears perked up. Levi came in, looking exhausted as usual. He took off his shoes and set them aside neatly. “Hello, Eren. How are you, love?” he called.

Eren paused his game and ran over to give his man some love. He wrapped his arms around Levi’s shoulders and lay a kiss on his jet-black hair. “I’m doing great, Levi. How was your day?”

“My day went well,” he started, and Eren took off his coat for him and hung it up on the coat rack. “I’m just glad to finally be home.”

Eren frowned a bit and took Levi’s shoulders to lead him to the couch. “I can tell you’re exhausted. Let me take care of you.”

Levi sat down at the couch with a long groan, and Eren stood behind him and massaged his shoulders and neck. “You can relax now, Levi. You’ve worked so very hard this week.”

And Levi happily followed that instruction. He allowed his eyes to close and his thoughts to wander away from the company as his brown-haired cutie worked his long fingers into his tense muscles.

When he felt that Levi’s shoulders were sufficiently worked through, Eren looped around the couch and sat on the floor to take off Levi’s socks and massage his feet for him.

Eren giggled silently when he saw that Levi’s head was thrown back and he was groaning lowly.

Levi worked hard and harbored lots of pressure on his shoulders (quite literally) from his position at the company as well as his clients on the side, and Eren felt personally responsible to help him relax and undo him after a long day.

Levi was dangerously close to sleeping, but he managed to shake himself out of it and open his eyes. “Thank you for that massage, baby. I appreciate you.”

“Just doing my job!” Eren smiled from below. His bright emerald eyes sparkled behind his glasses. He got off his knees and sat down on the couch next to Levi, wrapping an arm around his shoulders to lay a kiss on his cheek.

“Have you eaten yet?” Levi asked, holding the hand that was draped around him.

“Nah. I wanted to wait for you to get home.”

“What would you like? I’ll cook.”

Eren rested his head on Levi’s shoulder. “You just got home, Levi. You don’t have to cook. I’ll order us takeout.”

“Are you sure? Cooking would be no problem.”

“Positive. I want you to relax. I’ll go make you coffee, too!” Before Levi could argue, Eren slipped out and ran into the kitchen to get Levi’s signature drink started.

Levi was left on the couch, just a bit too relaxed and liquid than he was used to while in the M.P. case shitstorm. But then again, what did expect from his thoughtful little boyfriend?

He wasn’t sure how long he’s been lounging on the couch lost in thought, but Eren came back around with a mug in his hands and he snapped out of it. “A medium black for Mr. Ackerman. Enjoy.” When Levi took the mug, Eren bowed cartoonishly, pretending to be a waiter.

“Thank you, Mr. Jaeger. You’re the sweetest thing.” He took a sip and sighed deeply. Eren’s coffee making skills were on point, as usual.

Eren grinned in appreciation and fished his phone out. He stretched out on the other end of the couch as he dialed the Chinese restaurant.

“…lo mein, egg rolls, white rice, beef and broccoli… uhhh… oh, and veggie stir-fry,” Eren said. “Please,” he added sweetly.

It was silent in the room as the restaurant relayed his order. Eren nodded. “Yup, you got it! Bye.”

Eren put his phone aside and stalked into Levi’s lap before picking up his controller and resuming his video game. Levi sipped his drink as he stroked Eren’s hair and watched him shoot down aliens on the screen. Quiet domesticity. Neither of them would have it any other way.

\--

“Wow, Erwin… you outdo yourself every time!” Armin sighed deeply and wiped his mouth with his napkin. “Thank you very much for that wonderful dinner.”

Erwin wiped his mouth as well, and smiled from the flattery. “It was my absolute pleasure. I really enjoy cooking for you.”

“I’ll help you do dishes,” Armin said with his eyes closed. “Just let me… rest for a sec.” He was stuffed to the brim.

“Understood,” Erwin said. He reclined in his own seat, and used the opportunity to catch up with Armin’s happenings. “How was your day, my dear?”

“It was alright. A bit tiring. Organic chemistry is still difficult as hell but I’m feeling good about the exam we’re about to take on Monday.”

“Mm. And how about zoology?” Erwin wanted to know about all of Armin’s classes.

“Zoology is kind of a blow off class for me,” Armin explained. “The studying I’ve done over the summer put me a few paces in front of the course. But I might as well get a credit for it. At least this way I can focus more on o-chem.”

“Perhaps you should speak with your counselor to take a more advanced version of the course next semester? I know you get bored when you’re not challenged enough.”

Armin gazed admiringly at Erwin. He knew him so well. “You’re already a step ahead, Erwin. That was my plan.” He leaned forward on his elbows, a bit more attentive to the conversation now that he’s had a chance to digest a bit. “But enough about me, how is the case going?”

“I briefed the PR team today and had a few meetings. We’re truly in the home stretch now. I’m proud of how hard everyone is working.”

Armin smiled mischievously. “Did you talk to Accounting?”

Erwin laughed. It was becoming a bit of an inside joke now that Accounting is Survey Corp’s hidden (and for good reason) gem. “They’re doing just fine. Hange and Moblit are exceptional leaders. They haven’t missed a single deadline.”

“By the rate things are going, how much longer do you think the case will last?”

“Just weeks, at this rate. Frankly, I’m excited for things to start settling down again.”

“I’m excited, too. I want to spend way more time with you. One day a week isn’t quite enough for me.”

“Likewise, darling.”

Armin pushed his chair out and collected their empty plates, giving Erwin a quick wink before heading to the kitchen. Erwin pushed his chair out and followed suit to the sink.

-

“What would you like to do now?” Erwin asked, with the two of them having done the dishes and tidied up the kitchen.

“I was thinking… could you read to me?” Armin asked, a bit shyly. He hoped his request wasn’t too strange.

“I would love to. I’ll wait in the chair, go ahead and bring your book.”

Armin jogged into the library and brought back _Roots_. He loved the story, but Erwin’s voice would make it, like, a hundred times better.

Erwin was waiting patiently in the huge reclining chair. He turned on the nearby lamp to make the space even brighter.

And just like he has several times before, Armin climbed into his lap and got comfortable. Erwin took the book and turned to where Armin left his marker.

“Wait, Erwin,” Armin said right before Erwin started reading. Erwin looked down expectantly.

Armin took the back of Erwin’s neck and drew it a bit closer to him, meeting their lips in a firm smooch. He separated and nuzzled back into that broad chest.

Erwin chuckled at the unexpected but very lovely surprise. He lay a retaliation kiss on the top of Armin’s blond bob before clearing his throat and begin reading.

“Only the rasping sound of the deck hatch being opened told Kunta if it was day or night…”

\--

Eren took one more piece of beef into his mouth from Levi’s chopsticks before deciding that he was absolutely full. “Mm-hm,” he nodded in satisfaction. “I can’t anymore.”

“I’m full, too,” Levi said. He reached over and put all the leftover remains of each box into one box.

Eren chugged down Coke to wash his meal down. After his final swallow, he burped very loudly and grossly. Levi looked at him disapprovingly.

“’Scuse me,” Eren said sweetly.

Levi shook his head in disgust, but the faintest of smiles pulled at his lips.

Eren lay back on the couch and turned on the TV as Levi cleaned up. The food made him really lazy and sluggish.

Levi joined him a bit later, lifting Eren’s feet and placing slipping beneath them before placing them on his lap.

“Tell me about work, Levi,” Eren said.

He listened closely as Levi filled him in. Eren loved being in the loop. He asked many questions, some more relevant than others.

“All the executives have reported that the deadlines are being met. I couldn’t ask for better. I’m sure Erwin would agree.”

Eren nodded, and his mind wandered off again. “Levi, what happened between Nile and Erwin? The drama, I mean,” he clarified.

“Nile and Erwin fell in love with the same woman a long time ago.”

Eren’s eyes widened and he sat up a bit. That shit was juicy! “What happened next!?”

“Both Survey Corp and M.P. were young businesses at that point. Erwin committed his whole being into the company, and his life was a bit too occupied for love at that point. Nile left his position at M.P. temporarily to commit to her, and they ended up marrying. I think they have three kids now.”

“Oh, my God!” Eren’s eyes were still wide. He wondered if Armin knew about this. “Have you met the lady? What’s her name?”

“Her name is Marie. I haven’t met her myself.”

“So Marie would rather go for a man that would abandon his company, instead of a man who’s responsible?” Eren felt a bit angry. Erwin was a great man; anyone would be lucky to have him. Although, he couldn’t be too upset. If things worked out with Erwin and Marie, Erwin wouldn’t have gotten with Armin. And his best friend deserved all the happiness he was feeling right now. “How did Nile get his position back? He must’ve done some slimy stuff to reclaim his throne! And why is letting M.P. do all that illegal shit? Does Marie know?”

Levi was a bit overwhelmed with Eren’s flurry of questions. “That’s about the extent of what I know, sweetheart. Erwin doesn’t talk much about it. I’m sure he’s over Marie by now, but with the collaboration between both companies, I guess you can say it reopened old wounds.”

Eren stayed sitting there with his eyebrows furrowed while he thought of more questions.

“Don’t overthink it, Eren. That all happened a long, long time ago.”

“Erwin must be really dedicated to the company…” Eren said. To choose between a potential love and an up-and-coming company must’ve been a really hard choice. Although, with how big and successful Survey Corp. was today, the choice was pretty worth it.

“He is,” Levi agreed. “Unbelievably so. When people ask him if he has any children, we sometimes joke that he has one, and that it’s Survey Corp.”

Eren laughed. “I would’ve never known. Erwin’s a lady killer. I can’t believe he ever got rejected.”

“He really is a lady killer. Rejection can happen to the most unlikely people.”

“…I need some ice cream,” Eren said wearily. He went over to the kitchen and peered into the freezer. “Damn. I forgot I finished the chocolate ice cream.”

“We can go grocery shopping tomorrow,” Levi said from the couch.

Eren settled for a popsicle. He started for the hallway. “Let’s move this party to the bedroom,” he said with a flirty tone.

Levi got up and followed.

“Eren, go finish your popsicle somewhere else,” Levi said as he changed into his pajamas.

Eren knew that Levi didn’t allow chips on the bed because the crumbs bothered him, but he was also nervous about popsicle stains, it seemed.

“Don’t worry, I promise I won’t make a mess.”

“Not a single drop,” Levi warned as he climbed onto the bed. “Juice stains are a bitch to remove.”

“Not a single drop,” Eren repeated. He turned on the TV and surfed some channels. Levi lay face down on his pillow and groaned lowly.

Eren crawled over and sat on Levi’s lower back, drawing an especially loud appreciative moan from Levi.

He ate his popsicle and settled onto Levi’s back as they both winded down for the night.

\--

“…He lay fixing in his mind the faces of those who turned the great wheel of the canoe, since their lives were the only ones to be spared.”

Erwin was about to continue onto the next paragraph, but he noticed that Armin was breathing deeply and steadily, and his eyes were closed. The poor thing had fallen asleep.

Erwin smiled gently and shut the book. He didn’t know what to do now. He checked his watch. It was almost 1 am. He would be heartless to wake Armin up and demand that he head home. Surely, he could spend the night here?

Erwin put the book aside and snaked his arms beneath Armin’s body to lift him up. He got up from the chair with a quiet groan, careful not to wake Armin, and carried him over to the guest bedroom. Armin didn’t stir at all from the movement. The week must’ve truly exhausted him to be this knocked out.

He yanked back the white covers of the bed and lay Armin down on the mattress. Still not a single stir from him. He pulled the covers over Armin’s body, and, with a soft kiss on Armin’s bangs, he turned on his heel and turned out the light on his way out. He needed to get ready for bed, too.

\--

Eren finished his popsicle and has had enough TV for the night. He climbed off Levi and smacked his butt playfully before heading to the kitchen to throw away his popsicle stick and wrapper. Levi grunted at the contact, but he rolled onto his back and sat up.

When Eren returned, Levi was climbing into the covers.

“Levi. Hold me,” Eren said.

“Of course. Come here.”

Eren crawled into his favorite pair of arms.

Levi wrapped his arms tight around Eren’s torso, who was laying across his lap like a child. He drew Eren’s long legs closer.

“I love you very, very much, Eren. My sweet Eren.” Levi made his point by sucking loud kisses into that chocolate hair.

He held Eren for a long while. Eren didn’t really speak. Sometimes, he just wanted to be held. Nothing more. The long week was finally starting to catch up to him.

Levi rocked Eren back and forth. It was a bit therapeutic. He had a chance to feel the passage of time and reflect on work.

Finally, Levi noticed Eren’s breathing beginning to deepen. “Let’s sleep now, precious,” he whispered into Eren’s hair.

Eren stirred and got beneath the covers. Levi reached over and turned out the bedside light before joining him.

“I love you, too, Levi. You’re the love of my fucking life.”


	46. Date Days

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Saturdays mean no working... and our baby boys Eren and Armin are taking full advantage of that :3

Armin slipped out of his dream, shrouded in a heavy blanket of confusion. He sat up slowly and looked around. This wasn’t his bed. It was too big and too comfortable.

He remembers now; he came over to Erwin’s last night. He remembered dinner and reading… but not much else. A fleeting thought crossed his mind- did they have sex last night? A slow, hopeful smile spread on Armin’s face. But he became disappointed, too, that if it did happen, he couldn’t seem to remember any of it.

He pulled the covers aside and made his way to the bathroom. He could hear Erwin walking around the kitchen in the distance.

In the bathroom, there was a toothbrush still unopened in its package. Armin tore it open gratefully.

Now that he was washed and brushed, but still in the same clothes he came in last night, Armin made his way to Erwin.

The man making breakfast in the kitchen was not one that Armin immediately recognized. This one had normally neatly parted hair shaken out messily over his forehead, and was wearing a white v-neck t shirt and blue plaid pajama pants instead of an impeccable black suit.

Erwin looked totally _normal._

Armin marched right up to that man and buried his face in his shirt in a hug. Erwin leaned down for a kiss on his head.

“Good morning, my dear.”

“’Morning,” Armin’s reply was muffled. When he looked up again, he noticed that Erwin had some morning stubble on his face. He immediately reached out to feel it. “You didn’t shave,” he giggled.

Erwin laughed lightly, too. “I hope it isn’t too jarring.”

“No, I like it.” The tiny, coarse hairs felt ticklish under Armin’s fingertips. He wanted to rub his cheek against it. Perhaps later.

“I used that new toothbrush in the bathroom. Is that okay?” Armin asked, his chin resting on Erwin’s chest as he looked up at him.

“It was meant for you.” Erwin stroked Armin’s long locks, running his fingers through the strands. “You can start leaving your mark here. I can empty out some drawers for you, too.”

“That sounds wonderful,” Armin grinned. “But, umm…”

Erwin looked at him expectantly.

“What happened last night?” Armin was a bit shy suddenly, a bit embarrassed to have no memory of how he ended up spending the night.

Erwin patted his head  soothingly, and his smile widened. “Nothing to be worried about, darling. I was reading to you after dinner and you fell asleep on my lap. It was quite late at that point, so I figured you could sleep here. I carried you to the guest room. You didn’t wake even for a second. You must’ve been very tired.”

Relief and disappointment simultaneously washed over Armin that they didn’t have sex last night.

“Did you… sleep in the bed with me?” he asked, a mischievous smile growing.

“I did not.”

“You should have.”

Erwin laughed. “If that were to happen, I would prefer you to be awake to give me permission.”

“How chivalrous…” Armin purred. “What’s for breakfast?”

“Omelets. I’m trying a new recipe out.”

“Okay, I’ll leave you to it.” He kissed Erwin’s chest and turned on the TV to watch the news.

\--

Eren was in a fantastic fucking mood this morning.

He wanted to get the day started already! When he looked beside him, Levi was still asleep. He must’ve been truly exhausted to sleep past Eren.

But that’s okay, because Eren would wake him up. He dashed to the bathroom and brushed his teeth, bobbing his head to the music in his mind. After drying his washed face, he smiled into the mirror.

Eren dashed back out the bathroom and jumped onto the bed, where Levi was still lightly snoozing with his eyes closed.

He crawled over to Levi and started laying kisses on his face to wake him.

“Good... morning… Levi!” Eren said between kisses. Levi’s eyebrows furrowed and his face twisted under Eren’s wet kisses, but the corners of his mouth pulled up in a smile. “Rise n’ shine!”

More kisses. Levi finally opened his eyes. “The tables have turned, it seems,” he said, his voice thick and grumbly and still incredibly sexy. There haven’t been many days where Eren would be the one to wake him up for a change.

Eren grinned. “I’m a wild card, baby!” He straddled Levi’s hips, which would prevent him from rising and shining, but Eren just loved being on top of him.

Levi reached his arms under his pillow and rested his head on it, gazing at Eren lovingly. Eren rubbed and then patted that hard chest and unstraddled him, heading towards the kitchen to surprise Levi with a drink.

Levi took a deep breath and yawned, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. This was a lot later than he usually slept; work was really getting to him. He got up and stretched his arms out, and his back gave out some loud cracks.

In the kitchen, Eren would fix Levi some black tea for breakfast, and made toast. He took out the jam from the fridge, and the water was ready. He turned and hummed as he poured the water into a mug and began seeping the black tea leaves.

He took the breakfast to the bar countertop, and took out the Lucky Charms to begin making his own breakfast.

Levi walked in just then.

Eren looked behind his shoulder and grinned. The cereal bits clinked as they fell into the bowl. “Hey, I made you tea and toas-“

Strong hands wrapped around Eren’s waist and turned him around, and Levi wedged his knee up Eren’s legs.

Now that Eren was leaned back against the counter, he smiled down at Levi, resting his hands on his broad shoulders. He opened his mouth to speak again, but Levi leaned up and kissed him hard, molding his lips around Eren’s upper lip over and over.

Eren tried to separate the kiss to talk again, but Levi was relentless. He took a hand down and palmed Eren’s crotch.

“Le-“ A silencing kiss. “Oh…” he sighed softly.

Levi’s hand felt good. _Really_ good, especially because he was only covered by the fabric of his boxers down there and nothing else.

Levi smirked at Eren’s increasing fluster, and he trailed down his body until he was on his knees. Eren’s hands remained on his shoulders all the way down.

He hooked his fingers into the waistband of Eren’s boxers, and pulled them down just enough that Eren’s cock peeked out. With one kiss to the head, Levi took it into his mouth.

Eren groaned and bit his lip. He held the counter behind him with his hands for support.

Levi sucked Eren off fast and quick, working his tongue around the groove between the shaft and head, knowing it was one of Eren’s most sensitive spots.

Eren started making those pretty sounds again. Little moans, little whines here and there. As good as he was feeling, he was also becoming a bit worried. “Levi… your tea will get cold…”

But the tea could be damned right now, because Levi was fixated on getting a piece of Eren this morning. He held Eren’s lovely hips and worked his tongue even more skillfully.

“Ah!” Eren cried. _Yeah, fuck the tea_. He could let himself get lost again. He lifted his leg up and draped it over Levi’s back, and the sensation of the cool air to his naked thighs stung wonderfully. Levi held Eren’s leg in place, and he admired the damage to Eren’s inner thighs- the dark bruises and faint bite marks that he left there a few days ago.

“Fuck, Levi, go back in there!” Eren said, and fisted his hand in his glossy black hair to lead him back to his momentarily neglected cock.

Levi went back in, not surprised at all by Eren’s reaction. This boy was very easy to please.

“Uh-huh,” Eren nodded his head in euphoria. “Uh-huh. Right there! Just like that.” Levi kept swirling his tongue around Eren’s slit and the head, and with the hollowing of his cheeks a little later, he could feel Eren spurt hot pleasure down his throat.

Eren kept his tight grip on Levi’s hair until the very end of his orgasm, and when he let go, he smoothed it back down apologetically. Levi took the leg that was draped over his back and put it back down on the floor.

“That was out of the blue!” Eren smiled, and helped Levi up.

“What, I can’t please my little boyfriend?” Levi asked as he pulled Eren’s boxers back up.

Eren giggled.

“I’m going to go brush my teeth again,” Levi stated. When he left, Eren made Levi a fresh helping of toast and was glad to see that the tea was still hot.

Now that Levi had returned, they shared a proper good morning hug in the middle of the kitchen, Eren burying his nose into the crook of Levi’s neck and Levi running his hands along the smooth skin of Eren’s hips.

“Thank you for making me breakfast, Eren. You’re the sweetest thing.”

“You’re welcome!”

Levi sipped his tea and spread jam on his toast and Eren poured milk into his Lucky Charms.

\--

“Thanks for breakfast, Erwin!”

Erwin took their empty plates away. “You’re very welcome. What are you thinking for our date today?”

“Hmm… I’ve always picked in the past. How about you choose this time?”

Erwin thought for a second as he turned the sink on. “What about a picnic? We could lay a blanket out somewhere and talk. You could help me make sandwiches. We’ll do the whole deal.”

“How romantic! I’d love that!”

Erwin beamed.

Armin got up from his seat and went over to the sink to rub Erwin’s sides up. “But let’s spend the morning in… I have some plans for us.”

“Understood.”

Maybe Armin would work up the courage to initiate some intimacy with him… or he could just have Erwin hold him.

He would see how it played out.

\--

Eren finished eating his cereal on the couch and lounged lazily. He lay on his stomach and browsed his phone, basking in the glow of the morning through the glass wall. 

He turned on his front-facing camera to take a selfie, but he noticed that Levi was in the background sitting at the bar. He snapped a picture and captioned it _Look at my beautiful husband_ and sent it to Armin, Mikasa, and Levi himself.

Mikasa texted back right away: _He proposed to you??_ Her concern emanated through the phone.

Eren rolled his eyes. Well, he wished that were the case, he thought with a curl of the lips, but no. Mikasa wasn’t the best at picking up jokes.

_No, Mikasa. I’m married to him just in spirit. He hasn’t proposed._

That seemed to quash her worry. _Ok. I hope things are going well. That’s a cute picture. I love you!_

_I love you too!_

-

Armin was sitting in the large reclining chair in the living room when he got Eren’s picture.

_Look at my beautiful husband_

Armin laughed. Eren was just waiting for Levi to pop that question, that eager thing. Whenever they texted, Eren would sometimes refer to Levi as his husband. It was actually really cute.

“Erwin, come here and take a selfie with me!”

“A selfie?” Erwin mused. He closed his tablet and made his way over. He leaned down next to Armin and when their faces were smiling side-by-side, Armin snapped a picture. Erwin ruffled Armin’s hair before walking away again.

Armin captioned it _My beautiful husband!_ and sent it to Eren.

-

Eren got a message from Levi. It was a picture of him lying on the couch from Levi’s perspective. Levi captioned it _Look at my little treasure and husband_.

Eren laughed through his nose. Just then, he got a reply from Armin.

It was selfie of him and Erwin, with the same caption as his. But Erwin’s hair was uncombed and he had some stubble on his face. And even so, he was still handsome as ever.

Eren was shocked to see him look so normal! He laughed out loud this time, and Levi turned his head.

“Levi, come over here! Look at Erwin with stubble! He looks so different!”

“He does look a bit strange unshaven, doesn’t he?” Levi chuckled. He made his way over with his tea, and settled into the couch beside Eren’s legs.

Eren was still laughing at Erwin’s morning appearance. Levi didn’t grow facial hair, so he couldn’t make fun of his morning look.

He texted Armin back, still giggling. _Tell Erwin I like his stubble!!_

-

Armin laughed at Eren’s response. “Erwin, Eren says he likes your stubble!”

“I didn’t think it would to be such a hit with the youth,” Erwin laughed.

He replied to Eren: _I told him. He said he’s surprised we both like it!_

-

Levi peered into the fridge and took a quick inventory, writing things down on a shopping list.

“We can get started with Eren Day soon, but let’s get groceries out of the way first,” he explained to Eren.

“Got it!” Eren went to go get dressed.

Levi reviewed his list and went to his own bedroom to get dressed.

At the grocery store, Levi filled the cart with essentials, and Eren handled the snacks.

It seemed Saturday morning was a popular time to get groceries, because the store was quite busy. There was a lot of “excuse me’s” and “oops, sorry’s” as people brushed past each other.

“Can’t forget the chocolate ice cream,” Eren smiled and pulled some of the freezers.

In the checkout line, Eren pulled out the divider and started loading the items onto the conveyor belt. The cashier told the woman in front of them that her card was declined. She took it back and looked through her wallet, fishing out some bills, and trying out a new card that was also declined. Eren could hear her start panicking.

Levi was answering an email on his phone as they waited in line. Eren overheard the conversation.

“Ma’am, if you can’t afford it, you can just push your cart aside and we’ll put everything back.” The cashier was starting to become frustrated.

“N-no, I’m sure I have something in here…” the woman tucked some hair behind her ear and kept searching for money in her wallet, but it was clear she didn’t have enough.

When Eren took a good look at her, the woman looked quite young, not much older than he was, probably. She had a very small baby in a carriage in her cart seat, and a toddler at her heels. A young, single mother, perhaps?

Eren was starting to get worried. The line behind them was growing longer and the people were sighing impatiently and tapping their fingers and shoes. Some checked their watches and left to another checkout line.

“Ma’am, you’re holding up the line,” the cashier said.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” she starting tearing up. She starting taking out quarters, and the cashier rolled his eyes. The toddler pulling at her skirt starting fussing.

That’s when Levi looked up from his phone. He gauged the situation and noticed the impatient people behind him. The lady’s cart was filled with diapers more than anything as well as formula and food. Eren looked back and forth between him and the lady worriedly.

Nothing else needed to be said. Levi stepped up and got the cashier’s attention. “Excuse me. I’ll handle her total.”

The lady looked at Levi desperately. “No, sir, you don’t have to do that!”

“It would be no problem at all, Miss. I insist.”

Her toddler began crying at the lack of attention. Eren crouched down to try to soothe him. “Hey, buddy. Hey… everything’s gonna be okay.” He smiled wide and pointed to the corners of his mouth in a cartoonish grin.

The toddler stared at Eren shyly, but he stopped crying. He kept his tight grip on his mother’s skirt.

Eren hooked his fingers into his mouth and stretched his cheeks out, showing all his teeth in a clown smile. The toddler giggled.

“You like that, huh?” Eren laughed. He did it again, and the toddler hooked his fingers into his own mouth and smiled. They both smiled at each other like this, trying to outdo each other.

Levi completed the payment.

The young woman smiled at him gratefully, still a bit teary. “Thank you so very much, sir. You’re a savior. I can’t thank you enough.”

“It really was no problem, you’re very welcome.”

The woman started heading out with her cart. She waved her hand at her side. “C’mon, Maxie. Time to go,” she said.

Maxie and Eren laughed together, their cheeks aching from their stretched-out grins. “Bye, buddy,” Eren said, and waved to the toddler before standing back up.

With the lady gone, the rude customers behind them mumbled things like “finally!” and sighed in relief that the inconvenience was over. Eren became annoyed by them. _Why were people so rude!?_

The cashier finished checking out Levi and Eren’s cart and they made their way out the store. They unloaded the things into the trunk and got into their seats.

Levi put his sunglasses on like he usually did, even though it was only mildly sunny outside.

-

Back at home, Eren helped Levi put all the things away. They ended up sitting on the barstools to regroup.

Eren wanted to say what was on his mind. “Levi… what you did back there was very honorable of you. I’m proud I’m in love with such a hero.”

Levi smiled a bit and stroked Eren’s face with one hand. “I’m not a hero, Eren. Always be generous. Fortune will find its way back to you. If you have the means, you should always help people out.”

Eren’s heart warmed. Levi was so fucking generous and not many people realized it. He didn’t know what else to do but to lean over and hug him. This man made a young mother and her two children’s day, and he expected no credit.

Levi patted Eren’s back soothingly.

\--

“Time for me to show you who’s boss!” Eren said as he unbuckled his seatbelt.

“We’ll see about that.”

They got to the arcade for date day (Eren’s idea). Once again, Levi found himself doing something he hasn’t done since he was young, a situation he was always in whenever he was with Eren.

The interior of the arcade was dim, and the floors had glow-in-the-dark carpeting and wall decals. Claw machines lit up with dancing colored light bulbs, and games of all kinds lined the walls.

After buying credits, they started with skeeball. Eren was focused with his tongue sticking out, but he always swung his arm back just a bit too hard and the ball wouldn’t land in the center holes.

Levi, who was controlled and meticulous, racked up many points. Just like when they went bowling, the fabric of Levi’s jacket tightened around his biceps as he curled them. Eren watched enviously as a long strand of tickets came out of Levi’s machine. Although, he really had nothing to be jealous about because they both knew that Levi would spend his tickets on a prize for Eren.

Next was basketball, which Eren definitely excelled at because he was tall and he played basketball with his friends often. Levi tried, though, he really did.

Neon numbers appeared on the scoreboard, and the chains of the basketball hoops rattled with each shot, and Eren was grinning as he aimed and shot. Ball after ball sunk into the hoops, and he hardly missed.

They were each one for two now. They sat down at the water guns and gripped the handles. The objective was to aim the stream of water into a small target in the distance.

The handles moved on their own to add some difficulty. Eren couldn’t manage a tight enough grip, and his stream splashed around against the backboard. Meanwhile Levi’s strong grip kept his own handles in place, and the veins in his hands popped.

“Keep it still, Eren.”

“I’m trying!”

Levi took the win easily. They collected their tickets and placed it into a clear bag.

“You always did have good aim,” Eren said flirtily, and touched Levi’s butt very slyly.

Levi went to get drinks, and Eren hopped on the Dance Dance Revolution machine in the meanwhile. The person next to him asked if he minded a two-player game. When they started playing, it wasn’t long until a crowd formed around them.

Levi came back with water bottles, and found Eren dancing off against another guy. He strained to look above the people in front of him. There was a moment of silence, and then a loud cheer from the crowd. The game must’ve ended. He wondered who came out on top.

Eren emerged from the crowd. Based on his radiant smile, Levi figured he took the win.

“I defended my honor,” Eren said seriously and took his water bottle.

“I’m proud of you.”

Next was a shooting game, and the objective was to shoot down zombies. Eren took the red plastic gun, and Levi took the blue.

Once again, Levi’s aim was flawless, and he won over Eren with slightly few points.

Eren wanted to try the whack-a-mole game. He took the first try.

“Hey, this is pretty easy!” he said after hitting the first few moles. He rocked side to side like a tennis player stance.

But the moles became ruthless. Eren’s face twisted in hurt as he missed the momentarily-appearing moles.

“They’re too fast!” he cried.

“Focus,” Levi coached him from the side.

The game flashed letters to end the session, and the animation on the screen showed a cartoon mole teasing him. Eren wanted to fight it.

Levi stepped up for his turn. Much like Eren’s seen him swat down occasional spiders at the apartment, his hammer struck down moles with blinding speed. When their rate increased, Levi remained cool and collected, unlike Eren who cracked under the pressure.

“Whoa…” Eren watched in amazement at Levi’s skill. It was almost like he was predicting and memorizing the patterns.

The session ended and the animation showed a mole getting beat up by a huge toy hammer, very reflective of Levi’s performance.

“How did you do that?” Eren was in awe.

“I anticipated.” Levi yanked out the long strand of tickets and folded them into the bag.

“I gotta find something in here that I can beat you at…” Eren thought out loud and looked around. He took Levi’s hand and led them to a racing game.

The objective was to maneuver around Beijing as fast as possible. Turbos, top speeds… Eren utilized every method for acceleration as he worked the stick shift. He mustered up all his focus and finished first. He let go of the wheel and collapsed against the back of his chair in relief.

He watched Levi finish his lap. The car he used drove at medium speed on the right side of the roads. Eren laughed.

“Levi, go faster! Fast and furious! You don’t have to drive so safe in the game!”

Levi finished his lap at a solid 8th. “Habit, I guess,” he said with a chuckle. It really was a habit. Levi was an amazingly safe driver, while Eren liked to pound the gas pedal and feel the wind in his hair.

They agreed that they’ve had enough of the arcade for today. Eren took them to the ticket machine and they fed their earnings into it together, and they got their slip.

“Pick something you want, baby,” Levi said at the prize counter.

Eren looked around. A big red yoga ball caught his eye. “That ball right there,” he pointed. The employee nodded and took it down for him.

They took it to the car, and Eren reclined his chair way back to fit the ball in with him.

“I’m hungry, let’s get lunch,” Eren said.

“You got it.”

\--

Armin packed the last sandwich into the container and Erwin packed the small cooler with drinks.

“Ready?” Erwin smiled.

They drove through winding trails and smooth roads to get to a quiet little park on the outskirts of Trost. Armin gazed out the window at the falling leaves and sunlight beaming through the trees. It was such a beautiful day.

Erwin turned on classical music and they listened to it as they made their way.

At the park, they carried their items to a secluded hill hidden by trees. Erwin lay out the blanket and they set up lunch.

“Mm,” Armin said as he chewed. “Did you put mayonnaise in this one?”

“Is that the turkey? I did.”

“Usually when I get burgers or sandwiches, I tell them to leave to leave the mayo out. But this is really subtle and quite good!”

“The trick is to wipe it on the bread, not slather it. A little goes a long way.”

Erwin reached over and tucked a blond lock of Armin’s hair behind his ear for him, since it kept getting in the way of his sandwich. Armin smiled back sweetly.

He put his sandwich down and unwrapped one of the ones he made. “Try this one. I added a secret ingredient.”

Armin held the sandwich out and Erwin took a bite from it. Armin took a bite from the same one right after.

Erwin thought for a moment. “Hmm… ham… prosciutto… is that apple?”

“Yes!”

“It works quite well!” Erwin laughed.

He took out two wine glasses, and because Armin was still under drinking age, Erwin replaced the wine experience with sparkling cider. Armin felt like it was the real thing.

They clinked glasses and took a sip, admiring the blue sky above. There wasn’t a single cloud. Armin scooted closer and leaned against his lover’s body.

“This is really lovely, Erwin. I’m always so at ease and overjoyed when I’m with you.”

Erwin beamed down at him, and wrapped his arms around him to hold him closer. “I feel the exact way, darling. I love you.”

Armin gazed up and puckered his lips. Erwin met them firmly.

“I love you, too!”

\--

Eren and Levi settled on wings for lunch. Eren’s saucy fingers and mouth tempted Levi to reach over and clean that boy up, but he restrained himself to the end. Eren was cute no matter what state he was in.

-

They got back in the car after lunch, and Eren squeezed back under his yoga ball.

“Where to now?” Levi asked as he put his sunglasses back on.

“Movies!”

-

“Let’s watch that one!” Eren pointed at the latest horror movie cardboard display. He held on to Levi’s bicep.

“But you hate horror movies,” Levi said. It was true. Eren couldn’t stand them. The last time they watched a horror movie at the apartment, Eren couldn’t sleep with the lights off for a week.

“Yeah, but you and everyone else in the theater will be there to protect me!”

Levi chuckled and pinched Eren’s cheek. “You’re so silly. Alright. Let’s watch it.”

-

The movie was no joke! Eren held onto Levi’s bicep tight for protection, and tried to hold back his squeals when he was startled. The whole theater was screaming and laughing during the jumpscares, though, so Eren blended right in.

-

Everyone left the theater on edge and relieved that they were safe from the movie. Eren still hasn’t let go of Levi’s arm.

“That was fucking intense!” Eren said. He was still jumpy.

“It was, huh?” Levi patted Eren’s hand and they made their way to the car. Eren still looked behind him nervously, which made Levi chuckle quietly.

\--

Back at home, Eren took off his jacket and beanie. He was still feeling energetic, but he wanted to spend the rest of the evening in with his man and cuddle up.

Levi was sitting at the couch after having taking his own jacket off. Eren came over and straddled him, laying kisses along his jawline. Eren attacked Levi’s throat but his lovin’ was short-lived when his phone vibrated.

Eren looked at the ID and was about to ignore it, but he saw it was someone important. “Oh.

“Hey, Pop! I’m doing well, how ‘bout you? …That’s good. Yeah. ….” Eren rolled his eyes. “Yes, Father,” he sighed exaggeratingly, “I am keeping up with my studies…. Yes. Yes. ….Well, I was kinda struggling with it but I found a tutor of sorts. ….I know. I know. Yeah. Dad, I know! …Okay. Wait, so you’re taking a few days off of work soon? …Okay. I’ll bring him over,” Eren trailed a finger up Levi’s jaw slowly. “Okay. Okay, I will. …Alright, Dad. Tell Ma I said hi. I love you. Bye.”

Eren ended the call.

“’Ma and Pop’?” Levi questioned the way Eren referred to his parents.

“I know, it’s kinda weird,” Eren laughed. “I like to keep it ol’ fashioned sometimes. Armin makes fun of me for it, too.”

“No, I think it’s cute.”

“I’m not cute, Levi. I’m manly as hell.” Eren joked.

“Still cute to me.”

Eren pecked a quick kiss on Levi’s cheek. “My dad is finally taking some time off from the hospital to spend some time at home. He wants me to visit and bring you along so he could meet you.”

“I’d like to meet him, too,” Levi said.

“I’m glad. My mom really likes you, and I can tell you and my dad will get along. You guys share the same mentalities on some things.”

Levi smiled. He trailed his hands up to Eren’s hips. “What would you like to do now? We still have a lot of time.”

Eren leaned his forehead against Levi’s, and made his voice husky. “Let’s fuck like pornstars.”

And so they did.

\--

Armin and Erwin relaxed together after their lunch, just talking and getting to know each other even more.

“I think we should pack it up and head back home, don’t you think, my dear?” Erwin said softly.

“Yeah.” Armin got up on his knees, and now he was as tall as Erwin who was just sitting. Before they folded up the blanket, Armin wanted to be a little bold.

He took Erwin’s face in his hands and took his mouth forcefully, loving how those lips felt against his. Erwin held Armin’s waist with one large hand.

He deepened the kiss. Armin introduced tongue, slow but very much full of presence. He swallowed Erwin’s low groan and smiled.

When they separated, Armin pushed Erwin’s chest to have him lay down, and climbed his body. Erwin laughed fully.

“Someone’s feeling a little naughty,” Erwin said.

“I suppose so…” Armin said a bit shyly, and grasped Erwin’s belt teasingly.

But Erwin sat up suddenly, and the lurch caused Armin to fall back. But Erwin caught him before he hit the ground to soften the impact.

And just like that, Erwin was looming over Armin, pinning him down.

Armin blushed a bit. He caused this. _They might actually……_

Erwin kissed that adorable button nose below him. “Let’s go home, little one.”


	47. A Walk in the Park

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mainly a winmin chapter, not gonna lie :3 I have to give the blond baby boys some attention, too.

“God _damn_ , Levi!” Eren gushed.

They collapsed on Eren’s bed together, sweaty and panting and totally high in ecstasy. When Eren prompted to fuck like pornstars, Levi definitely stepped up to the plate.

Levi took a deep breath and rubbed his hand over his face. “You’re wonderful, Eren.” While he caught his breath, he curled his arm behind his head.

Eren scooted closer to hold him, tucking himself beneath Levi’s arm. He stuck his tongue out and licked the sweaty patch of black hair on Levi’s armpit- a tradition he was started for whenever Levi got into this position after sex.

Levi cringed. “Disgusting.”

But Eren couldn’t be bothered. He cuddled in closer and rested his head on Levi’s chest. “You know you love me.”

“I do.” _My adorable, disgusting little boyfriend._

Eren placed his hand over Levi’s heart, noticing that it was still beating quite fast. He looked up. “Let’s have shower sex and clean up. Then I want to cuddle.”

“I can’t keep up with you, sweetheart,” Levi chuckled lowly. “You’re stretching my limits.”

“Stretching, not exceeding,” Eren said, matter-of-fact. He patted Levi’s chest and then got up. “C’mon, hot stuff. I’m not done playing with you just yet.”

Levi groaned and stretched as he mustered up some energy to get up. Eren definitely reminded him how old he was getting.

Eren crawled on the mattress on his knees, hugging the big bear that took residence on his bed. “If you won’t play with me, maybe Teddy will. He was quite useful in our threesome.”

Levi laughed, low and deep. Teddy definitely did not have to participate in the depraved acts they performed just now. Poor thing.

Eren shimmied his hips to give Levi a full view of his sweet ass. He grinned and wagged his eyebrows.

Levi finally sat up and they both made their way to the bathroom. Ironically, the shower sex was just as filthy. And they both loved it.

\--

Armin and Erwin got back to Erwin’s place, the supplies from their picnic in hand.

“We should go on more picnics!” Armin said.

“Agreed. I’m grateful the weather was so nice today.”

As Erwin put away the cooler and blanket, Armin sat on the couch, a bit disappointed that the day was coming to end. He wanted to stay even longer.

And it seemed Erwin was, once again, a step ahead. “You’re welcome to spend the night here, dear.”

“I want to, but I don’t have an overnight bag or anything. I’ve been wearing this outfit for two days now.” Armin held the fabric of his sweater.

“I can drive you back to your house so you can pack a bag, and then we could come right back. How does that sound?”

Armin grinned. “That sounds great!”

Erwin beamed right back. “Perfect. I have a lovely dinner planned and I want to share it with you.”

“Can we watch a movie and talk after that?”

“We can do anything you want.”

The slutty voices in Armin’s head awakened from their slumber and started talking to each other again. Perhaps Armin would take Erwin up on that offer…

\--

Eren and Levi finally made it to the couch, all cleaned up and fresh. It’s been quite the day. But now it was time to wind down.

“Are you hungry, Eren?”

Eren thought about it while he was distracted browsing Netflix. “I could eat.”

Levi got up and prepared a platter to snack on while they watched TV. Cheese and crackers, popcorn, carrot and celery sticks (the celery was for him, Eren hated celery), and apple slices.

Eren waited patiently on the couch wrapped up in his blanket, with just his head sticking out. Levi’s heart squeezed at his adorable boyfriend.

Eren reached for carrot right as Levi set the platter down. He scooted closer and settled his body against Levi’s, and an arm held him closer.

“ _Criminal Minds_?” Levi asked. It was Eren’s favorite show, after all.

“I wanted to start a new season with you. I heard this one is even better than the last.”

Levi reached for a celery stick and kissed Eren’s freshly washed hair before taking a bite.

\--

Armin fiddled with the radio station as they drove to his house in Erwin’s white Bentley. The expensive car, much like the rest of Erwin’s high-end lifestyle, was something Armin got used to after a while.

He settled on a pop station.

“Wow, look at the sky!” Armin said while he was gazing out the window.

In the quiet, suburban part of town Armin lived in, the stars twinkled shyly against the dark sky. And because it was such a clear day, the dark evening sky was the perfect condition for them.

Erwin leaned forward towards the wheel to look up at the sky. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it? It reminds me of the night-“

“that we spent together on your birthday!” Armin interrupted excitedly.

Erwin turned and smiled gently. “Yes.”

His birthday was a few weeks ago, and it was a gorgeous day like this one. On the night of it, Erwin took Armin to a faraway spot, and they stargazed and spotted constellations. It was one of the romantic things Armin has ever experienced.

“We can go to the park at the apartment if you want to spend some more time outdoors,” Erwin offered. “We can’t let a night like this go to waste.”

“Let’s do that!”

They got to Armin’s place. Armin unbuckled his seatbelt. “You can wait here, I’ll be quick. I’d invite you inside to meet my grandfather, but he’s most likely asleep.”

Erwin watched him run into his house and shut the door behind him. It left him alone in the car to catch up with his thoughts for a minute.

Every day with his young lover was one for the books. He’s had relationships in the past, but no one else could speak to him quite as profoundly as Armin. No one was as simultaneously shy and sassy and studious as he was. It was a lovely, adorable combination. His heart has been closed from love for a long time, and Armin made him forget that. Being a CEO of a company meant he had a certain role to play- a role where he had to be dominant and commanding and stern. But with Armin, he felt like he didn’t have to play a role. He really could be himself.

Not that there was anything wrong with playing his role for work. He loved his job, and he took pride in his company. He sacrificed a lot to get it to where it was today. But it was important to allow himself to be vulnerable and carefree occasionally. Being with a young spirit like Armin taught him that was okay.

A sharp rap at the back of the car snapped Erwin out of it. He popped the trunk for Armin.

Armin exhaled as he got back into the passenger seat. “Alright. Let’s go.”

\--

“You can have all the space in the guest room. The drawers should be empty,” Erwin said. “I’ll get dinner started.”

They shared a hand squeeze before parting ways. Armin got on his knees and started unloading his clothes in the empty drawers.

 _Wow… this is really happening!_ he thought. This is a milestone to check off; to be at your lover’s house so often that you need to leave sets of clothes there. They were moving quite fast with their relationship, but Armin wanted it to go even faster.

Now that his clothes were neatly folded away, he could finally change out of his outfit.

He loved the bathrooms in Erwin’s place. It was so clean and spacious and white. Even the stack of towels had their own warmers. He looked into the closet and got a new bar of soap.

Water cascaded on Armin at odd but wonderful angles than he was used to. He scrubbed the outdoorsy scent from the picnic off him, but that scent would be back soon enough when they walk to the park.

Armin stepped out of the steamy glass room, and took a huge fluffy white towel from the heaters to wrap around his body. He giggled how cozy it was. It was like being wrapped by a cloud.

Erwin was still hard at work on dinner as Armin made his way to the kitchen, his hair still damp. “Erwin, I love your bathroom! The towels are so warm… I was in love!”

“The towel warmers are a little excessive, huh?” Erwin chuckled as he stirred some soup. “A bit materialistic of me.”

“Not at all! In fact, I won’t let you get rid of them. They’re a necessity I never knew I needed!”

“The towel warmers are here to stay, then.” Erwin took a spoonful of soup and brought his lips to it to taste it. “Mm,” he grunted a bit disapprovingly. He reached over and added some salt into it.

He gave it another mix and took another spoonful, this time bringing it to Armin’s mouth.

“Minestrone?” Armin asked. He started becoming quite cultured in cuisine since he’s met Erwin. After tasting the soup, he nodded approval. “Perfect.”

“Good. Salt can do so much to a soup.”

“What’s in the oven?” Armin asked.

“Pork chops.”

“Ooh. I’m too scared to experiment with pork. One wrong move and they’re too dry.”

Erwin looked at him. “Don’t be afraid to try your hand at it, dear. I’ve seen you work chicken to perfection several times.”

Armin giggled and tucked himself beneath Erwin’s arm. “Well, that’s only because you were there with me every step of the way. Not to mention chicken is the most forgiving of meats. You were the one who taught me that.”

“That I did, Armin. That I did.”

Armin slipped back out of Erwin’s arm and began to set the table.

\--

Erwin served the freshly baked pork chops onto the plates with a spatula. Armin took out his phone to take a picture of his dinner. He sent it to Eren.

Eren replied with a picture of himself with his face glowing in the dark, holding on to what looked like Levi’s arm:

_Yummyyyyyyyyyy, FUCK!! Erwin can get any man pregz with his meat tbh_

Armin giggled, and remembered the day at the barbeque; the fateful day he met the handsome man sitting across from him now.

He put his phone away and they started the intimate dinner together.

\--

After dinner, Erwin showered and put his pajamas on. He slipped his shoes on. “Ready?”

Armin looked at him. “Do you usually go in your pajamas?”

“Usually, yes.”

Armin put his own shoes on. “Have your neighbors ever noticed?”

Erwin followed him out the door, and he locked it with his keys. “They have.”

“Do you talk to your neighbors?” Armin took Erwin’s hand and they made their way downstairs. The cool night air was exhilarating after the heavy dinner.

“Not too often. We’ve had dinner and drinks a few times together, but my schedule doesn’t line up with theirs most of the time, with work and all.”

“Are they nice?”

“Yes.”

Armin was becoming quite curious about Erwin’s apartment complex. Although, Erwin was very used to Armin’s curiosity about a lot of things, and answering long strings of questions was becoming normal.

“Do they know what you do?”

“Yes.”

Armin opened his mouth for another question, but he restrained himself. He looked up at Erwin as they walked. “Sorry, I’m grilling you with questions again. Bad habit.”

Erwin squeezed his hand. “Don’t apologize. I love talking to you. Your questions are entertaining.”

Armin smiled. Not many people have said that to him. Even back in high school, other students would make fun of him for asking the teacher too many questions. When Eren was withholding information from him, Armin would bombard him with questions, too, only to get the usual eyeroll and response: _Stop_ grilling _me, Arm!_

“…Okay, one more:” Armin said excitedly. “How long have you lived here?”

“Actually, not too long. About two years. It’s funny you ask that. I used to live in a big house in a gated community, but Levi told me it was too isolating. He told me to move somewhere with more ‘human interaction’, as he put it.”

 _Huh…_ Armin thought. _Levi didn’t seem like the type of person to give that type of advice at first glance._ _He was so mysterious._ “So that’s what you did?”

“So that’s what I did,” Erwin nodded. “And he was right. After I moved into this complex, I realized how lonely it was in that mansion. It was far too much space for one person. An apartment among neighbors was a good choice for me.”

“I’m curious about the mansion! Can you take me to it one day? I want to see what it looks like.”

“Certainly. I know the man who owns it now.”

They got to the little park in the center of the complex. The fountain’s water was a strange fluorescent blue as it was illuminated by fixed lights at the bottom. Armin reflexively patted his pockets for his wallet, to look for coins to throw in the water. His face flattened when he realized how silly this ritual Eren got him into was.

“Forget something?” Erwin asked.

“My wallet. But it’s no big deal. I like to throw coins into fountains sometimes. Eren got me into it.”

“I would’ve given you some coins if I had my wallet, but I left mine upstairs, too. What is the purpose of throwing the coins?”

Armin trailed his fingers along the water’s surface absentmindedly. “Eren says it’s lucky and will bring good things your way. I like believing in things with concrete proof, but it’s a harmless gamble.”

_Well, Eren couldn’t have been too wrong; maybe all those years of throwing quarters into mall fountains was what landed him in this dreamy relationship._

“A harmless gamble…” Erwin repeated. They laced hands together and made their way further down the trail.

Armin ran his fingers against a few tulip clusters as they walked. The wind whipped his hair back for a second, and he shivered. He relished the feel of Erwin’s large hand engulfing his. It was very reassuring.

They got to a wood bench and sat. Armin scooted close and wrapped his arms around Erwin’s torso.

“Do you come to this park often?” he asked.

“I do. I like to come here before work with a cup of coffee and read the newspaper. Sometimes I jog here after work.”

Armin froze up and sneezed. As adorable as the sneeze was, Erwin was immediately concerned and took off his robe right away.

“Wear this. I forgot your hair is still damp.”

Armin slipped into the sleeves gratefully and sniffled. “Your hair is damp, too.” But the robe was really warm and it smelled like Erwin’s cologne. It brought a smile to Armin’s face.

“I’m more concerned about you, though,” Erwin smiled. He wrapped an arm Armin and pressed him close. They looked up at the sparse stars together.

\--

Long after the episode finished, Eren and Levi stayed on the couch making out in the semi-dark.

“Mm,” Levi grunted. Eren separated for a second to let him talk, but kept staring at his lips which were now swollen red from all the kissing. “Shall we head to bed now?”

Eren got in one more loud smooch before answering. “We shall.”

Eren got up and ran the empty platter to the kitchen, and then held Levi’s hands to help him off the couch.

As they entered the hallway, Levi smacked Eren’s butt, earning a surprised yelp.

“I’ll get my revenge for that,” Eren said. “When you least expect it.”

While they brushed their teeth, Eren bumped his hip into Levi playfully.

The bed was so warm and inviting after such a fun-filled day. Levi checked stocks on his tablet before getting under the covers. This was Eren’s chance for revenge for the butt smack.

Little did he know that Levi anticipated his plan.

Slowly, ever so slowly, he snaked his hand down to a nearby pillow, and when he had a hold of it, he swung it towards Levi’s face.

But Levi, as prepared as he always was, beat him to it and found a pillow a millisecond sooner, swinging it to smack the shit of Eren’s head with it.

“Ah!” Eren’s voice was muffled as the pillow met his face, and he collapsed on the mattress.

Levi put his tablet aside and smothered Eren’s face with that pillow for a second. When he took it off, Eren’s face was red and he was giggling as the blood rushed back into his head.

“What was that about revenge, sweetheart?” Levi asked over him. He kissed Eren’s lips before going back to his spot and throwing the covers back.

Eren crawled back to him. “You’ll see, Levi. That was just a trial run.” He took his arms to Levi’s shoulders and started massaging them.

Levi turned his body so Eren could work better.

“Lower. To the left,” he instructed. Eren moved his target. “ _Fuck_ ,” Levi breathed.

“Right there, huh?” Eren asked. He worked his thumbs deeper into the tissue.

Levi finished his browsing and put his tablet away. They silently changed positions so that Levi could lay down and Eren could sit on his back, just like most nights.

Levi groaned so deeply, almost painfully when Eren started massaging again.

“Levi, I really think you should see a chiropractor. All this working at your desk is not good for your back.”

“You think so?” Levi asked, the side of his face pressed against the pillow.

“I know so. Mama knows when Papa is hurting.” He pressed down on Levi’s spine with his palms, which earned him a loud groan, proving his point.

“I will. Maybe when the case is finished.”

“No, as soon as possible. Don’t torture yourself.” _Eren’s motherly side was starting to show again,_ Levi thought with a smirk.

“Alright, alright.”

Eren thoroughly eased the tension in Levi’s back, and got off. With Levi laying down this way while defenseless, Eren found his chance!

He eyed Levi’s firm, toned butt and smacked it hard. “Revenge!” he squealed, and laughed maniacally.

Levi laughed, and his body shook with it. “Kicking me while I’m down was your new strategy?”

“You know it! I always find a way.”

Levi was still a useless log on the bed. Eren stroked his back soothingly.

“C’mon, Papa. Let’s sleep now.”

Eren managed to get them both beneath the covers and turned off the bedside light. He molded his body flush against Levi’s, and smiled when a familiar pair of muscular arms held him there.

“Good night,” Eren said, pecking Levi in the lips one more time. “I had tons of fun today. And I love you very, very much.”

“I love you very, very much, too. Good night, Mama.”

Eren giggled. That nickname sounded so fucking delicious and endearing coming from that chocolatey voice.

\--

Erwin turned the keys to unlock the apartment door. He let Armin enter first.

“That was a very nice walk!” Armin said.

“A lovely night with a lovely young man. I couldn’t ask for better.”

Armin took Erwin’s hand and looked up after tucking his hair behind his ear. “I want you to sleep in the same bed with me tonight.”

“Okay.” Erwin smiled and leaned down to place a kiss on those bangs. “I just want to be sure you’re comfortable with everything. I never want you to feel like you’re being rushed.”

“Erwin, you said it before: communication is key. And I’m telling you right now that’s exactly what I want. I love you, after all.”

“I love you, too, Armin. The bed in my room is a bit bigger than the guest room’s, so let’s use that one.”

The slutty voices in Armin’s head squealed in excitement. _This was real, this was real!_ He wanted to text Eren, but he might as well save it for the morning to give an accurate full report.

They brushed together, and they crawled onto Erwin’s huge bed. Armin’s heart pounded as he took of Erwin’s robe. This was, in fact, very real.

Before Erwin could turn off the lights, Armin took his face into his hands again, pressing their lips firmly. Erwin held his waist with big hands and returned the fervor.

Armin finally separated, and their breaths were mixing with how little distance there was between them. “I just wanted to say that you’re allowed to initiate things, Erwin. Don’t be afraid of rushing me. I know what I want. And I want you.” He went in for another kiss.

Erwin gazed at those deep blue eyes staring back at him. “I hear what you’re saying, my dear. But I really value your comfort and feelings above anything else. I’m almost twice your age,” he said softly, “so I want to be cautious. I’ve never been with someone as young as you before. I know you’re eager, but I don’t want you to regret anything. Do you understand, Armin?”

“…I understand,” Armin nodded. He stroked Erwin’s chiseled face with his hand. “But don’t be _too_ cautious,” he whispered sweetly. “Let’s compromise.”

Erwin’s smile widened in agreement. “Compromise.”

Armin patted Erwin’s cheek. “You were always good at that, after all, Mr. Smith.”

They turned off the lights and got beneath the covers. Armin was very glad to find himself as a comfortable little spoon. It wasn’t at all awkward. In fact, sleep was threatening to drag him down with each passing second.

“I want you, too, Armin,” Erwin replied to the earlier statement. _I know what I want_ … Armin’s words echoed in his head. This young man most definitely made himself clear.

\--

It was the exact middle of the night when Levi found himself waking from some tremors in the bed. He turned on the bedside light and looked at Eren tossing and turning beneath the covers, his face twisted in discomfort.

He rubbed Eren’s chest. “Eren. Eren, baby, wake up. You’re having a nightmare.”

Eren woke with a startled gasp. His tortured face softened when he saw Levi’s familiar face.

Levi rubbed Eren’s chest again. “You’re okay now. I’ll go make you some warm milk.”

He got up made his way to the kitchen to boil some milk. It was probably the horror movie they watched earlier. Or the _Criminal Minds_ episode. Or the fact that Eren had a history of nightmares.

He got back to the bedroom with the mug. Eren was sitting on the bed and browsing his phone silently.

“Thank you. You’re the best,” Eren said gratefully. He drank his warm milk quietly.

When Eren finished his drink, he got back under the covers and nestled in. Levi put a hand up his shirt and rubbed it soothingly. He started humming a song that Eren didn’t recognize, but he liked it anyway. Eren was glad to have such a loving husband. Well, _boyfriend_ , technically, but this amazing man might as well be his husband.

He was back asleep in no time.


	48. Melancholy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not much bothers Eren baby, but when he has a rough day, everyone notices. And when people notice, no one will let him stay upset.

Eren woke up face-down, stomach-down, and with his arms and legs spread out like a starfish from a really deep sleep.

There was a little puddle of drool on his pillow, he noticed as he woke up still groggy and heavy; and Levis spot was cold. He wasn’t too surprised. Probably back to working.

Eren got up and stretched deeply. Maybe he’d feel more awake after brushing his teeth and washing his face.

Making his way in to the living room later, the sky was very blue and the sun was beaming brightly through the glass wall. The strong scent of burned incense and lemon cleaner hit him, and the rug beneath the couch was freshly vacuumed. Eren smiled knowingly. Levi liked to deep clean on Sunday mornings.

Speaking of that man, Eren decided to go into his office to say good morning.

“Knock knock,” Eren said softly before entering. He saw Levi still in his robe and pajamas, typing away at his computer and jotting notes on the pad in front of him.

But he smiled and opened his arms up when Eren came around, prompting him to take a seat on his lap. He wrapped an arm around his shoulder for support.

“Good morning,” Eren said sweetly. He lay a kiss on Levi’s hair.

“It’s 1:30 in the afternoon, Eren,” Levi chuckled. But he gave Eren several smooches up on the cheek anyway.

Eren gazed at the laptop screen while he received his kisses, which had an email in progress and a report about something.

“1:30? No… it’s like, dawn,” Eren said sleepily. He punctuated it with a huge yawn, and gripped Levi’s robe tighter.

“I promise you it’s not dawn, you silly boy,” Levi said.

Eren tucked his legs up closer and rested his head on Levi’s. He was still tired. He might as well let his eyes drift shut for a minute. “Oh, by the way… I’m sorry that I woke you up last night.”

Levi patted his arm reassuringly. “It’s alright. Did you sleep well after that, though?”

Eren nodded and smiled dreamily. “Yup. Like a baby. That milk you gave me knocked me the fuck out.”

“I’m glad to hear that, darling. That makes me happy.”

Eren lifted his head up before he accidentally fell back asleep on Levi. He truly could knock out wherever. That was how he spent his first night in this apartment, after all. “Okay,” he whispered. “I’m gonna get out of your hair now.” He unmounted Levi and made sure the coffee mug sitting on the desk was full before leaving.

He had himself a quick breakfast of cereal while sitting on the counter and washed it down with root beer, just because he could. It kind of reminded him of when he used to live alone in his last apartment.

Eren lounged on the couch and tried to figure out how he’d spend the day. He debated taking Armin with him to the movies, but the truth was he wanted to be lazy today.

He remembered that he had a psychology exam tomorrow, which he was pretty prepared for since he studied hard when Levi was away. It wouldn’t hurt him to review, though. The exam was a huge chunk of his grade.

Eren liked to think he was pretty efficient during the week. There was no harm in taking a lazy day, right?

He wrapped himself up with his blanket and put on a movie on the TV, to which he used as background noise to take a nap. A really, really, yummy, well-deserved nap………..

\--

“Eren… Eren…” Levi’s voice faded in and out.

Eren woke up yet again, feeling a hand pet his hair. “What…?”

“You need to wake up for dinner, baby.”

“…Dinner? Already?” He got up and looked at the glass wall, noticing it was dusk. Wasn’t it bright outside like five minutes ago?

“Yes. You’ve slept though most of the day.”

Eren checked his phone. It was a little past six. He also had a bunch of new messages. He got up and followed Levi to the kitchen, where he sat on a barstool. “What did you make?”

“Lasagna.”

“Oh, yay! One of my favorites!” Eren was already instantly awake. He checked his phone as Levi served him. The message that caught his attention first was from Armin:

_EREN EREN EREN WE SLEPT TOGETHER IN THE SAME BED. ERWIN SLEPT WITH ME!!!!!!!!!_

Eren almost gasped. He was so excited for his best friend!

_OMGGGGGGGGG NAHHHHH!! DID YOU GET THE DICK?? TELL ME ALL ABOUT IT!_

Levi set a plate down in front of him, but Eren didn’t dig into it right away like he usually did. He needed to know what was happening on Armin’s end first.

_No dick yet :( We had a talk earlier and he said he wanted to make sure he wasn’t rushing me. So you were right. I think he’s a bit worried about me regretting it with the age difference but I keep assuring him that I know what I want._

Eren figured. Levi was the same way.

_Keep your head up, baby bird. Keep assuring and insisting. You’ll get it soon! Just be more BOLD!!_

Armin looked up from his phone and gazed at the wall, reflecting on Eren’s words. _Just be more bold…_ Well, he would have to do whatever it took.

Eren rested his chin on his hand after finishing his message. He knew Armin, and Armin wasn’t shameless like him. In the beginning of his relationship with Levi, he basically had to beg for intimacy- trying to get Levi to take him and make him realize that their age difference didn’t matter. He would say and do whatever to get there.

But Armin… was a bit more shy. He didn’t act on all his thoughts like Eren. The real challenge for him would be throwing his shame to the wind to get what he wanted.

But Eren had faith in him.

“Hey, your food will get cold,” Levi said from the fridge.

Eren looked up and smiled. “Yeah. Distracted.” He took his fork and had a bite. “Ooh, yes!” His eyes widened and he nodded. “That’s real good, Levi!”

Levi came back and set down water bottles in front of them, pleased with the turnout. “Thank you, dear.”

It was quite rare for them to have dinner together on the days Levi worked. Eren got down and scooted his chair closer, so that when he sat back down he could brush his knee and shoulder against Levi’s. He couldn’t help it; he was a clingy person!

“Did you get some work done?” Eren asked.

“I got a lot done, actually. That’s why I figured we could have a real meal together tonight.”

“I love eating with you. Thanks for making time for me. And waking me up for dinner,” he added with a giggle.

Levi laughed lowly. “I’ll always make time for you. No matter how busy I get. Tell me what’s going on tomorrow.”

“I have a psych exam.”

“Mm. Did you study enough?”

“Yeah. It’s not how much I studied that I’m worried about. It’s the fact that it’s a huge percentage of the final grade. I need to do well or I’ll be playing catch up for the rest of the semester.”

Levi patted his knee soothingly. “Don’t stress out. You love psychology. I’m positive you’ll do well.”

“I hope so.”

\--

Monday morning came around, and Eren put on his jacket to head to class.

He looked out the glass window with a glum expression to reflect the view outside. Unlike yesterday, today’s sky was a dull gray, filled with heavy, low clouds. The darkness blanketed over the city, threatening rain.

“Hey, sweetheart.” A strong hand rubbed his lower back soothingly. “You’ll do great today. I have complete faith in you.” Levi glanced out the wall to see the same sight.

Eren tore his gaze away from the depressing scene and turned for a hug. He inhaled Levi’s cologne, and it soothed his nerves.

Eren stood up straight and Levi held his face to give him some kisses on the forehead. “I love you.” He stroked Eren’s cheeks with his thumbs, looking into those melancholic emeralds.

Eren felt a bit energized. “I love you, too.”

\--

Eren waited in his desk absentmindedly and listened to music as he waited for class to begin. Around him, the other students scrambled about to cram and worry about the exam before the professor arrived.

But Eren couldn’t be bothered. He found himself in such a shitty mood suddenly. And he didn’t know why.

He tried to close his eyes and relax a bit before the exam started, and his eyes glazed over all the students scrambling to their seats in the hall as the professor walked in with the exam booklets.

He took off his headphones and sighed. Time to get it over with.

\--

“There goes my GPA…” “That was so hard!” “Not fair!” “None of that was in the reading!”

Eren overheard the other students’ complaints as he gathered his backpack. The exam wasn’t too bad, he thought. All the studying paid off for him. The only thing weighing him down was how depressed he was.

As he walked out of the hall, he realized Armin just started his class. He hoped he was okay. He had an exam today, too.

Eren put his headphones on before walking to the outside. He flinched when several fat drops fell on his head. Looking up with a disgusted expression, the sky responded by pouring gallons a mile a minute out of nowhere. At a distance, he could hear a rumbling of thunder.

 _Great… like today can be any worse_ , Eren thought to himself. After pulling his hoodie up, he ran to his car.

\--

Looks like things can always get worse, Eren realized.

He forgot how cranky people were on Mondays when they came into the coffee shop. And if they weren’t cranky and rude, they were plain annoying.

“Umm… I asked for decaf,” a woman held her cup in the air and shook it around, completely ignoring the fact that the store was overcrowded with other waiting customers.

Eren cocked his head to the side and looked at her while working on someone else’s drink. He most definitely took her order and she most definitely did not ask for decaf. He would’ve remembered if she did.

And his patience was running low. “Ma’am, you didn’t ask for decaf.” He eyed the growing line of customers in front of the register, and Jean was taking orders and payments at an incredible pace.

“Well, I want to change my order, then,” she said. _Did this bitch expect him to drop everything he was doing to cater to her? She needed to get her ass to the back of the line!_

 _Customer is always right, customer is always right, customer is always right_ , Eren muttered to himself under his breath. “You got it, ma’am.”

He patted Jean’s arm so they could switch positions. “Make this bitch her decaf latte. I’ll handle orders.”

Eren put on a big fake smile. “Hi, welcome to Trost Coffee, what can I getcha?”

-

It became so hectic that Eren and Jean didn’t stick to strictly cash register or machine duty, and instead just switched between the two in a chaotic and strange strategy.

Eren finished three drinks and placed them on the ready counter, yelling the order names aloud before running back to the register out of breath. He was frazzled, stressed out, and out of breath. “Hi, sir, what can I getcha?”

“Your roast with the most caffeine. Medium.”

“You got it. $3.85.”

Eren took the money and immediately got started on the drink. Jean brushed past him back to the register.

“Here you go, sir,” Eren called at the ready station. The man came over and took a sip, but then he cringed.

“What the hell is this? I asked for the roast with the most caffeine.” He opened the cap. “This is a light roast.”

Eren took a deep, slow breath the calm himself. “The light roast has more caffeine than the dark roast.”

“Are you lying to me? That’s ridiculous!”

“I’m not lying, sir.”

“How do you know!?”

Eren could show him the bags of beans and the information labels to compare them, but frankly there were too many people and he couldn’t give a damn.

Eren furrowed his brows. “Because I know!” _Customer is always right, customer is always right… no, fuck that!_

Jean noticed the situation getting heated and ran over. “Sorry, sir, what’s the problem?”

“I asked for the roast with the highest caffeine content, and he gave me a light roast!”

Eren looked at Jean. They both knew Eren was right. But they couldn’t afford to dawdle around right now. With Jean not at the register and Eren being held up by this customer, no drinks were being made, and two customers left the store to find a less crowded place.

Jean leaned into Eren’s ear. “I know he’s fucking dumb. Just make him a dark roast so he could fuck off out of the store.”

Eren pursed his lips, still upset. “Fine.”

Jean patted Eren’s shoulder and jogged back to the register.

Eren fixed a dark roast and brought it over to the impatient man. "Here you go, sir.”

The man lifted the cap and when he was satisfied, he walked away. “Finally. Damn teenagers can’t do anything right these days,” he said just loud enough that Eren could hear.

Eren felt his blood boil and his fists clenched. He wanted to jump over the counter and fight him. Maybe he could call Levi to come over and punch the teeth down his throat.

 _Focus_ , Eren scolded himself. _You’re not in the clear yet_. He shook his head and got back into gear, taking care of the rest of the customers with Jean.

\--

The final wave of customers from the mid-day rush finally ended. Eren and Jean could finally take a break.

Jean wiped his forehead with a rag, and took a sip from his water bottle. Eren munched on a croissant and checked his phone.

Armin was probably done with his class now. There was a message from him:

_Eren! How was your psych exam? And work?_

Eren felt like garbage, if he could be honest. He replied:

_Shitty, and shittier._

He got a mop from the break room and began cleaning the store floor, which was muddied with wet footprints. Outside, the murky rain was still going strong.

\--

Armin got Eren’s text. He was hardly this down. Today must’ve destroyed him. Poor thing.

He decided to take some cupcakes to Trost Tower to cheer him up.

\--

When he finally arrived home that evening, wet, exhausted, and on the brink of frustrated tears, Eren just wanted to be left alone.

Levi had just gotten home before him it seemed, since he was still in his work attire and was having a drink at the kitchen.

Eren shut the door behind him and took off his shoes.

Levi immediately noticed how utterly defeated his young boyfriend looked. He usually got home all smiles and full of energy, so it sunk his heart to see that Eren was frowning.

He put his drink down and went to take Eren into his arms. “Eren, are you alright? How was your day?”

But Eren wriggled out of his arms, avoiding eye contact. “It was horrible. I’m gonna go take a nap.”

Levi watched with concern as Eren made his way into the hallway, his backpack dragging uselessly on the floor. He wanted to hold and comfort him, but he knew when Eren wanted to be alone. He just needed some time to air out his feelings, and then later Levi would get the full story.

He went back into the kitchen to finish his drink. Frankly, he’s had a rough day, too. And now that Eren wasn’t in the room, he could knock a few back in the peace and quiet.

-

A bit later, there was a soft knock on the apartment door.

Levi swallowed back the last bit of his glass, and went over to see who it was. He wasn’t expecting anyone. Maybe Eren ordered something online and his packages arrived. Levi opened the door slightly and looked.

It was Armin. He was holding a small white box in his hands

Levi opened the door the rest of the way. “Hello, Armin. How are you?” He was just as refined and polite and sharp as ever, Armin thought.

“Oh, uh, I’m doing well!” he piped up. “Sorry to show up unannounced… is Eren home?”

“He is. But he’s taking a nap. You’re welcome to come in and wait for him to wake up, though.”

Armin smiled and entered. “Thank you.”

Levi shut the door behind him, and went over to the kitchen. “Can I get you something to drink?”

“Uhh…no, thanks. I’m good.”

“You can turn on the TV. And help yourself to anything. Make yourself at home.”

Armin sat down on the couch and turned on the TV, setting down his box of cupcakes on the coffee table.

Levi retrieved a water bottle from the fridge for Armin despite the previous denial, mainly because he felt that Armin was too shy to ask for it.

He came over placed it in front of Armin.

“Oh, uh, thank you, Levi!”

Levi crossed his arms. “Armin.”

Armin stood up straighter. “Y-yes!”

“You don’t have to be so nervous around me.”

Armin groaned internally and felt stupid. Was he that fucking obvious? He still thought Levi was a bit intimidating, but then again, he was Eren’s boyfriend. And if his silly, outgoing friend wasn’t intimidated by him, he shouldn’t be, either.

Armin sighed and smiled at him, letting himself loosen up. “Yeah. Sorry if I made it seem that way.” He reached for the white box and placed it on his lap, tucking a lock of hair behind his ear. “Eren’s had a rough day, so I brought him cupcakes to cheer him up. Would you like one? They’re delicious.”

Levi’s heart warmed. Eren had a really good friend on his side.

“That’s very kind of you to do for him. But I’ll pass; I don’t have much of a sweet tooth.”

 _Yeah, Levi didn’t look like the type of guy to have a sweet tooth_ , Armin thought. “Alright.”

“I’ll be heading off to do some work now. Please stay as long as you like.”

Armin watched him retreat into the hallway. Eren was probably still napping away.

He took the water bottle and took a sip from it as he sat back and watched some TV.

-

Eren came padding out of the hallway, rubbing his eyes from his nap.

His face brightened when he saw Armin on the couch. He ran right over and hugged him.

“Armin! How long were you here? You shoulda woke my ass up.”

“I know you had a hard day so I brought cupcakes. When I first came, Levi said you were sleeping. I wanted to make sure you had some time alone first.”

Eren was already several bites into a large cupcake. He took Armin’s shoulder and held him close to his body. “Thank you so much, Arm! You’re the best.”

“Just doing my job. You’re welcome.” He reached over for a cupcake of his own. “So, tell me what happened today. How was the psych exam?”

“The exam went alright, actually. I studied like hell. I don’t really know what about exactly, but I started thinking about some stuff and put myself in a bad mood. Then there was all that rain, and then, oh, my God. The coffee shop. The coffee shop. There were these fucking-“ Eren strangled the air as he talked, “- _annoying, rude_ ass customers.”

“Oh?” Armin kept listening.

“I was ready to fight and lose my job. I was this close.” Eren put his thumb and index finger together very close. “This fucking close.”

“People must be cranky on Mondays, huh?”

“Understatement of the year.” Eren tore into the rest of his cupcake and reached for another. “But,” he chewed and swallowed, “enough about me, how was your o-chem exam?”

“It was difficult, but I’m confident. I studied like hell, too.”

They talked and finished the rest of the cupcakes together. They ended up ordering a pizza for dinner, and then watched TV quietly.

“Alright. I’ll head on out now,” Armin said. He put his jacket back on. “Are you feeling better?”

“Tons,” Eren said. “Thanks a bunch for coming over. I lowkey love you.”

Armin giggled. “Just lowkey? I thought I was a little more than that.”

Eren laughed, and took Armin’s shoulders and pressed him close, stroking his blond hair. He saw him out with a wave.

And now that he was alone again, Eren cleaned up the living room and went back into his bedroom, drowning himself in more assignments and letting those negative thoughts from this morning catch up to him.

\--

When Eren decided he was ready for bed, he found Armin’s cupcakes and chat were for naught, because he was in a bad mood again. _Why the fuck is he like this?_

The truth was, he didn’t tell Armin everything. Not because he didn’t want to; they hardly kept secrets. He just didn’t know how to put his feelings into words.

He waited in Levi’s bed, browsing his phone to distract himself, and didn’t realize he was pouting.

Levi climbed into the bed after getting into his own pajamas, and sat close to Eren. He tickled Eren’s side lightly. “Hey. Where’s that smile?”

Eren found a smile pulling the corners of his lips, but he tried to keep his eyebrows furrowed. He smacked Levi’s arm weakly. “Stop making me laugh. I’m trying to be upset.”

Levi chuckled and tickled Eren’s side again, inciting another ghost of a smile from him. “Tell me what’s wrong, love.”

He took Eren’s waist, and Eren crawled into his lap.

“What’s been bothering you?” Levi asked softly. He laced their hands together.

Eren looked down at their hands. “I just had such a shitty day. The psych exam went pretty well. The coffee shop was fucking horrific, but y’know. Mondays. I’ve just… I don’t know,” he sighed.

Levi was careful not to interrupt.

“In the morning, I started to think. I feel like… I’m not living up to my fullest potential. I feel like I could be doing more. _Being_ more. My resume is probably totally average. I don’t want to be average.”

Levi made sure Eren was done before speaking. “I understand. Let me tell you what I think.”

Eren looked up hopefully.

“Eren, I read dozens of resumes at the company. I know what to look for. And I’m telling you now: it doesn’t matter what you do as long as you do it well. It’s better to do a little whole-assed than do a lot half-assed.”

Eren nodded in understanding.

“You’re still young. You’re still figuring things out. And there’s nothing average about you. You’re very hardworking, and it shows. Never feel like you have to live up to some grand idea of success. Keep doing what you’re doing, and keep doing it well, and that’s how you can be your very best.”

Eren squeezed their hands.

“I know you’re doing well in your classes. I think you should do an extracurricular. It’s important to be well-rounded.”

“I was thinking that, too.”

“You love forensics, maybe you can join that crime forensics club you’ve been telling me about?”

Eren looked up with restored optimism. “Yeah, you think so?”

“Yeah. I think you would enjoy it. Expand your horizons. But do you get what I’m saying overall? I think you’re doing just fine, Eren. And you’re _very_ far from average. Don’t doubt yourself.”

Eren found his hope restored. He grinned and wrapped his arms around Levi’s neck.

A hand rubbed his back soothingly. “There’s that smile.”

“I love you so much, Levi. You always know what to say.”

“I love you, too. I can’t bear seeing you upset. I’m glad we had a chance to talk.”

Eren separated the hug, and started attacking Levi’s face with kisses- pinning him down to the mattress, and being ruthless with grateful love.

 


	49. Tender

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I almost cried writing this chapter TT~TT, it's one of my faves. Eren takes Levi back to his parents' house, and we meet Grisha. Little Armin baby has a problem, though, but let's just say Erwin is his knight in a shining business suit.

That Thursday, Eren’s parents insisted Eren come on over with Levi.

“You’ll finally get to meet my dad!” Eren said excitedly. He put on his jacket and waited for Levi to finish tying his shoes.

-

They held hands as they made their way up to the big house with the blue shutters. Eren knocked on the door, and once again, Carla opened it almost right away and yanked him in.

When Levi entered and shut the door behind him, she was busy hugging (though from Eren’s awkward position, it seemed more like suffocating) and smooching Eren’s face. “I’m so glad you could make it, sweetie! Ooh, I missed you so much!”

“Ma. You’re smothering me. I missed you, too,” he said with breathy laugh.

She let him go regretfully, pinching his cheek and gushing a bit more before making her way to Levi. She instantly leaned down and pulled him into a hug. “Levi, I’m so glad you could come. Welcome, welcome!”

He patted her back lightly. “Thank you, Carla. You’re too kind.”

As he took off his shoes and Carla helped him out of his jacket, he could hear Eren off in the kitchen talking to a man. That must be his father.

“Hey, Pop,” Eren rested his face in his dad’s chest while they hugged. “Thanks for taking time off work. That means a lot.”

“I’ve missed you, son.” Grisha patted Eren’s hair. He held him at arm’s length. “You get taller every time I see you.”

Eren laughed and went back in for another hug. “That’s not true. You’re just too busy being a workaholic to notice me growing.”

Grisha sighed and buried his nose in his son’s hair. “Your mother told me the same thing,” he chuckled.

He got to ruffle Eren’s hair one more time before Carla and Levi walked in.

Eren quickly made his way behind Levi and placed his hands on his shoulders to introduce him. “Dad, this is my boyfriend, Levi Ackerman.”

Levi held his hand out. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Jaeger.”

Grisha took his hand warmly. “The pleasure is mine. Call me Grisha. I’ve heard many good things about you. I’m glad we could finally meet.” He ushered Levi to take a seat at the table.

Eren’s father had very long hair, Levi noticed, that went past his shoulders. He had green eyes like Eren’s, and circular glasses over them. His expression was stern but gentle.

Carla set down a mug of coffee in front of each of them. Levi took a sip and sighed.

“So tell me about… Survey Corporation, I think Carla told me? I hear you’ve been quite busy with a case.”

Levi nodded and told him about the M.P. case.  Grisha asked questions and provided input, just like Eren would. It was funny how many traits Eren inherited from his parents.

They shared a few business jokes and talked about things that Eren didn’t quite have the experience for. At the end of the conversation, Grisha nodded slowly, content with their talk. “It’s a lot of pressure to keep a company afloat in this day and age. You have to make some difficult decisions and take risks. But the payout must be worth it, if you play your cards right.”

“You speak the truth,” Levi said. Luckily, he didn’t have to make all those decisions by himself.

“You have a good head on your shoulders, Levi. Eren chose well. I don’t know if you know this, but you’re the first he ever brought home to us.”

Levi nodded. “Carla told me.”

“He’s quite the exciting young man. He’s very complex,” Grisha said.

Levi knew that more than anyone. That boy could be silly one minute, and beating himself up over a problem in the next.

“And he’s very independent. He doesn’t like relying on anyone, or asking for help. When he was struggling after moving out, we told him he could always come home until he got on his feet. But he refused. He wanted to make it on his own.”

Levi remembered that little, underwhelming apartment Eren used to live in before he moved in with him at Trost Tower.

“But I wanted to say something, Levi,” Grisha said. “Please try not to spoil him too much. I want him to learn the importance of hard work.”

That was a request Levi would have trouble fulfilling; spoiling Eren was one of his favorite hobbies. And besides, Eren was already one of the most hardworking people he’s ever known. His parents raised him well.

But Levi nodded and smiled a bit, telling a bit of a white lie to ease Grisha’s concern. “I won’t. You have my word.”

Grisha smiled. “I’m sure he’s told you that I’m often occupied at the hospital. I regret not seeing him more. Is he doing alright? He assures me he’s keeping up with his studies. Please make sure he’s eating right. I always tell him that health is the best wealth of all.”

Levi wasn’t sure which part of that to respond to. But he liked how much Eren’s parents cared about him. “You have nothing to worry about, Grisha. He’s doing just fine.”

Grisha leaned back on his chair. “I believe he’s in good hands with you. I need to stop worrying. This is actually the happiest I’ve seen him.”

They looked into the distant living room, where Eren was trying to watch TV, but Carla kept holding his face and kissing his head.

Levi smiled and turned back. “Thank you for saying that. I’ll always do my best for him.”

Grisha held up his coffee mug. “To an overdue meeting.”

Levi held up his mug as well. “To an overdue meeting.”

They clinked mugs and drank.

“Ma! Please!” Eren pleaded on the couch. Carla kept pinching his cheek playfully.

“I’m sorry, honey, I need my fill of my sweet boy before he goes off again!”

Eren smiled at her. “I’ll be here all evening, Mommy. Can you let me watch TV, please?”

“Okay, okay,” she surrendered, pouting a bit. “But just one more kiss!” She went in and smothered him with another round of smooches.

“Daaad! Tell Ma to leave me alone!” Eren called.

Grisha didn’t look up from turning his mug around to mix his drink as he called out casually. “Honey, stop smothering our son.”

“Okay, I’m leaving!” Carla said, and stroked Eren’s face one more time before coming back to the kitchen.

“He’s just growing up so fast…” she mumbled mournfully. She took the mugs from Grisha and Levi to the sink to wash them. “I’ll get dinner started now. Levi, you can look around and spend some time with Eren.”

Levi nodded curtly at Grisha before getting up and joining Eren on the couch. Eren immediately wrapped his hands around his bicep. “Finally, someone who won’t smother me.”

Levi took his arm to wrap it around Eren’s shoulder and press him close. “Hey, be a little nicer. She loves you a lot, and she hasn’t seen you in a while.”

“I love her, too, but I need my space.”

They watched some TV before Eren wanted to switch it up. “Let me show you around. I didn’t do that last time.”

He held Levi’s hand as they walked around the house.

“So, you saw the living room and kitchen. That’s the dining room… And here’s the game room.” Eren pushed a door open to a little den that was decorated in crimson and dark green, with a billiards table and a ping pong table. A couch and empty minibar lined the wall.

“You can shoot?” Levi ran his hand along the billiards table. He’s always considered getting one for the apartment, but didn’t have anyone coming over often enough to play with him.

“Eh. I’m not amazing at it,” Eren said. “You wanna play?”

“Sure.”

Basically having grown up in bars and saloons, Levi annihilated Eren. Although, Eren had to admit, Levi leaning his body over the edge of the table and focusing in was incredibly hot. Distractingly so.

“You weren’t bad at all, Eren.”

“My dad’s really good at it, like you. I could never beat him.” He went over to the ping pong table and picked up a paddle. Armin used to come over and they would play for hours, honing their skills. Armin was not the most athletic, but he excelled at this game, and Eren would always insist for another round. _“Double or nothing!” “Double of nothing,_ is _nothing, Eren.”_ The memory of it brought a smile to Eren’s face. “Wanna play a match?”

Levi picked up a paddle.

Eren beat him, but not by much. Levi was good at practically everything.

“C’mon, I’ll show you more of the house,” Eren smiled and took Levi’s hand again.

“Here’s the theater,” Eren said. They entered a soundproofed room with big, remote-controlled chairs. “On Friday nights, my parents and I would always watch Disney movies in here.”

Levi’s heart warmed for the umpteenth time today.

Eren continued with the tour. They got to a far section of the house and Eren pointed at a door. “Here’s the basement. My dad doesn’t like it when I go down there, though. He says he uses it as a storage.”

“Have you been down there before?” Levi asked.

“A few times. I was curious so I went down to investigate. Most of the things are either in safes or lockers. I don’t know what’s in them.”

“Huh.”

_What secrets could Grisha be hiding in the basement from Eren?_

But they kept on going with the tour. “And, here’s my dad’s study.” The room was filled with books and medical posters.

“And here’s the spare bedroom. We don’t ever use it… whenever Armin came over, he’d sleep in my bed. I think it’s there because my parents were prepared for another kid, but I’m the only one they ever had. My mom used to say ‘You’re too much, Eren, I can’t have another!’”

Levi chuckled. Based on the stories Carla told him the last time he came here, Eren was definitely a mischievous kid that kept his parents on their toes.

They went upstairs, and Levi got to see all the portraits of little Eren on the walls again.

“You were the cutest thing.”

“’Were?’” Eren pouted.

“Are,” Levi corrected himself, and Eren grinned and leaned down for a quick peck on the lips.

Eren pointed into the rooms as they passed by them. “That’s my parents’ bedroom, a bathroom, the treadmill room-“

“A whole room dedicated to a treadmill?” Levi asked amusedly.

Eren laughed and took them into it. It really was an empty room with a treadmill, a yoga mat, a jump rope, and a few barbells on the floor. “This used to be a computer room, but when I started training for track, my dad put a treadmill in here so I wouldn’t waste gas going to the gym.”

“Ah.”

“The treadmill room,” Eren repeated in conclusion.

They got back into the hallway. “And finally,” he said as they got to a familiar door, “my room.”

Levi let his curl toes in the soft blue carpet, and watched Eren fling himself onto the bed. Levi joined him, and they got into their cuddling position.

Eren traced his index finger on Levi’s chest dreamily. “…Remember when we fucked here?”

Levi chuckled, still ashamed he did such a thing while Carla was in the house. “I do.”

Eren giggled. “That was pretty hot,” he whispered.

Levi took Eren into his arms suddenly and bit his cheek gently. “You’re pretty hot,” he growled lowly.

Eren laughed and leaned into his ear. “We could do it again, y’know…”

“Eren, no. Your father is in the house now. Unless you want to promise me you won’t make a sound again.”

Eren looked away as he weighed the options. “Yeah, you’re right. I’m not a huge fan of staying quiet.”

“I would know that better than anyone, my dear.”

Eren grinned and straddled Levi’s hips. “You know I love screaming your name.” He placed his hands on Levi’s chest and started bouncing up and down, throwing his head back in pretend pleasure. “Levi, Levi, Levi!” he cried obnoxiously in muted screams.

They both laughed together, and Eren leaned down to kiss his jaw. He looked at him with big green eyes. “I want to show you the backyard.”

Eren took them back downstairs, and they passed by Carla and Grisha who were talking in the kitchen.

In the living room, Eren pulled some curtains aside and unlocked a sliding glass door.

They stepped out onto a concrete patio that was furnished with a swinging chair and picnic table, surrounded by plants. Soft, yellow lights were strung above them on the brick wall.

Beyond, an immaculately kept yard, with freshly trimmed grass and not a single crunchy leaf on the ground. Huge oak trees were scattered afar.

The scents of autumn and clean air blanketed the dusky atmosphere. Levi took a deep breath and gazed at the purple sky.

Eren led them to the swinging chair, where he took Levi’s arm around his shoulder. He took a thick green plaid blanket on the chair and draped it on their laps.

He pointed at some flickering specks near the trees. “Oh, Levi, look! Fireflies!”

The warm glow from the fireflies and the sounds of chirping crickets turned the quiet evening alive.

Eren rested his head on Levi’s shoulder and smiled. “This is so magical. I love you, Levi,” he said softly.

Melted. Levi’s heart melted in that moment. What the hell did he do to deserve Eren?

Levi pressed his lips into Eren’s hair. “I love you, too, sweetheart. I love you, I love you, I love you,” he chanted in a low voice. “So much.”

He held Eren close as they watched the romantic evening scene together, rocking slowly on the swinging chair.

\--

Armin was having a crisis.

He paced back and forth the polished, sterile floor of Urgent Care, biting his nail and clutching the fabric of his sweater on his arm.

His phone buzzed in his pocket, startling him. He took it out. Erwin:

_Hello, dear. Would you like to spend some time together tonight? I’ll take a break from working._

It brought a small smile to Armin’s face, despite how much he was stressing:

_I can’t. I’m stuck in the hospital._

Rather than texting, Erwin called him right away.

“Armin, what’s going on? Are you alright? Which hospital are you in? Tell me what’s wrong,” Erwin commanded with a stern, concerned tone.

And Erwin’s worry cracked what little strength Armin had. He felt tears rolling down his cheeks. His voice cracked as he spoke. “I-It’s not me, it’s my grandfather. I’m in St. Joe’s Urgent Care.”

“Say no more,” Erwin cut him off. “I’m on my way now.”

Erwin ended the call and Armin was left staring at the phone. A fat teardrop fell onto the screen, and he wiped it off with his sleeve and sniffled.

He started feeling overwhelmed. And he felt guilty that he couldn’t handle it alone.

Erwin arrived within 15 minutes. He brisked into the waiting room, where Armin was pacing about.

When Armin turned and saw him, he broke down and started crying uncontrollably as he walked into Erwin’s arms.

“It’s alright, I’m here now,” Erwin soothed. He took them to some of the chairs lined against the wall and sat in one, lifting Armin into his lap.

“What happened with your grandfather, darling?” Erwin asked, and took a tissue from a nearby table to wipe Armin’s face.

Armin willed himself to stop crying for a second to explain himself coherently, to no avail. His voice was still shaky and he tried to get the explanation out as fast as possible through his sobs. “He’s been sleeping more and eating less lately so I got worried and took him to the hospital because I’m scared and I was gonna call Eren to keep me company but he’s visiting his parents today so I didn’t want to worry him and now I have to take out another huge loan to pay for this and I don’t think I can afford any more and I don’t know what to do because what if he isn’t okay, Erwin? He’s getting old, what if he’s not gonna make it?”

He buried his face in Erwin’s chest and let his dam of tears reopen, clutching onto that crisp white shirt. Erwin was still in his black suit- he probably just got out of work.

Erwin held his head close, not minding at all that Armin’s tears were soiling his clothes. “Don’t stress. We’ll figure it out together. Your grandfather will be okay. You have to believe in him. I’m here for you.”

“How do you know?” Armin said hopelessly.

Erwin brought Armin back up and wiped his face until he was calm. “Listen to me, Armin. Everything’s fine. You’re incredibly strong to harbor all this on your own. I’ll take care of the bill. You don’t have to take out a loan.”

Armin looked at him with watery blue eyes. “No. I can’t make you do that.” He wiped a spare tear on his face. “No.”

Erwin took his wrists and looked back at him. “I’m not giving you choice. It’s the least I can do.”

Armin buried his face into that suited shoulder and grateful tears spilled out quietly. “…Thank you. I’m- You don’t know how much that means to me.”

Erwin hugged him close and whispered into his hair. “I love you. Let me share your burdens, alright?”

Armin smiled through his tears and nodded. Not having to worry about the hospital bill was a huge weight off his shoulders, but he couldn’t forget about the reason he was here. “I’m scared, Erwin. I’m scared something’s wrong with him. I’ve been here for hours and they’re not telling me anything.”

“Don’t be scared, little one,” Erwin soothed as he rubbed his back. “He’ll be just fine. You said it yourself, he’s getting old. These things are bound to happen. Have faith.”

A nurse walked into the waiting room with a clipboard. “Mr. Arlert?”

Armin wiped away the rest of his tears as he climbed off Erwin’s lap and made his way to her. “Y-yes. Is he okay? Oh, God, please tell me he’s okay.”

“You have nothing to worry about, sweetie,” the nurse assured. “He’s dealing with fatigue. It’s quite normal for people his age. That’s what causing the decreased appetite.”

“So he’s okay?!” Armin asked eagerly, relief so close and yet so far away in this particular moment.

“He’s okay,” the nurse smiled gently.

“Oh, my God,” Armin sobbed into his hands. Relief washed over his body and threatened to knock his knees to the floor.

Erwin came over and took him into his arms. “Thank you,” he told the nurse as Armin kept crying. “Will he be released sometime tonight?”

“We’ll be keeping him for a few more nights here, just to monitor his vitals and make sure he’s eating again. But everything in his chart looks great.” She patted Armin’s shoulder. “You have nothing to worry about, sweetie,” she said again.

Erwin answered on Armin’s behalf. “Thank you for your help,” he smiled.

She smiled back, a bit smitten from that smile from this handsome man, but she nodded and walked back into the room she came from.

“See?” Erwin asked down. “I told you to have faith. He’s just fine.”

Armin nodded and separated, his face wet with tears. He looked at the puddle on Erwin’s shirt, and laughed dryly. “I completely ruined your shirt,” he stated. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s just a shirt. Cry all you want on me. I meant what I said, Armin. Let me share your burdens. What good am I otherwise?”

Armin smiled a bit as Erwin wiped his face gingerly with his fingers. “Okay,” he whispered.

“What do you say we go home now? Let me comfort you.”

Armin nodded and took Erwin’s large hand as they walked out of the urgent care room together.

\--

The sliding glass door opened softly and Carla poked her head out. “Boys, dinner is read- Oh,” she breathed. “You two are way too adorable together.”

Eren lifted his head from Levi’s shoulder. “Ma. Don’t be embarrassing.”

“I can’t help it!” she gushed. But she turned back into mother mode. “Make sure you both wash your hands when you come back in.”

The sliding door closed again, and Eren wrapped his arms around Levi’s shoulders. “I don’t wanna get up, Papa. I could spend the rest of my life here with you.”

He didn’t give Levi a chance to reply before leaning in and pressing their lips together. Levi sighed against his lips and deepened the kiss, pressing Eren’s waist closer.

When they separated very slowly, Levi looked into Eren’s eyes, which were sparkling from the golden lights above them. He was lost in that moment, so consumed by love and admiration and some other sappy mush that he wouldn’t even dreamed of not too long ago in his life. And he was at a loss for words.

He felt Eren’s warm hand touch his face, running up his jawline slowly with a tender, soothing touch. As if he understood that they didn’t need to speak to say what was on their minds.

There was a knock from inside the house from the sliding glass door, and then Carla’s voice: “Eren! Levi! Dinner will get cold!”

Eren turned his head and called back: “We’re coming!”

He turned back to Levi and gave him a slow, innocent kiss before getting up and leading them to the bathroom to wash their hands.

Carla was setting down pots and bowls on the dining room table as they entered. Eren made sure Levi was seated and pushed in before taking his own seat. On his way, he wrapped his arms around Grisha’s shoulders and squeezed him lovingly.

_Eren was the most precious damn thing._

Carla took off her oven mitts and patted Eren’s cheek. “Thank you for making sure our guest is seated first, hon. That’s good manners.”

Eren grinned at the positive reinforcement.

When he sat down, he ripped the foil off the tray of chicken and took a piece onto his plate quickly before digging in ferociously.

Carla pursed her lips and sighed. “Looks like I spoke too soon.”

Grisha chuckled lightly.

Eren placed his utensils down apologetically. “Sorry,” he mumbled, his mouth full of food.

Eren chewed the chicken in his mouth as he waited for everyone to be served.

“Go ahead, Wolfie,” Carla said to Eren after serving him a heaping helping of vegetables.

Eren growled at her jokingly before picking his utensils back up. Everyone at the table laughed.

And through his chuckles, Levi felt part of a family for the first time in most of his life.

\--

After dinner, Eren and Grisha pulled out a pit in the backyard and got a small fire going. Meanwhile, Levi helped Carla do dishes and they had a chance to talk more.

When Levi made his way back out to the patio, Eren was waiting on the swinging chair with the green blanket. Now, they could look at the fire together, which looked spectacular in the dark night.

So much time has passed with the two of them cuddling in the distant heat, mostly quiet because at this point, there wasn’t anything more to say to each other that they didn’t already know.

Carla slipped out of the sliding door with a gentle smile and a hot mug in her hands. “Here you go, Levi. Black, just how you like it.”

Levi unwrapped his arms from around Eren to take the mug. “Thank you, Carla.” He was very grateful; he liked ending heavy meals with coffee.

She smiled at them and made her way back in.

And Eren scooted his way back against his shoulder slowly, careful not to swing the chair and spill the drink.

\--

It was near midnight when Eren decided to call it a day. He called his father to come out and douse the fire, and they all made their way back inside.

“Okay, Levi and I are leaving now,” Eren stated.

“Are you sure you can’t spend the night?” Carla asked, just like last time. “I can make pancakes for breakfast,” she tried hopefully.

“That’s alright,” Eren declined softly. “I had fun today, though.”

“Ohh,” Carla crossed her arms and huffed. “It’s like you two were only here for five minutes.”

“Good-bye, Mommy,” Eren breathed with finality as he took her in for a hug.

While Carla took her last chance to smother Eren in kisses, Grisha shook Levi’s hand one more time.

“It’s been a pleasure getting to know you, Levi. Keep me updated on the company. And please make sure Eren is taken care of. Don’t let him get into trouble.”

“You have my word,” Levi told him. And unlike his last promise to not spoil Eren, this one was definitely one he could keep. “I’m glad we could meet, Grisha.”

Eren managed to survive his mother’s suffocating hugs and he went to hug his father. “See ya, Pop.”

“I love you very much, Eren. No matter how much I’m working, I want to tell you that you can always call me. Keep up with your studies and health.”

Eren laughed into his shoulder. “I will.”

They rocked side to side slightly, Eren refusing to let go. He must really miss his dad.

Carla helped Levi into his jacket, and when he was in it, she leaned down and took him into a hug. “Thank you so much for coming, Levi,” she said softly. “Please keep Eren safe like you do. Keep him happy.”

“I will. Thank you for having me and cooking that wonderful dinner.” He patted her back gently.

She stood back up and held his shoulders. “You’re very welcome. Come back more often! We love having you.”

They put on their shoes, and Eren gave each of his parents one last quick kiss on the cheek before following Levi out.

\--

For most couples, a visit to the parents’ house wasn’t normally the most romantic activity. But tonight really was one of the most magical times Levi and Eren spent with each other.

When they got back to Trost Tower, still restless with love, the night was far from over.

Eren took them to bed and they made the most passionate, sappy love, full of “I love you’s” and rubbing and kissing and such dreamy touches.

And when they slept tight together much later, fireflies and soft yellow lights decorated their dreams, too.


	50. Just Normal Things

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A casual weekend for our baby boys. ft. Usher
> 
> (Wow, FIFTY chapters! :3c Can you guys believe that?? +I hope you guys enjoyed this week of fast uploads!)

Levi had a short day at the office- just a meeting with the executives and making sure everyone was on track, and then he went back home to spend time at the gym and clean the apartment.

The M.P. case was coming to an end. And as much as the prospect of advancing the company was exciting and worth all the late nights working, he couldn’t wait to pay more attention to Eren.

Since he didn’t have much to do today, he figured he could spend some time indulging in a whole lot of nothing. Eren wasn’t home, so the apartment was very quiet and not at all lively.

-

When Eren finally got home after a long day, he was surprised to find that Levi was already home. He took a deep breath and registered the wonderful scent of freshly burned incense and vacuumed carpet.

Levi was at the kitchen, where he brought around a stool from the counter and sat polishing the silverware quietly.

“Leeevi, you’re here early!” Eren called as he took his shoes off and hung his jacket up. He held a cup of coffee up as he made his way over. “I brought you a little something-something!”

Levi couldn’t help but smile. He put the cloth and spoon down to hold his hand out, which Eren took and allowed himself to be pulled closer. He smooched Eren’s cheek several times.

“I had only one meeting today. I figured I could clean up the apartment and de-stress. And, I can spend time with you.”

Eren wrapped an arm around Levi’s shoulder and placed the coffee cup in front of him. “This place is always spotless. You need to let a few dust bunnies in. It’s good for the soul,” he said, rubbing Levi’s chest slowly. “It’s good for the mind.”

“That’s hardly true, silly boy.” He took the cup of coffee and took a sip, sighing deeply afterwards. “Mm. Delicious. Thank you so much, Eren. You sweet thing.”

Eren grinned and leaned his face closer. “You’re very welcome.” He started walking off and turned on the TV. “And I’m glad you came home early today. I want cuddles, tummy rubs, kisses… all that sweet, sweet lovin’ from my man!” his voice trailed off as he walked into the hallway.

Levi smiled as he continued polishing a spoon til it was practically glistening. He would be happy to oblige in Eren’s wants.

-

“Can I help you make dinner?” Eren asked sweetly.

“Of course you can,” Levi said. “How about you start by washing and peeling the vegetables for the salad? And when you’re done with that, I’ll tell you what to chop.”

“Yes, sir!” Eren turned on the sink and washed and peeled the ingredients thoroughly, loving that he could be of assistance. His mother didn’t usually let him help with meals; he had a history of being a destructive and accident-prone chef. It’s for this reason he didn’t know how to cook too many things.

“Okay, baby,” Levi said gently. He took out the cutting board and chose a knife. “Here’s how to cut them.” He demonstrated how to efficiently chop the carrots into bite-sized pieces. “Take it nice and slow. Try to make them all the same size.”

“Got it,” Eren said. He held his hand out for the knife.

Levi looked him in the eyes before handing it over. “Don’t rush. Be careful.”

“Don’t worry, I got it!” Eren assured. He took the knife just a bit too eagerly.

Levi paid attention to the pasta and got to work making alfredo sauce, but each chop behind him started to make him feel uneasy. Eren was going a bit too fast for not being too skilled with chopping. Eren’s chopped things before, but his personal technique was sloppy and dangerous. Levi would show him the correct way.

He shook his head. He needed to trust Eren. He’d be fine.

The sauce was simmering in the pan, but then there was a loud clatter of a knife and a gasp.

“Ah! Shit!” Eren cried.

Levi immediately turned around and went over. Eren was gripping his finger. “Let me see,” he commanded.

He peeled Eren’s fingers off to reveal a huge gash on his knuckle, which was beading up alarmingly fast with fresh blood.

Levi took his hand to the sink. “Let’s clean and wrap it so it doesn’t get infected.”

Eren braced himself as Levi turned the faucet on and tested it to see that it was warm. He winced when his finger was submerged in the water.

Levi watched the water run red with blood until it went clear. “I told you to be careful, Eren.” He dried the clean cut with a towel and took out a first aid kit from below the sink.

Eren sighed and looked ashamed. “I know. I’m just not cut out for the kitchen. Quite literally.”

Levi laughed at Eren’s little pun as he covered the cut with a band-aid. “Don’t be discouraged. You just need some help taking things slow. Patience.” He put the first aid kit back under the sink.

Eren inspected his throbbing finger, now covered with a heavy band-aid. “You know I like to live life in the fast lane.”

“Just take it in the slow lane when cutting vegetables,” Levi said and patted his lower back assuringly.

“Let me try again.”

“Alright. But be even more careful this time. I want you to be as slow as you can.”

Eren went to the cutting board and picked up the knife. “As slow as I can?”

“As slow as you can,” Levi repeated.

Eren started cutting the carrots again.

“Too fast,” Levi said where he listened from the stove.

Eren halved his pace.

“Perfect.” Levi said.

Chopping one carrot every five years was painstaking for impatient Eren. But to spice it up for himself, he made it a personal challenge to make every piece look identical. He wasn’t doing too badly, if he could say so himself.

Levi finished the sauce, and came over to check up on Eren and the vegetables. He looked at the chopped pile. Every piece was consistent with his tutorial. “I’m impressed, Eren.”

Eren stuck his tongue back into his mouth. He didn’t realize he was so focused. “Do they look good?” he asked hopefully.

“They look _very_ good.” Levi rubbed Eren’s back proudly. “See? You had it in you all along. You just have to take your time. That’s all you need.”

Eren grinned. Validation from Levi made him want to do any task perfectly.

“Here’s how to chop lettuce correctly,” Levi said and took the knife. “It’s a bit different than the others.”

Eren got to work finishing the vegetables as Levi went to work on the pasta.

A bit later: “Levi, I’m done!”

Eren stepped back from the cutting board, looking eager. He hoped the vegetables met Levi’s expectations.

“Let me have a look,” Levi said and made his way over. With one glance, he smiled. “These are perfection, Eren. Good boy.” He had always known Eren was a fast learner, but he did need a little help in learning how to be meticulous and patient. This task only proved that he was getting there slowly but surely.

Eren grinned and took Levi into a hug. “I love it when you call me that! I tried so hard to do it well!”

Levi separated the hug to squeeze Eren’s cheeks together with his hand so his lips were pouted out like a fish. “I’m just calling you what you are. You’re such a good boy. You can do anything you set your mind to.”

“Look out Masterchef, Eren is on his way!”

“Very ambitious, my dear,” Levi nodded agreeingly.

-

To keep up with the theme, Eren put on Masterchef on the TV as they ate.

When Levi was finished feeding him, he got up to go do the dishes. Of course, Eren was right at his heels.

“You don’t have to get up, Eren, I got it,” Levi said gently.

“But I like helping you. No one can hold down drying duty like me.”

“That’s true. Alright.”

The running of the water was soothing in the quiet evening in.

“I’m kinda tired,” Eren admitted.

“So am I. It’s been a long week.”

“I can’t wait for us to go to bed. I want to cuddle so bad.”

Levi looked at Eren. “You’re absolutely precious.”

-

Eren was absorbing a bit more TV before heading off to bed, the remote stalling in his hand.

“Eren, I have a favor to ask of you.”

Eren shut off the TV and looked at Levi excitedly. “Whatcha need?”

“Step on my back.”

“You mean sit on it? Like in bed?”

“No, I’ll lie down on the floor and I want you to walk on my back.”

Eren tossed the remote to the couch and took Levi by the shoulders to walk him over. “I can do that. But you told me you’d see a chiropractor. I’m worried about your back.”

“My appointment is tomorrow morning,” he assured. They were in front of the glass wall, and Levi took to the floor. Not that he minded. He made sure the floors were so clean you could eat off it. “But until then,” he groaned as he got into his stomach-down position, “I really need you to help me out.”

Eren tested out the pressure by stepping on Levi’s spine with one foot. When he got a satisfied groan, he placed both feet and stepped on.

“Fuck!” Levi growled.

Eren struggled a bit to catch his balance. “Does it hurt? Should I get off?”

“No, no. Keep going,” Levi said. His voice was pained but Eren had to take his word. “Go a bit lower, though.”

Eren walked to the lowest curve of Levi’s back, and started shifting between both his feet.

“Yes,” Levi said as he furrowed his brows in concentration. “Just like that, Eren. Just like that.”

Eren giggled, but kept at it. This scene would look a bit strange if someone were to walk in. And gazing at the sparkling city through the wall, it gave the impression that people were watching. This was slightly kinky.

Eren spread his legs so that one foot was on the swell of Levi’s back near his shoulders, and the other right above the swell of his butt. He shifted back and forth between each foot like he was on a surfboard.

And based on the low string of satisfied cusses and groans beneath him, Eren was glad he could be of service.

When he stepped off a little while later, Levi was still laying on the floor a bit uselessly, Eren noticed with another giggle.

He helped Levi get up and they made their way to Levi’s bedroom.

“That seemed fun! You should step on me next,” Eren said.

Levi held Eren’s waist from behind as they walked. “No, baby. I would crush your spine.”

Eren pouted. But he probably would crumble beneath all of Levi’s bulky muscle mass.

-

Usually Eren would crawl into Levi’s lap but today he jumped into it, causing Levi to wince a little and then laugh a little.

“Hey. Go easy on me. I’m not as resilient as you are.”

Eren gave him an apologetic kiss on the cheek. “Sorry.”

Levi took Eren into his arms and wrapped tight.

“Harder,” Eren said.

Levi squeezed his arms tighter.

Eren lifted his head. “Perfect. I like those big, strong arms of yours squeezing the shit out of me.”

Levi placed a smooch on Eren’s chocolate brown locks. “It seems the latest theme around here is mixing pain and pleasure.”

Eren looked up with a sleazy grin. “That’s hot.”

“Mr. Jaeger, behave,” Levi warned with a stern tone. But a smile was pulling at his lips anyway.

Eren made his eyes go big and innocent and he pouted. “But what fun would that be, Mr. Ackerman?” he said with a sultry tone.

With one swift movement, Levi took Eren to the mattress and pinned his wrists up.

Their noses were just barely touching, and their eyes danced with fiery challenge.

Eren liked being held down. But he wasn’t done being mischievous.

“I like me a man who knows how to get what he wants,” Eren said wantonly. He bit his lip and rolled his eyes back as he squirmed his body.

When he noticed that Levi was distracted for a second, he kicked up and managed to switch their positions so that he was on top.

With Eren sitting on his stomach, Levi let himself lay back and admire this boy’s never-ending playfulness.

Eren lifted the hem of his shirt and brought it to his mouth, exposing his tummy. He stretched his arms up and grinded his crotch on Levi.

He let his shirt drop and walked two fingers up Levi’s chest. “Do you like what you see?”

Levi smiled. He liked what he saw a lot. But he wouldn’t let Eren take the win so easily. He shifted his hips and managed to knock Eren’s balance enough to leave him vulnerable to another tackle.

“Surely you didn’t think it would be that easy?” Levi said with a cocky tease of his voice. He leaned down and kissed Eren’s lips. “Come on. Let’s go to bed,” he whispered.

And as much as Eren loved playing, he had to admit he was quite ready to sleep.

Levi turned out the lamp on his side, and now that the room was dark, all he had to do was open his arms beneath the covers and his favorite little treasure would find his way into them.

He inhaled the scent of Eren’s clean hair before kissing it. “Good night, my love.”

“Good night, Levi, I love ya.”

There was silence for a while before Eren’s voice broke through the darkness:

“…I totally beat you at wrestling,” he said softly.

Levi chuckled and squeezed Eren’s body. “Go to sleep, Eren,” he said wearily. But the smile could be heard in his words.

\--

Levi opened his eyes, and it was still before sunrise.

Eren was hugging his torso tightly, snoring away.

He usually found it quite hard to fall back asleep or snooze like Eren, so he figured he would just go ahead and start the day.

He unwrapped Eren’s arms and placed them gently on the bed. Before he slipped out of the covers, he placed two smooches on his hair.

Through the glass window, a mysterious musky gray hue blanketed the quiet city. Levi liked waking up before the rest of the world.

He changed into his workout clothes and did his gym routine.

By the time he came back to the apartment, sweaty and short of breath, Eren was still in bed. The sun, however, has made its entrance in the horizon, filtering the living room in a warm, cozy orange.

After a shower and a cup of coffee, Levi went to his chiropractor appointment.

\--

Eren was lazily lounging on the couch and watched TV as he waited for Levi to come back, drinking coffee and eating Lucky Charms.

The door clicked with the turn of keys and Eren immediately got up to greet Levi.

“Good morning,” Eren said sweetly. He raised his arms expectantly for hug.

Levi shut the door and wrapped his arm around Eren’s waist to pull him in. “Good morning, baby.”

Eren rubbed Levi’s back soothingly. “How was your first adjustment?” he asked eagerly.

“It went well. I’m already feeling less tension.”

“I can tell,” Eren smiled. “You even _look_ less tense.”

Levi dipped his hand into Eren’s boxers to grip his hip. “Was it obvious in my posture?”

Eren stroked Levi’s jaw lovingly. “Mama knows best. And yes, it was obvious in your posture. Back pain is a common condition in this society that demands long hours sitting in front of computers. Pain and posture work inversely; as one rises, the other lowers.”

“Hmm,” Levi smiled a bit. He enjoyed listening to Eren speak. He was bright, especially about health and remedies... Well, his father was a doctor, after all. “I think you’re right on the mark, Eren.”

Eren’s hands went from Levi’s shoulders down to squeeze his biceps. “Have you had your cup yet? Let me make you coffee.” He took his hand and walked him to the couch.

“I did have my fix earlier,” Levi said.  “As much as your coffee is a treat.” He took Eren’s waist and pulled him down onto his lap.

He wrapped his arms around Eren’s and talked close to his ear. “Hey. Today is your day, sweet thing. What would you like to do?”

Eren let his head loll back onto Levi’s shoulder. “Mmm…  I actually haven’t thought about it yet. Can you give me some time to think about it?”

“Of course.” Levi slowly snaked a hand up Eren’s shirt and started rubbing his tummy.

Eren laughed. “You know me so well.”

\--

Eren stared at the very high ceiling as he became lost in thought. “Levi, this apartment needs more stuff. It’s kinda empty, don’t you think?” Even as they spoke normally, there was a bit of an echo.

“It’s a bit empty because I moved here not long before I met you,” Levi explained. “I’m also into minimalistic furniture.”

Eren looked up with a knowing grin and placed a hand on Levi’s cheek. “I’ve decided. Let’s go furniture shopping today.”

Levi looked down into those green eyes. “Are you sure? We can always do that another time. You don’t need to waste your day on something so essential.”

“I’m sure. Plus, anything is fun as long as you’re there. Shit, you could take me on a trip to the dumpster and I would enjoy it,” Eren said dreamily.

Levi smiled. “And you call me the cheesy one?”

“Hey. I’m allowed to cheese it up sometimes. Now kiss me.”

\--

“To be honest, my main objective is to get a big recliner like Erwin has!”

“That is quite the nice chair, huh?”

They got to IKEA, and unbuckled their seatbelts. Eren took Levi’s hand in his as they approached the doors.

Inside the blue and yellow masquerade, an expansive showing room that overwhelmed Eren.

He dropped Levi’s hand and looked around, wide-eyed in awe. “Whoa…” he breathed.

Levi led them towards a directory. “Have you been here before, Eren?” He took one of the printed copies of the store’s layout.

“My mom brought me once when I was a little kid. But I wouldn’t stop jumping on the couches and I accidentally knocked over a glass vase so she had to take me home.”

Levi nodded, a humored look on his face. Of course, he knew Eren was a troublemaker as a kid. He still had some mischief left over.

They started with kitchen wares, which Eren wasn’t too interested in, so he just watched Levi inspect and feel different kinds of plates and silverware.

When Levi filled the cart with his selections, they moved onto living room décor. Eren had to admit he wasn’t the most interior design savvy, but he did like to put his two cents in and help Levi decide how to make the place more lively.

Eren browsed around some wall fixtures as Levi picked out something to accompany the coat rack at home. His eyes fixed on a very detailed painting of a baguette.

“Levi. Look at this one.”

Levi came by and pulled the cart along from its front.

“Wouldn’t this look nice near the kitchen? The colors would pop against the modern monochrome theme we got goin’.”

“I do quite like that painting. Let’s take it.”

After even more apartment essentials, they finally got to the real furniture.

And when Eren saw the arrays of couches, he could not deny that the urge to throw himself into them was strong.

As Levi wandered off to look at some lamps, Eren walked around and touched the different couches and chairs- none of which seemed to wow him at first glance.

But there, under a distant limelight and a big ribbon on it to signify its wonder, was a huge, plush recliner.

Well… that limelight may have just been the store’s tasteful yellow floodlight and that big ribbon may have just been the price tag, but to Eren it was all the same.

He went over and sat, the plush so very soft and warm against him. The armrests were wide and flat. Eren spread out like a king on his throne and relaxed. It was a mocha color, which would fit with the cozy, modern vibe he had discussed with Levi.

A voice almost startled him. “Are you enjoying that chair, sir?”

Eren opened his eyes and turned his head to the voice. I polite employee stood with his hands clasped.

“I sure am. It was a real eye-catcher.”

“It gets even better,” the employee said. He reached to the side of the chair and pulled up a small remote. “Let me show you.”

He pushed a button and the chair elongated itself- the back reclined and a footrest rose. Eren laughed and let himself sink into the plush material.

“And,” the employee smiled to reflect Eren’s excitement, “let’s just say you’re watching TV, so you want to sit up straight but put your feet up.”

He demonstrated his example but pushing a button to raise the back of the chair back upright. “You can control each feature to your liking. Get creative with it!” He handed Eren the remote and smiled. “Let me know if I can help with your browse.”

Eren was kind of glad the guy left, because he felt himself getting intimate with this chair. He was definitely catching feelings.

He let the buzz of talking customers and footsteps lull him away into relaxation when he closed his eyes.

He could probably stay in this chair forever. But, another, familiar voice pulled him back to reality.

“A suitable throne for my little prince,” Levi mused.

Eren opened his eyes, a magical smile still stretched on his face. He put the foot rest down and got up. “Levi, you gotta try this recliner. I fell in love.”

Levi sat in the chair and sighed when he rested his back against it. Eren’s face softened. His back was still recovering. And for someone who spends long nights working, this chair would be perfect for him.

Levi let his eyes shut for a second.

“It’s great, isn’t it?” Eren asked.

“I love it. You weren’t exaggerating. Let’s take it.”

“Yes!” Eren clenched his fists in excitement. Now he could spend every day in that dreamy chair. The one at Erwin’s apartment paled compared to this one.

Levi got up and looked around for an associate, and the same one who helped Eren had noticed and came over to discuss the order and delivery with Levi.

As the two of them talked, Eren looked through the cart. Levi got all sorts of wall hangings and décor items.

And these were just the things that would fit in the trunk- Eren forgot about the shelves, cabinets, and lamp that Levi got, too, and even things he hadn’t seen yet.

He was running his fingers along the baguette painting when Levi came back. “Alright. The chair is ours. I would say we’re pretty well-stocked now, don’t you think?”

“Yeah, I’m satisfied,” Eren said. “I can’t wait to see how it all comes together!”

“Me, too,” Levi said with a pat on his lower back.

Eren offered to push the cart to the checkout, since Levi’s been pushing it the whole time he lazed on the recliner.

With all the items checked out and placed in big, blue cloth bags, Eren sighed contently.

“Levi, let’s go to their restaurant.” He pointed across. “I hear IKEA has good meatballs.”

\--

Back at home, Eren found himself suddenly too lazy to do much else. Furniture shopping was tiring.

He showered and got into his pajamas, even though the evening was still quite young.

Levi was looking through his tablet on the couch.

And suddenly, Eren had an idea.

He went to his room and brought his stereo to the living room.

Levi smiled at him when he entered.

“I got a little surprise for you, hot stuff,” Eren said. He docked his phone on the stereo and placed it on the nearby coffee table. He wanted to rile his man up a bit. And who better to do that than Usher? He knew just the song.

When the first few beats of the song played, Levi had already registered the meaning of Eren’s mischievous grin and he put his tablet aside.

As the lap dance commenced, Eren let himself get into the music as it built up, letting his body sway and dance against the heavy heartbeat rhythm.

_Hey girl, I'm debating if I should take you home_

_Should I take you home?_

Eren looked into Levi’s eyes innocently and placed his hands on his shoulders as he rocked his hips from side to side, then shifting between bending each knee to make his legs rock.

_I don't mean to keep you waiting_

_But I just gotta know if you're ready_

Eren spread Levi’s legs wider so he could have some space to wedge in a bit. He bent over a bit and ran his hands up and down Levi’s thighs, intensifying his eye contact and swaying his hips a bit more.

_She says she wanna take her skirt off,_

Eren stood up straighter and started teasing his own fingers into the waistband of his boxers, pulling them down juuust enough that Levi couldn’t see the goods.

_be my guest_

Eren stuck his tongue out playfully thrusted his hips.

_I decided to take my shirt off, and show my chest_

He sloppily lifted his shirt to show off his abdomen, his eyebrows wagging confidently, and let his shirt drop as he spun around a little.

_And we've been sipping on that Merlot_

_So you know what's next_

Eren leaned in and took Levi’s face in his hands, not quite kissing him, but instead brushing his lips against Levi’s teasingly, moaning just a bit.

_Working intermissions, switching positions_

_We so explicit, oh...._

Eren put a leg up on the couch and bit his lip as he fucked the air in front of Levi’s face, in tandem with the fast pulse of the verse. He was almost giggly.

_You've been saying all night long_

_That you couldn't wait to get me home alone_

Eren turned around and placed his hands on his bent knees, letting his back arch as he rubbed his ass on Levi’s crotch. It seems his little performance so far was getting the reaction he’s hoped for.

_What you gon' do to me?_

Eren turned around and straddled Levi’s lap, leaning close to Levi’s ear and whispering the lyrics along with Usher. He made sure to place a graceful hand on Levi’s pectoral for a little tease.

_Don't talk about it, be about it_

_Let me see, let me see, let me see_

Eren got up and placed his hands on Levi’s knees, looking him in the eyes again. This time, instead of a fiery gaze, it was a flirty challenge. He swayed his hips as he lifted Levi’s chin with a finger, as if for a kiss, but instead just traced it back up with a “come here” motion.

_Girl, I can't wait to get you home_

_Talk a good game, mate, come on_

_Holler 'bout what you gon' do to me_

_Don't talk about it, be about it_

_Let me see, let me see, let me see_

Eren turned as he worked his hips in circles, raising his arms so Levi could get a little glimpse of his back dimples and stomach. Then he found himself in between Levi’s legs again, taking a fistful of the back of Levi’s hair and yanking it back gently so that he could look up, and those steely grays showed nothing but arousal as Eren brought his abdomen to Levi’s nose sensually. He looked down with equally lusty emeralds.

And by the end of the song, Eren had pretty much ditched self-control and patience, and was grinding his crotch on Levi’s leg in rhythm to the beat.

When Usher stopped singing, Eren was hot and bothered and not as in control as he thought he was.

“Help me finish, Levi,” he whined, his eyebrows furrowed and the tent in his boxers becoming painfully hard.

“You did this to yourself, baby,” Levi was looking down to where he had taken out and wrapped a hand around Eren’s cock.

“Yeah, yeah,” Eren waved him down and grinded a bit to get some friction. “But only you can help me out. Work that intermission! You heard Usher!”

And Levi did in fact work that intermission to satisfy Eren.

But it was quite alright on his end, because right after Eren climbed down, Levi finally got the blowjob he’d been needing since the song started.


	51. Cheesy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes cuddles and sweet lovin' have priority over eggplant emojis :3c
> 
> (Please leave a comment; it truly makes my day! I love hearing from you guys! My precious little princes and princesses~)

When Eren woke up on Sunday, he was disappointed but not surprised that Levi had already gotten out of bed.

After brushing and a quick shower, he went into Levi’s study to say good morning, but he wasn’t there, either. He must’ve went to work at the office.

Eren made his way to the kitchen to make himself some coffee, blanket draped over his shoulders, and was delighted to see something on the bar counter.

It was a box of a dozen donuts, and atop it, a small gift bag. Eren grinned excitedly as he took a seat to open his gift.

Resting neatly above the tissue paper was a yellow piece of paper that Eren recognized from Levi’s notepad, which he used to write down the shopping lists. He opened it up, and in a familiar, neat cursive:

_For you, babe_

_-L_

Eren’s heart fluttered and he couldn’t wipe the growing smile on his face. Levi was the kindest boyfriend to leave surprises randomly. He tore away the tissue paper and took out the package.

It was Fitbit Blaze watch! He told Levi he was in the market for a good fitness tracker, and now he was just saved a trip. Levi was always so attentive. This would make his jogs easier to manage.

He put the wrappings aside and opened up the box of donuts. It was half assorted, and half with chocolate frosting. Levi knew exactly what he liked!

And, this treat would be perfect with his morning coffee.

Eren took out his phone to show his thanks. He didn’t call, in case Levi was speaking to someone or was in a meeting, so a picture would suffice and Levi could look at it on his own time.

Eren held the watch up to his face and smiled sweetly for the selfie. He captioned it _Thank you for the surprise, my sweet, amazing hubby!!!!!!!! I LOVE YOU!!!_

He made his cup and took the donut box to the TV, where he lounged lazily through the morning.

\--

Armin woke up in Erwin’s huge bed, but no arms were holding him close. When he got up and pulled the stray lock from out of his mouth, his heart sank when Erwin wasn’t there. He probably went to the company to get right back to work.

He brushed his teeth and went to get breakfast started. But upon entering the living room to get there, he was startled to see someone else, wiping a table with some cleaner.

It was a young lady. She wore baggy brown shorts and had her brunette hair up in a swishy ponytail. When she met eyes with Armin, she smiled warmly.

And she must’ve noticed his surprised expression. “Hi, sweetie. I’m Lily. I didn’t mean to startle you.”

Armin shook the expression off quickly so he wouldn’t give a rude impression. “Oh, uhh… I’m Armin! Good morning!”

“I’m almost done cleaning. Would you like me to cook you some breakfast?”

Armin’s stomach was grumbling and he couldn’t deny that he was starving, but he didn’t want to inconvenience her. “That’s quite alright, you don’t have to!”

Lily laughed. Armin thought her laugh was really cute and genuine. “Mr. Smith told me you’d say that. I’ll cook you some breakfast,” she stated, this time not giving him a choice.

Armin smiled and nodded gratefully. He went into the library to get some reading in, and he overheard Lily turn on the vacuum from a distance. He checked his phone, and read Erwin’s message first:

_Good morning, my dear. I’m at the office when you’re reading this. I forgot to mention that Lily will be there. She comes by to clean on most Sundays. Pay her no mind, she should be about done by the time you’re awake. And I’ve told her to ask you what you wanted to eat for breakfast. I love you, see you later._

Had Armin read this message before his encounter with Lily, he would have had a much less confusing morning.

He went back into the living room, and Lily was wrapping up the cord around the vacuum. Now, she was dusting the many vases scattered about as well as the bookshelf. Armin sat at the couch and turned on the TV to catch the news.

When Lily was done, she packed her cleaning supplies and washed her hands at the kitchen sink. “What do you like to eat, Armin?” she asked.

Armin tucked a lock of hair behind his ear as he thought. “Umm… can you make omelets?”

“I sure can, sweetie,” she smiled, and soon the lovely smell of seared ingredients danced around in the air.

Armin sat at the dining table and waited, texting Eren.

Lily placed a hot plate and a glass of orange juice in front of him. “Enjoy, honey. I’ll be on my way now. It was nice meeting you.”

She began to turn on her heel to walk away, but Armin stopped her. “Wait! Don’t go yet. Stay and have breakfast with me.”

Lily looked at where Armin held her arm gently. Then she laughed again, that charming giggle that warmed Armin’s heart. “You’re just like Mr. Smith. He always insists that I stay and eat with him, but I always tell him that’s not what he’s paying me for. Then he says, ‘Please, Lily. Do it for me.’”

Armin laughed. That did sound like something Erwin would say. “Then I’ll say the same: Please do it for me. I want to get to know you.”

“…Alright,” she smiled, “if you insist.” Lily went back to the kitchen and made herself an omelet with the leftover remains in the pan.

It wasn’t until Lily sat down that Armin dug into his food. He almost moaned out loud in pleasure. “Mm. This tastes just like Erwin’s.”

Lily cut into hers with a knife and fork. “I shared my recipe with him a few weeks ago. Maybe he’s tried it?”

Armin put two and two together. Erwin did mention he was trying out a new omelet recipe. It must’ve been Lily’s. “Yeah, I think it was your recipe. They’re almost identical.”

“Mr. Smith asks me for cooking advice, but I feel like I should be asking him. He’s a genius in the kitchen.”

“Yeah. But I’m kind of surprised he never brought you up. How long have you been working for him?” Armin asked.

“Mm… I would say almost five years now.”

Armin’s eyes widened. Five years? This girl looked like a teenager. “Wow… uhh… how old are you, if you don’t mind me asking? You look awfully young.”

Lily laughed and waved him away. “Don’t worry, I get that a lot. I’m 25. When I was about 20, my family needed help making ends meet, so I started to start working on top of going to school. I didn’t have any formal work experience, but I did have a particular talent at cleaning.”

Armin chewed as he listened intently.

“So I put up flyers at the grocery store, offering a cleaning service. I really didn’t expect to get any calls… there were several other flyers around mine with cleaning services from people who had decades of experience. For a while, I had gotten no calls. And with funds running low, I was starting to lose hope.”

“What happened next?” Armin inquired. He watched Lily take a bite of her omelet.

“One day, I finally got a call. A man was asking how much I charged for relatively large house. Being that I was desperate for any type of work, and I didn’t want to charge too much having no experience, I told him I’d clean his whole house for $30.”

“That man was Erwin.” Armin smiled knowingly.

Lily nodded and smiled back. “It was. He said to come on over and see if my price would change once I’d gotten a look at the job. When I got there, little did I know that his “relatively large house” was a mansion!” She laughed at the memory.

 _Oh, that must’ve been the place Erwin lived in before this one,_ Armin figured. “Did you take the job?”

“I was really overwhelmed by how big the space was. But I really did need the money. So I said yes. I worked my magic,” she said mystically, and wiggled her fingers around. “It took a long time to really do the job to perfection, but I was so grateful to have a job that it didn’t feel like a burden.”

Armin took a bite of his omelet and kept listening.

“Mr. Smith was so impressed with my work that he paid me $500. I refused at first. I said that was way too much money for one session. And guess what he did?”

“He probably gave you even more,” Armin said. He knew how generous Erwin was.

“Right on the money, sweetie!” she laughed. “He doubled it. He said $1,000 was fitting for a job like that. I was flabbergasted. I refused even harder. That was the first time I saw that much money all at once. And you know what he did!? He took out another $500! And he said that every time I refuse, he’ll tack on another 500 until I accept. Obviously, I didn’t want him to spend more money on me, so I took the $1,500.”

“What a funny story,” Armin giggled. “That totally sounds like something he would do.”

“Isn’t it? So when he drove me back home, he asked me if I could formally be his cleaner. He said he was really impressed with my work and my attitude. And I said yes!! I’d love to work for a man like that.”

Even at Survey Corp, all the employees seemed really happy working there, Armin noticed. Erwin made a wonderful boss.

Lily took a few more bites. “It was only because of him that I’m the person I am today. He gave me a chance when no one else would. And for that, I’ll be forever in his debt. I still think he pays me too much, but I keep quiet about it, otherwise he’ll give me even more!”

Armin’s heart warmed. Erwin really was the type of man to change someone’s life and say nothing about it.

“And so that’s the story of how I met Mr. Smith,” Lily concluded. “Even when he moved from that big mansion to this apartment, he asked if I could keep cleaning for him. How could I refuse, for the man that kept my family’s bills paid?”

“He’s so generous…” Armin said dreamily, more thinking out loud.

“He totally is. One time over breakfast, I told him that alongside working to help with the family bills, I was also working my own way through college. And you know what he did? He paid my tuition in full!”

Armin laughed. That was exactly like a few days ago at the hospital with his grandfather. He was honored to have chosen such a pious man for a boyfriend.

Armin asked Lily about her family and her studies. She was very ambitious, and grateful for opportunities. And she said she owed it all to Erwin.

“Recently, I asked Mr. Smith what made me special compared to all the other flyers in that grocery store, and he said the sparkly rainbow stickers I put on them caught his eye!” Lily laughed, almost embarrassed. “He said he liked the personality I put into my flyers. Who would’ve thought that a big boss man like him would notice some rainbow stickers?”

Lily took their empty plates to the sink and came back with the orange juice to refill their glasses. “But enough about me, sweetie. Tell me about you. You’re Mr. Smith’s boyfriend, aren’t you?” Her grin widened mischievously.

Armin grinned back. “I am.” He told Lily about himself, his hobbies, and his background.

Lily listened politely and inquired about him as well.

“You know, sweetie, I’m glad Mr. Smith has finally found a little cutie like you. Over the past couple years, I noticed he was getting kind of lonely. Now that you’re with him, he seems so much happier. I’m glad he got the happiness that he gave me.”

Lily checked her phone and gasped quietly. “Oh, my. The time flies by, doesn’t it.” She quickly took the empty glasses to the sink and washed them and the dishes. Then she put away the cleaning supplies and put on her olive jacket. It had various smiley buttons on the breast. She tightened her ponytail and put on her shoes in a hurry.

“You’re the cutest, Armin. It was so nice meeting you. Bye-bye!” she waved exuberantly and clicked the door shut behind her.

Armin was left sitting at the table by himself. He looked around. The apartment was truly sparkling now. Lily took her job seriously. And she was quite the interesting girl. Erwin was a very good judge of character.

\--

When lunchtime passed and Levi still wasn’t home, Eren assumed he would be spending a long day at the office.

Although, it was convenient. Marco sent a text asking to hang out at the mall. Eren happily accepted.

\--

Coming back home late in the evening with a shopping bag of new clothes, Eren saw that Levi yet still wasn’t home. Perhaps that’s why he left donuts this morning. Even though Eren was alone, he wasn’t lonely. He knew Levi was always thinking about him.

He changed into his pajamas and got some assignments done. Having seen Hange a couple times, his financial lit homework was getting a lot easier, and his test grades in that class were rising steadily.

-

It was very late at night now, and Eren knew he’d be going to sleep alone tonight. There was no use sleeping in Levi’s bed if he wasn’t going to be there, so he just shut his books and slipped into his own bed.

-

Levi got home past midnight. He’d spent so much time at the office today, setting up success for the work week ahead. Everything was on track. The M.P. collaboration case was a few days away from the finish line.

Wearily taking off his jacket and shoes, he went into his bathroom and took a grateful shower. Levi noticed Eren wasn’t in the bed tonight. He probably slept in his own bed.

And as exhausted as he was, Levi went into his study and uncapped a bottle of whiskey and poured it into a glass, letting the golden liquid burn on its way down his throat, easing his nerves.

\--

“Levi!” Eren launched himself into Levi’s arms upon finding him in the kitchen.

Levi reached his hand up to stroke Eren’s face. “Good morning, my sweet Eren. Sleep well?”

“Yeah. Would’ve slept even better if you were there with me.”

“I got home after midnight. Very long day at the office.”

Eren wrapped his arms around Levi’s shoulders. “Did you get a lot done? How much more until the case is done?”

“I’ve gotten a lot done. We’re days away from the end.”

“Wow, days away! I’m so excited!”

Levi squeezed Eren’s waist. “I’m excited, too.”

Eren leaned down and pressed his lips to Levi’s, ever so sweetly. When they separated, Eren’s gazed into those deep-set steely grays. “I’ve missed you yesterday, Papa. Now let Mama make you some coffee.”

\--

Eren found out he aced his psychology exam from earlier. How could he not, with all the alone time he had to study? The Monday shift at the coffee shop was finally over. And now Eren wanted to go home and kick his feet up.

But first, he made Levi his treat.

-

“Levi, I’m home!” Eren bustled in with his hands full, stepping on the backs of his shoes to take them off. He scooted them underneath the coat rack.

Levi was polishing the silverware again, his tablet propped up in front of him. That seemed to be his relaxing ritual. “Welcome home, Eren.”

“Guess who aced his psych exam!”

Levi smiled. “See, I knew you would. I’m proud of you, darling.”

Eren came over and set down the cardboard cup holder. He took one out and placed it front of Levi. “Your medium black. And,” he grinned, taking out a kid-sized cup, “I wanted you to try the pumpkin spice latte before October ends.”

Levi tried the latte first. His eyebrows furrowed as he registered the taste. “It’s…”

“Underwhelming?” Eren suggested. “They were all the rage this month. I make about 20 of them an hour.”

“I was going to say ‘creative’,” Levi chuckled. He took a sip of his black coffee next, and sighed contently. “Now _that_ , should be worth the all the rage.”

Eren rubbed and squeezed Levi’s shoulders. “I never understood how you take your coffee black. Some creamer or at least a bit of sugar would open you up to a whole new world.”

“This is coffee in its purest form,” Levi explained. “Why add extra things to change the very aspect of what it is?”

“People add things so that it doesn’t taste like bitter death!”

Levi laughed, and Eren did, too. “’Bitter death’? I guess I know what your opinion is on the matter, Mr. Hazelnut Creamer and Two Spoonfuls of Sugar.”

Eren leaned down and kissed Levi’s temple. “You know me so well,” he said dreamily.

\--

Eren was watching TV that evening, and Levi emerged from his study after a long session of working. “What would you like for dinner, Eren?” He went into the fridge and took out a water bottle from the fridge.

“Mac n’ cheese!” Eren called.

Levi chuckled. “You got it.”

-

Because Levi was ahead of his work tonight, he figured he could actually eat dinner with Eren.

Eren sat up on the couch and took the bowl of mac n’ cheese from Levi. “It feels like forever since we’ve eaten together.”

Levi settled into the couch with his own bowl. He immediately felt Eren’s feet snake up on his lap. “We had that lasagna together a few days ago.”

“Every night I don’t spend without you feels like a thousand years, my lovely husband,” Eren said romantically. He took a savage spoonful of his mac n’ cheese to contradict his gentle words.

Levi couldn’t help but laugh. “You are officially the cheesy one in this relationship, Eren.”

“Cheesier than this mac n’ cheese?” Eren wondered, inspecting a spoonful. “What did you do to this? It’s phenomenal. God damn.”

“I added a little bit of butter.”

“Mm,” Eren grunted his approval, and they were silent as they watched the TV.

Levi ate his own mac n’ cheese. Contrary to what his little husband thought, he could, in fact, enjoy things that didn’t taste like bitter death.

\--

“Erwin, my grandpa’s back home!” Armin gushed over the phone excitedly.

Erwin ran a hand through his hair, having just gotten walked into the door after a long day. He could really use a nice glass of wine and some music in the background. Although, Armin’s voice did the trick, too.

“I’m very happy to hear that, my dear. How is he feeling?”

“He’s feeling a lot better. He looks better, too. I’m just going to make sure he’s all taken care of, and then I’m coming over.”

Erwin smiled and loosened his tie. “Understood. I’m looking forward to seeing your lovely face.”

He couldn’t see it, but little did Erwin know that his words made Armin giggle and bite his lip like a blushing virgin. “I’m looking forward to seeing you, too, handsome!”

“Handsome” was becoming Armin’s signature nickname for him. And Erwin quite liked it.

-

Erwin was so busy resting in his recliner with his wine that he almost forgot that Armin was coming over. The soft knock on the door could only be one person.

When the door opened, Armin jumped up and threw his arms around Erwin’s neck, meeting their lips together.

Erwin shut the door with his hand before holding Armin’s waist.

Armin stared at his lips while licking his own. “Mmm. You taste kind of… fruity.”

Erwin smiled wearily, and his sharp cheekbones chiseled out. “I had some wine before you got here.”

Armin’s demeanor immediately changed when he saw that Erwin wasn’t as excited as he was. He looked hurt. “You seem different. Did I do something wrong?”

Erwin’s face softened and he took Armin in for another hug. “No, no, little one. It’s not you. I just had a long couple of days.”

Armin looked up with a renewed smile. “Well, why didn’t you say so? I can help you unwind.”

-

Erwin lay on the couch, his tie dangling around his neck and his cuffs and the top of his shirt unbuttoned. He lay back on Armin as a movie played on the screen, but between his exhaustion and Armin’s fingers massaging his scalp, he was already asleep.

Armin texted Eren as he rested his chin on Erwin’s head, his hand reaching down to scratch the bare skin of that open collar. He combed through Erwin’s soft chest hair with his fingertips.

Eren was asking what he was up to. Armin replied with a selfie, frowning cartoonishly, and putting Erwin’s sleeping face in the frame. _Watching a movie… but husband fell asleep :(_

Eren replied with a selfie of his own- his eyes were closed, and his puckered lips were pressed against what could only be Levi’s thick bicep. The caption was _Mine took a break from working tonight, not gonna let him sleep until I have my way with him!!_

Eren made sure to include a line of eggplant and water emojis.

Armin laughed and paid attention to the movie with half a mind, letting Erwin get the rest he much needed.

\--

Eren traced his finger lazily on Levi’s chest as they cuddled after dinner. Occasionally, he would press a kiss against the hardened surface, ever so softly.

Levi noticed Eren was being extra affectionate tonight. He carded his fingers through soft chocolate locks. “Hey,” he whispered, as if careful not to disturb the intimate atmosphere.

Eren looked up, still tracing his finger.

“Is something on your mind, baby?”

Eren looked back down and shook his head. “No. I just love you so much. That’s all.”

Levi twirled a lock of Eren’s hair around his finger. Why was this boy so precious?

“I love you, too,” he said softly.

Eren smiled to himself. He got around to thinking. He originally wanted to use this opportunity of Levi not working to get a little wild and have some fun, but as time went on, he realized cuddles were just as valuable these days. Sometimes the eggplant emojis could wait.

Eren looked back up and shifted his position to get more into Levi’s lap, because right now he wanted to show how much love he had to give. He rubbed his nose against Levi’s, closing his eyes and letting himself be in the moment. “I love you, Levi,” he said so lowly it almost couldn’t be heard.

Levi held his waist with both his hands- rough against soft. “And I love you, Eren,” he said with that voice dripping like liquid chocolate.

“I love you,” Eren repeated, his hands traveling up to Levi’s warm throat, his thumbs just barely at his jawline.

“I love you,” Levi retaliated.

“I love you.”

“I love you.”

“I love you.”

“I love you.”

“I love you.”

…

The air danced with the tender remains of sweet, absolute nothings, and time was randomly decorated with proclamations of love.

“I love you, Papa.”

“I love you, Mama.”

“I love you, Levi.”

“I love you, Eren.”

Eren wrapped his arms around Levi’s neck in a tight hold, not an atom’s space separating them from each other.

Puzzle pieces.

Oh, so perfect.

Lips. Body.

Eren gave the most passionate kiss, tasting, molding. Exploring. Eren was always a curious thing.

When they separated, Eren’s eyes danced with reflections of the distant light.

He smacked Levi’s chest playfully and giggled. “So cheesy!!”

“I’ll show you cheesy,” Levi growled, and tackled Eren to the couch, where he littered his face in kisses.

\--

Armin became quite invested in the movie, and when the credits rolled, he took a deep breath and turned the TV off. He sat for a few seconds reflecting on the story.

Then he looked down, and remembered his dear Erwin had fallen asleep.

He wanted to keep pampering him. And what better than a nice dinner?

He carefully slipped out from beneath, and tucked a pillow under Erwin’s head in his place.

In the kitchen, he used everything he learned to cook up some perfection.

-

Erwin woke up a bit heavily, unsure of his surroundings for a few seconds.

But he was immediately snapped out of his confusion when he inhaled a wonderful aroma from the kitchen.

He sat up and gazed at Armin, resting his chin on his hand.

Armin was looking every bit a chef, dashing back and forth, his long locks continuously falling into his face no matter how many times he tucked them back behind his ears. He wiped his hands and let out a huff as he gazed at a simmering pan.

Erwin smiled and made his way over, wrapping his arms around Armin’s narrow shoulders. “What do we have here? Let me help out.”

Armin turned and pushed Erwin’s chest away gently. “Ah-ah-ah,” he shook his head. “Let me treat you for once.”

They shared a knowing smile. That was the same thing Erwin said during their first dinner together in the apartment.

As Erwin turned around to walk away, Armin twisted the hand towel in his hands and swatted his butt with it.

Erwin laughed and looked over his shoulder. “You’re lucky you have chef’s immunity. Otherwise I’d have to get you back for that.”

-

Erwin sat at the table and looked through his tablet absentmindedly as he waited.

“Oh-kay!” Armin sighed, and placed some plates down. “What I have made for us today, my dear Erwin, is a champagne risotto with a side of seared scallops.”

Erwin looked at his plate. It looked cookbook worthy. And he couldn’t be prouder. “I’m speechless, dear. This looks spectacular.”

Armin poured sparkling juice into wine glasses for each of them. A tinge of worry graced his face. “I really hope it tastes up to par.”

Just like the first time they spent together in this apartment, they talked and laughed, and two minds molded into one.

-

“Wow,” Erwin wiped his mouth with his napkin. His plate was clean, not a morsel left. “Wow, wow, wow.”

Armin tucked a lock behind his ear and looked up shyly. “You think so?” he asked hopefully.

“That was the best risotto I had in my life. And those scallops were perfectly cooked.”

Armin giggled from the flattery. “I learned from the best.” He stood and took their plates to the sink.

After the kitchen was cleaned up, Armin took Erwin’s hand and led them to the couch. He settled into his lap and hugged his torso tightly. Upon looking up, watery blue eyes met icy ones. “Are you feeling a bit more refreshed? Some of that stress melted away?”

Erwin laughed, and it was a full, genuine sound. He kissed Armin’s hair and then his nose. “My stress has definitely melted away. Thank you for your lovely treatment tonight.” And after a squeezing hug while groaning, he breathed, “I love you.”

Armin waited until his body was released from the crushing hug, but he actually didn’t want it to end. When his arms were freed, he straddled Erwin’s lap.

It was a minute of gazing into each other’s faces. Armin stroked Erwin’s bottom lip with his thumb.

“Have I ever told you how handsome you are?” He didn’t wait for an answer, and smashed his lips into Erwin’s.

Erwin could finally take a breath after the smooch, and he laughed again. Suddenly, he snaked a hand up Armin’s back, up his spine to his neck, and took a fistful of that long hair from behind. He yanked it gently to expose Armin’s neck, secretly pleased when a cute little whimper escaped from Armin’s lips.

He eyed Armin’s throat curiously, a confident smirk curling his lips. “And have I ever told you how exquisite you are?” He pressed his lips to the warm jugular vein, and sucked on it firmly but carefully.

Armin’s hands found Erwin’s shoulders, and he stretched his neck out even more. The feeling of those warm lips latched onto such a sensitive spot sent electricity down to his fingertips and a heat flooded in his tummy.

Erwin pulled back slowly, ending his mark with a soft kiss. He eyed the fresh bruise proudly. “Mm. I think I enjoy the idea of showing the world that you’re taken by me.”

Armin touched the hickey shyly with his fingertips. But he suddenly got a surge of confidence. His hands found the undone tie that was draped over Erwin’s shoulders, and he pulled at one side until it snaked out from the fold of the collar. “I can be frisky, too, Erwin.” He wrapped the tie around his own wrist playfully before tossing it away on the couch.

Erwin leaned back on the couch, his arms resting behind his head. “Let’s see what my playful little thing has in mind.”


	52. Almost There!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our baby bird Armin gets a little action, and the M.P. case is FINALLY DONE! :3c
> 
> (Please let me know what you think! Leave me a comment! <3 )

Armin was never one to back down from a challenge. But right now, as his heart was in his throat and a delicious, seductive heat pooled in his tummy, he was filled with slutty determination. And seared scallops.

His hands found Erwin’s shirt, and seeing that the top few buttons were already undone from earlier, he started to unbutton the rest of them.

Even though he was very comfortable with Erwin, his heart pounded mercilessly. It all felt so real.

Erwin leaned back and watched Armin get to work. Armin stared at his own fingers in intense focus, and the more he looked down, the more his long hair kept curtaining his face.

Erwin smiled at the sight, and took a hand to Armin’s face to tuck some hair behind his ear for him. Armin looked up with a sweet, grateful smile.

And now that the shirt was fully unbuttoned, he finally got a chance to see what Erwin was working underneath.

It was nothing short of a treat.

Armin’s eyes scraped greedily over Erwin’s chest, and he ran his fingers through the soft, pale hairs there. He leaned down and kissed the broad, firm surface. As his puckered lips met Erwin’s chest over and over, he looked up to meet their eyes.

Erwin’s heart melted and he got lost in those baby blues. “How sweet are you...?” he mused, and stroked his long hair.

Armin giggled innocently at the compliment and took it as encouragement to keep going. He got off Erwin’s lap and settled on the floor, up on his knees. He went back in, this time kissing Erwin’s firm abdomen. It was all just how he imagined it. Erwin’s body was built like a Greek god’s. It was almost too bad he always covered it up in those fitted suits.

 And now that Armin was already on his knees, he figured he needed to finish what he started. _Be bold!_ Eren’s voice echoed in his head.

 _‘Fortune favors the bold’_ was one of Armin’s favorite quotes, and now it seemed like the right time to act on it.

 _Suck his dick! You know you want to!_ The slutty voices in Armin’s head egged him on.

Armin gazed at Erwin’s crotch, pleased to see that it was bulgier than usual. He looked up again, all of a sudden catching a case of the giggles. Erwin couldn’t help but chuckle, too. When he smiled, his cheeks chiseled out and his dimples showed.

Armin rubbed the front of Erwin’s trousers, and nervousness was replaced with exhilaration. _Be bold!_ Eren’s voice again.

His fingers found Erwin’s belt, and the buckle’s clinking sound as it was unfastened had a sort of Pavlov conditioning affect in him. The warm pool in his belly was on fire now, and Erwin was feeling the same way, too.

“I’m gonna make you happy,” Armin whispered. He unzipped the trousers, and now face-to-face with Erwin’s bulge, he reached in and took out the shaft.

“Wow…” Armin meant to say to himself, but it came out of his mouth. Also as he and Eren predicted, Erwin was fucking hung. And now, as beautifully hard and inviting as it was, Armin was eager to give some head.

Armin snaked his hand up to meet Erwin’s, and once the familiar warmth was engulfing his, he took his cock to his mouth.

When he saw that Erwin was running his thumb over his hand soothingly, Armin found it so much easier to keep going. But Erwin was very thick. Just the head filled in Armin’s whole mouth, but he tried to stretch his limits and take it further down his throat.

When he felt some precum leak onto his tongue, he swallowed it down and let out a little whimper.

Erwin was moaning from deep within his chest, letting his eyes laze close.

Armin was starting to get the hang of it. He couldn’t go all the way balls-deep like he wanted to right now, careful not to trigger his gag reflex especially after eating, but he found that caressing the head and slit as well as the groove above the shaft with his tongue seemed to get the response he wanted.

Erwin collected Armin’s hair behind his head and held it there to make the blowjob easier. With his other hand, his grip on Armin’s hand became tighter as he felt the pleasure focus in on one spot.

With the hair out of his face, Armin was more liberated. He wrapped his hand around the thick base, and swirled his tongue all over the head.

Erwin didn’t say anything, but he threw his head back and his breathing became more erratic. Armin figured he just wasn’t the vocal type while being pleasured.

He started to pump his hand up and down the shaft, making sure to maintain that firm grip, and that along with the hollowing of his cheeks had Erwin twitching and whining ever so quietly.

 _You can be loud, Erwin,_ Armin wanted to say and pat his chiseled cheek gently, but his mouth was a bit occupied at the moment.

Armin moaned as he sucked harder, flicking his tongue around a bit more. He vigorously pumped Erwin off, and as he felt the blood rush to make him swell in his hands, he looked up to see Erwin’s reaction.

Erwin was trying very hard not to make noise, although he himself didn’t know why. It was almost like making a sound would take away from the feeling. When he looked down, big, watery blue eyes were staring back up him with determination, and Armin’s hand and moans vibrating around him like a sex machine and those cute lips wrapped around the head were so delectable and fuckable and-

“Ah!” Erwin groaned suddenly and hunched over, feeling guilty that he came without giving Armin some sort of warning.

But Armin took it like a champ. The warm, bittersweet pleasure slipped down his throat and he took every last drop. When the flow slowed down, he gave Erwin a few more firm upward strokes, and a little bit more cum released. He was very attuned to Erwin’s body, and after that experience just then, even more so.

Armin slid his lips off, and wiped the side of his mouth with the back of his hand innocently. After zipping Erwin back up, he got on his lap again. He leaned in close so that their eyes gazed into each other’s quite intimately.

“Did I do okay?” Armin asked softly.

Erwin breathed out in a light chuckle, and then laughed out loud. Armin giggled shyly, a bit unsure.

But Erwin took Armin’s head into his shoulder and held him there. “You did more than okay, little one. You made me feel phenomenal. Thank you very much for that.”

Armin smiled into Erwin’s shoulder, revived with a new confidence. _YES! YES YES YES!_ Tonight’s blowjob would be the first of many. And later on, he could actually take a real pounding like the voices in his head were insisting.

But for now, this was good, too. He was getting quite sleepy.

He brought his hands up around Erwin’s neck and hugged him tight. He didn’t know why he was so shy just then. There was nothing he had to be ashamed of with this man.

When Armin sat back up from the hug, he looked into Erwin’s face with a goofy grin before pecking him on the cheek with a quick kiss.

And after that, he found himself being scooped up into the air with strong arms. “Ha!” he squealed.

Erwin carried him effortlessly to the bathroom, smiling down at him all the while.

“What are we going to do now?” Armin asked.

“I was thinking we could clean up together and go to bed. Unless you had something else in mind?”

Armin thought for a second, feeling himself sway back and forth as Erwin walked. He was becoming spent. He just wanted to get cozy under the covers with Erwin and talk.

“Nothing else in mind; just sleep” Armin said. “…You look kinda sexy with your shirt open like that.”

“You think so?” Erwin’s face softened as he smiled.

“Yeah. Like a… romance novel cover man.”

Erwin laughed out loud again. “I’m flattered, my dear. But the real star of the show is you.” He let Armin down carefully onto his feet.

Armin already knew he was the star of the show. The mischievous smile he had on as he looked up at Erwin said so. He liked that he was always pampered, but he felt glad he could finally be of service to Erwin for once. That man worked way too hard and needed to relax desperately. He just never asked for it.

Armin took Erwin’s hand and led them into the bathroom.

\--

Eren’s phone alarm rung with the mechanic sound of a xylophone. He reached over and turned it off, and then turned to nuzzle back into the crook of Levi’s neck.

Like he did every morning when it was time for him to get up, Eren sat with a disgruntled look on his face and thought very long and hard about how comfortable he was right now. _Why the fuck did he have to get up? Why him!? Why!_

His angry internal monologue was soothed over, however, when he felt Levi press his lips gently to his bangs.

“Good morning.”

Eren snuggled in closer. He grunted. “…’Morning.”

Levi rolled onto his back and took a deep breath. Eren pulled his own body up to a sitting position, feeling tons heavier with the sands of sleep amplifying gravity.

He drew his knees up to his chest and gazed at Levi morosely. “I don’t want to get up.”

Levi looked at him, his arms behind his head. “I know how you feel.”

Eren rubbed his eyes and threw the covers off his legs. “Better now than never.”

“That’s the way.”

-

Now that they were washed and brushed, Eren and Levi met in the kitchen and they shared a real good morning hug.

Eren rested his arms on Levi’s shoulders. “Hey there.”

Levi squeezed his hips. “Hey, yourself.”

Eren leaned down to kiss those plush lips. He held Levi’s face as he talked. “I’m gonna make us some coffee.”

“Then, I will make us some breakfast.”

“We make a good team, hubby.” Eren stroked Levi’s face in a motherly sort of way, and the turned around to get started on their cups.

Levi headed to the fridge, but not before reaching out and squeezing Eren’s butt.

Eren laughed and got some fresh beans brewing. “Levi. Gettin’ frisky this early in the morning? That’s supposed to be my job.”

Levi crouched down in front of the fridge to pull out some ingredients. “I lose self-control when I’m with you, Eren.”

Eren inhaled the strong scent of coffee beans, and smiled. “I’ll use that to my advantage the next time we play together.”

They prepared their tasks, and reconvened at the barstools. They ate and drank and laughed, with Eren sitting way too close than most people were used to. Bumping knees, brushing shoulders, Eren didn’t give a damn. He just had to get his fix of his Levi.

\--

When Levi walked in to the big doors of Survey Corp., he was glad to see that everyone was working hard.

“Good morning, Mr. Ackerman,” a visitor said as he passed by.

Levi nodded cordially. “Good morning.”

He approached Petra’s desk, and his eyes wandered off to the cute little trinkets Petra had around her workspace. “Good morning, Petra.”

Petra stopped clicking her pen against her lip and looked up from her computer. “Ah, good morning, Levi. I have your schedule all set and ready to go. Would you like me to print it out for you or email?”

“Send it to my email, please.” Levi started walking away. “I appreciate you.”

Petra smiled in return. “Work hard today!”

Up in his office, Levi set his briefcase down and reclined in his chair. His tablet popped up with the email notification from Petra. Looking through it, he started planning out how he’d spend his time.

He went over to Erwin’s office and knocked.

“Come in.”

Levi entered and saw Erwin already hard at work as he typed away on his laptop. “Good morning, Erwin.”

Erwin smiled gently. “Good morning, Levi.”

“Do you have that report from last quarter? I also want to take a look at your analysis for September’s profits.”

Erwin nodded and opened up a folder on his desk. He handed Levi a packet. “There’s the report. I’ll send the analysis to your email. You’re speaking with PR in a bit, right?”

Levi skimmed through Erwin’s report. “I am. Actually, I wanted you to review my notes. I’ve already sent it to you.”

“Understood,” Erwin nodded. Levi started to get up.

“…Let’s finish this up strong, Erwin. We’re nearly there.”

Erwin leaned back on his chair, an agreeing smile dazzling the room. “Likewise, my friend.”

Levi went back into his own office and got to work.

\--

Eren was sitting in class, taking notes. His phone buzzed. Armin:

_Eren!!!! I SUCKED HIS DICK LAST NIGHT!!!!! AND WE SHOWERED TOGETHER!!!!!!!!!!!_

Eren grinned and put down his pen to reply.

_OMFFFFF MY LIL BABY BIRD!! He’s hung like a horse, isn’t he!!!?_

_HE IS! WE WERE RIGHT!_

_BUT DID YOU GET A POUNDING THO???_ Eren added a load of water, eggplant, and kissy face emojis.

_No, but I’ll get there! I wasn’t really in the mood._

Eren nodded to himself.

_I gotcha. Don’t you worry that lil head of yours. Bust it open for him after the case is done in a few days! AND BE BOLD, CUTIE!_

_Roger that, captain!_

“Hey,” someone said and tapped Eren’s shoulder.

Eren looked at the guy sitting next to him.

“Do you have a pen I could borrow? Mine just ran out of ink,” he whispered, holding his pen up uselessly.

“Oh, uhh. Yeah.” Eren reached into his backpack and took out a fresh pen to hand over. “You can keep it.”

“Thanks, man.”

Eren smiled and focused back in on his professor’s lecture.

\--

“…and that should just about cover it,” Levi ended his presentation to Public Relations. The attendees looked at him intently as they took notes. He got to the last slide with his clicker; a black screen. “Any questions?”

Everyone was busy jotting down information and looking at their tablets, but no one spoke up. Levi took it as a ‘no’.

“Good,” he said. “If you have questions or concerns, please consult Oruo. You’re dismissed.”

He watched as everyone gathered their things and dispersed. He checked his watch. Everything was on track. He ran a hand through his hair and made his way back to his office.

He got a text from Petra:

_I’m sending out the interns to get lunch. What would you like?_

Levi thought for a second. _That little deli down the street. I forgot the name. My usual order. And coffee._

 _Got it!_ Petra included a cute smiley face emoji.

\--

Eren took a girl’s money with a smile and got to work on a caramel macchiato.

Turning around to finish it off with some steamed milk, Jean bumped into his shoulder accidentally. He patted Eren’s arm. “Whoops. Sorry ‘bout that.”

Eren smiled at him a bit. Jean used to be a bit of an ass, but ever since he started dating Marco, he’s chilled out a lot. He liked this version of him better; Marco brought out the best in everyone. “No prob.”

“Here ya go, little Miss!” Eren handed over the macchiato to a young girl.

She blushed, like most girls did while being served by Eren, and took the drink with both hands. “Thank you!” She left some quarters in the ‘tips’ cup and scurried out the store.

Jean put on a fresh pot of coffee. “Wow. Look at my little Eren-poo. Slaying all those hearts and pussy.”

Eren bumped into him playfully. “Don’t be an ass, Jean-boy.”

\--

Levi ate his sandwich in Erwin’s office, and they caught up with each other.

His phone buzzed on the table. He brushed his fingers together to get rid of the crumbs and picked up his phone.

It was Eren. He opened the message on his lap, away from Erwin’s line of sight, in case it was a surprise nude.

But it wasn’t. It was an adorable selfie of him in his work apron. The caption was _I miss you, Papa. Work hard today!_

Levi’s heart melted. He couldn’t wipe the growing smile off his face.

“My, my,” Erwin mused. “It’s not often one gets a chance to witness a rare smile from Mr. Ackerman.”

Levi looked at him. Erwin always made fun of his serious demeanor.

_I miss you too, Mama. I will work hard for you._

“It’s Eren, isn’t it?” Erwin asked, gazing at Levi’s softened face while he moved his salad around with his fork.

“It is.”

“I’m so glad you’ve met him. I haven’t seen you this happy in years.”

“Years? You’re exaggerating, Erwin.”

But Erwin wasn’t exaggerating, and they both knew it. Gone were the dark days where he blindly went through his work and his life, sleeping alone on his big bed in a drunken haze to forget his loneliness. His life had light now. He knew what real love felt like. And he owed it all to his sweet Eren.

Erwin smiled knowingly. He knew he was right. He ate a forkful of his salad.

But as much as Erwin was interested in Levi’s developments, Levi wanted to make sure Erwin was happy, too.

“How are things with you and Armin?”

“Everything’s perfect. It’s been quite a long time since someone’s kept me on my toes like this.”

Levi nodded and took a bite of his sandwich. He felt the same way about Eren.

“Although…” Erwin started, “I sometimes fear that I overwhelm him. With the age difference and lifestyle change, that is.”

Levi took a sip of his coffee and sighed. It wasn’t nearly as good as when Eren made it. “I completely understand. I feel that way with Eren sometimes. It still comes up occasionally. It just takes time. And communication. Which you excel at, so you shouldn’t worry.”

Erwin took a sip of his water. “Time and communication…” he repeated. “It seems sometimes the most obvious solution is the simplest one.”

“Agreed.”

\--

Eren did some readings and reviewed his notes. He found that he had some extra time, so he called his parents.

He took the conversation to the couch, where he chatted away. His father told him some stories from the hospital, and some emergency room horror stories he’s experienced.

“…Alright, son. I have to go start another shift. Thank you for calling. I’ll always make time for you.”

“Bye, Pop. I love you. And tell Mommy I love her, too.”

“I will. Bye, Eren.”

Eren ended the call, still smiley. He was so glad everyone made an effort to make sure he was happy despite how busy they were.

And speaking of busy, Levi still wasn’t home yet.

So, he watched some Netflix as he waited for his arrival.

-

The door clicked with the keys and Levi entered with his leather briefcase as well as a bag of food from their favorite takeout spot.

Eren jumped up from the couch so fast that the blood rushed from his head and he went lightheaded for a second. But he shook it off and ran over to Levi.

“My Levi is finally home! Welcome back, hubby!”

“Hey, sweetheart. I’ve missed you terribly.”

Eren helped Levi out of his jacket to hang it up, and then took the bag of food to the couch.

Levi noticed Eren was still wearing his glasses. He smiled. Eren was adorable in those.

“Coming?” Eren asked sweetly from the couch.

Levi untied his shoes and made his way. He sat down on the couch with a relieved sigh.

“Did you have an adjustment today?”

“I did. How did you know?”

“Your posture is getting better.”

“You’re very attentive.” Levi said. He undid his cuffs and rolled up his sleeves so it would be easier to eat.

They broke out the chopsticks and cuddled as they had their TV dinner.

-

They just finished watching a serial killer documentary. Eren sat up and exhaled disapprovingly. “Hmph. That’s what happens when you don’t manage your side bitches correctly.”

“Side bitches?” Levi asked amusedly. That term reminded him of Kenny; that was something he would say.

“Not to mention he was getting too confident. His cover-up was too sloppy. Tragic. He probably could’ve gotten away with it if he was more meticulous.”

“How is that tragic, Eren? It’s a good thing he got sloppy so the police could find him.”

“To find them, you gotta think like them,” Eren explained, and tapped his temple with his finger.

Levi nodded. “That’s a wise approach.”

“I love serial killers!” Eren moaned. “I love them! Ooh, they turn me on!” he pulled the collar of his shirt down threw his head back.

Levi chuckled.

Eren snapped back into character. “I got jokes. Killers need to be locked away. And in order for that to happen, we gotta learn all their tricks and mistakes. Such as,” he said sternly and pointed at the TV screen, “leaving your poor mistresses scorned.”

Levi leaned back against the couch. Eren was very bright and was very interested in serial killers. He was a Criminal Justice major, after all. He would make a fine behavioral profiler or detective one day.

Eren crawled over and lay on Levi’s body. “But enough about all that dark stuff. You’ve worked hard today. Let Mama love you.” He leaned down and pressed his lips to Levi’s, twice. He turned away and touched his face. “Oh. I’m still wearing my glasses. That’s not sexy.” He started to take them off.

“No,” Levi said. “Keep them on.” He couldn’t help it. There was something about Eren in glasses that made him extra adorable.

Eren smiled sweetly and readjusted them on his face. “Yes, sir.” He leaned back down took Levi’s lips again, bringing his hand up to stroke that jawline soothingly.

\--

On Wednesday after work, Eren drove over to the company to get some help from Hange for financial lit.

He waved at Petra, who already knew why he was there, and entered the elevator to Accounting. An employee nodded at him politely, probably recognizing him from how often he came here. Most of the employees were starting to greet him these days, actually. Eren smiled back brightly at the man.

The Accounting floor was a bit quieter today than his past few visits; Levi or Erwin probably had a chat with them after Mike’s disapproval.

Hange grinned and took him into a welcoming hug. “Hello, Eren! Ready to get some work done?”

“You know it!”

They had a seat at a table towards the back of the floor, away from the debates and meetings going on. Eren took out his calculator and got started on the problems Hange prepared for him.

While he solved through them, he watched Hange and Moblit give a presentation to a big bunch of people.

He played around with his calculator after he was done, and the floor got loud after the presentation was over.

Hange came over and patted his back. “Alright. Let’s see what you’ve got.” She looked through his problems, and nodded with each correct answer.

Her eyebrows furrowed when she reached a certain problem, though. “Eren. I’ve told you before. Don’t round up your variables. If I give you an exact number or number of weeks, I need an amount that’s accurate to the cent.”

“I’m sure accountants don’t pay attention to a few missing cents here or there. I got the general amounts correct, right?”

“Oh, but accountants do pay attention to those missing cents, my lovely. And over time, cents turn into dollars and dollars turn into stacks of untaxed profit. Keeping track of those missing cents is how fraud and inaccuracies are prevented. Be meticulous with this. Don’t cut corners.”

Eren sighed and nodded. “Fine. I won’t round anymore.”

“That’ta boy.” She looked over the rest of his problems, and when she reached one of the last ones, she seemed baffled. “Hmm… for this one, you used a strange equation I’m not familiar with, but you seem to have gotten the correct answer.” She gazed at it for a while, trying to figure out Eren’s method. “I need a second opinion. Moblit!” she called out.

Moblit looked back from where he was speaking to one of the accountants at a desk. He made his way over and smiled at Eren.

“What is it, Hange?”

She tapped the paper with her pen, a troubled look still gracing her face. “Take a look at this problem and tell me if this new equation can be applied to the rest of the curves. I’m really not familiar with it.”

He pulled up a chair and gazed at the problem, just like Hange did. He nodded. “I get it.” He turned the paper and explained it to Hange.

“Ohhh, okay, okay…” Hange nodded slowly. “I like this new equation. Use it from now on, Eren.”

Moblit shook his head. “No, Eren. We need to stick to tried and true. Finances are not a field of experimentation.”

“But it works, Moblit,” Hange said.

“Let’s apply it to more curves. I want to make sure this really works.”

“I’ve already applied it to the previous problems in my head,” she argued. “We don’t have to dwell on it and stick to outdated methods.”

“Outdated isn’t a bad thing, if it yields results. Which is what we’re trying to do here. Stop being so risky all the time.”

“Risky!? We can all still be accurate while innovating our methods. I like this new equation!”

The two of them kept arguing, which Eren was quite used to after several tutoring sessions with them. He used the down time to check his phone absentmindedly.

“This seems like quite the productive study session,” a deep, familiar voice stated.

Hange and Moblit looked up from their argument. Eren looked from his phone. It was Levi.

“Oh, we’re productive,” Hange assured. “I just thought innovation was what this company was all about. I guess not all of us feel the same way.” She held up Eren’s paper and glared daggers at Moblit.

“Innovation doesn’t mean dumb luck,” he replied.

Eren used his tutors’ argument to give a sweet little air kiss to Levi. Only he noticed Levi’s serious work demeanor soften from it.

 “Anyway!” Hange tore away from the argument. “I assure you that we’re very productive, Levi. Eren’s doing just fine with his work. And the floor’s assignments are all right on track!” she waved around to the floor towards the rest of the accountants.

Moblit sighed, his patience wearing thin with Hange. “Yes, that, we can both agree on.”

Levi nodded and started to turn away. “Carry on, then.”

Eren gazed at Levi’s back as he made his way back to the elevator. People stood up a bit straighter when he passed by them.

“You’re not needed right now, Moblit.” Hange said politely, turning back to Eren’s paper. “Thank you for your help.”

“You’re so petty,” he told her as he got up. He addressed Eren directly. “Eren, if you need some extra help after dealing with this lunatic, find me.” He walked away with a side-eye towards Hange.

“Thanks, Moblit,” Eren smiled.

Hange took out another set of problems for Eren. “Anyway, my dear. You’re doing great. Just do this set of problems, and we’ll talk about it. Then we’ll call it a day. Do you have your latest quiz?”

Eren grinned. “I do.” He reached into his backpack and showed her his most recent quiz proudly.

She laughed and clapped him on the back. “An 89 is not bad at all! _Very_ good, Eren! You’re such a fast learner.”

“I learned from the best.”

Hange rubbed his back soothingly. “You flatter me, lovely. I hope you’re referring to me and not Moblit.”

Eren started working on his new set of problems. “I appreciate _both_ of you,” he said sternly, in a mediator sort of tone. “You guys just have different methods, which is okay. Everyone has techniques that they’re comfortable with. You guys just have to learn from each other to see the bigger picture.”

Hange gazed thoughtfully at Eren working on his problems. “That’s quite wise. I suppose you’re right. Maybe I should learn to appreciate more traditional methods like Moblit.”

“Ay,” Eren smiled. “That’s the spirit.”

He finished his set and had Hange take a look at it. They talked through it, and when she was positive he understood everything, they wrapped up the session.

“Thanks for your help, Hange!” Eren beamed. He packed up his materials.

“You’re very welcome, my dear. Same time next week!” She checked her watch and walked away, muttering something about catching a meeting upstairs.

Eren wandered around the building some before heading home. He went to the very top floor, where he wanted to find Levi to say hi, but he was in one of the glass rooms giving a presentation. Eren saw the backs of the meeting attendees, and gazed at Levi lovingly as his mouth moved.

Levi looked up from the smart board and met Eren’s eyes. Eren winked and smiled adorably.

Levi’s lips curled into a smile, but he resumed his presentation.

The people in the conference room looked at Levi with wide eyes, and their hearts were slain. D-Did… Did Mr. Ackerman just… smile!?

\--

Friday morning was here, and Eren checked his phone upon waking. He got an email from his professor saying that class was cancelled. Eren immediately became less tired and he burst out of bed to start the day.

Levi was in the bathroom taking a shower, so Eren went to the hallway bathroom to brush and wash.

As he fixed Levi’s coffee as well as his own in the kitchen, Levi emerged in a tight black t shirt and blue jeans. Such a simple outfit, but he still looked like a model.

“Good morning, darling,” he climbed up on a barstool and looked through his tablet.

Eren placed a hot mug in front of him. “’Morning!”

Levi looked up at him and then back down to glance at the time. “Eren, why aren’t you dressed yet? Won’t you be late for class?”

Eren poured creamer into his mug and shook his head. “Class is cancelled today. My professor’s wife is giving birth.”

“Ah.” Levi took a sip and sighed contently. “You make the best coffee in all of Trost, my love.”

Eren giggled and took a seat on the barstool besides Levi’s. “Thank you, my dear husband.” He gazed at Levi’s tablet along with him. “Are you going to the chiropractor’s right now?”

“No, work.”

Eren furrowed his brows in confusion and looked at him. “Dressed like that? Where’s the suit?”

“On the last Friday of every month, there’s an optional freestyle dress code at the company. People can show up in pajamas if they please.”

Eren laughed and his eyes sparkled in excitement. “Oh, cool! That’s so much fun! That’s very nice of you to do for everyone.”

“Actually, it wasn’t my idea. It was Erwin’s. He said it would increase company morale. I feel that he was right. Everyone looks forward to it. And people usually bring treats, too.”

“Can I come to work with you? I want an excuse to wear my pajamas in public.”

Levi squeezed Eren’s thigh. “You sure can. Take your own car, though, so you can still go to work while I finish up at the office.”

“Roger!” Eren smiled. “I heard rumors that today’s the last day of the case…” he purred.

“The rumors are correct. We’re wrapping things up today. The finish line is in sight.”

Eren gulped some coffee. “I’m so excited!”

“I’m excited, too, Eren. Unbelievably so.”

They finished up their coffee together and convened at a bakery, where Levi bought muffins and croissants.

At the office, Eren parked his rusty blue car next to Levi’s. He hopped out and gazed at the car on the other side of Levi’s Aston. “Whoa. Whose car is this?”

“That’s Mike’s.”

Eren took the bakery bag from Levi’s hands. “Mike drives a Benz? Okay, Mike, I see you!” He didn’t know why he was shocked. Everyone working at Survey Corp. could afford a Benz if they wanted one, what with those fat paychecks.

The normally uptight and formal vibe of the interior of the building was different today. Today, it was as if the sun shined a bit brighter through the windows, and the sounds of laughter and congratulations filled the air.

Eren looked around with a growing grin. The same employees he saw that were usually in pencil skirts and pumps and smart business suits donned robes, jeans, and patterned pajama pants today.

He followed Levi to Petra’s desk, and he could help but smile at Petra’s pink leopard print pajamas. She looked up from her computer. “Good morning, Levi. Ah, Eren, too! What a treat!”

“Hi, Petra,” Eren smiled.

“Good morning, Petra. Please send me my last schedule of this case to my email. This is it,” he smiled gently at her.

“Yes, sir!”

Eren followed Levi into the elevator and they went to the break floor, whose lounge chairs and large tables were usually sparsely occupied, but today, it was alive with employees chatting and laughing away over shared treats.

“Wow, it’s like a party in here!” Eren squeezed Levi’s shoulder. They found a table and spread out the bakery stuff. Eren got up and cruised around, putting all kinds of desserts on his plate as he went. He talked to some of the employees and got to know them a bit more.

Levi looked through Petra’s email. He really didn’t have much to do today. But he would stay in late to make sure all the departments were up to speed for the wrap-up.

Erwin strode in through the elevators, lighting up the space with his brilliance as usual. Eren found him with a plate full of food. “Hey, Erwin! Nice clothes!” Erwin was wearing sweatpants and a robe over a simple t shirt. He looked like a total Average Joe.

“Thank you, Eren. It’s not every day you can drop the decorum.” He patted Eren’s shoulder soothingly and they both made their way to Levi.

It was a bit of a challenge to get there, though, seeing that everyone wanted to speak to Erwin. “Hi, Mr. Smith!” “Mr. Smith, hello!” “We’re almost there, Mr. Smith!” And of course, Erwin smiled back brightly and encouraged everyone.

When they got to Levi, he was swamped by a few people as well. “See you around, Mr. Ackerman.” They dispersed and gave Erwin some privacy with him.

“The end is in sight, my friend,” Erwin said. He clapped Levi’s shoulders before sitting down, taking one of the muffins they bought.

“Indeed,” Levi said. He looked at Eren who was gorging on sweets. “Eren.”

Eren looked up.

Levi reached over and wiped Eren’s lip with his thumb. “You had some frosting.”

Eren put down the cupcake he was working on. Someone came up and engaged Erwin in conversation.

“It’s kinda loud here,” Eren said. “Let’s take this party to your office.”

Eren refilled his plate with more sweets and they made their way to Levi’s office. It was so much quieter and calmer now. Eren could actually hear himself think. And he could finish his treats in peace.

He plopped down on Levi’s big, plush chair at his desk, loving how powerful it made him feel. When he was done eating, he sat in front of the wall and gazed out on the city while he listened to music. He didn’t want to interrupt Levi, who was doing communications at his desk.

The time was nearing for Eren to get going to work. He approached Levi and he took a seat on his lap. “I gotta go soon, hubs.”

Levi tore his gaze away from his laptop screen and wrapped his arms around Eren’s waist.

Eren took the PA microphone and pressed his finger on it. “Hey, everyone, it’s Eren! I’m so proud you of all! Let’s wrap it up on a strong note, yeah?”

From the far distance downstairs, a chorus of “YEAH!” and cheers erupted. Eren took his finger off the microphone and he dissolved in laughter against Levi.

“I’ll see you home later,” Levi said. Eren got off his lap and kissed him three times on the lips in succession.

He stroked Levi’s jaw and then patted it. “Okay. I love you. Make me proud, Mr. CEO.”

\--

Eren had dinner with Marco and Sasha that evening after they were done with their shifts. When he got home, Levi still wasn’t around. Well, at least now this wouldn’t happen on a daily basis.

He took a shower and lounged around in his room for a while.

When he went to Levi’s room much later, he stood in the doorway, and saw that Levi was already there, freshly showered and laying back against pillows as he watched TV.

He smiled when he saw his sweet Eren leaning against the doorway, looking very innocent.

“Come here, Mama,” Levi said softly.

Eren climbed onto the bed and crawled into those strong arms, which wrapped around him tight.

“We’re done, Eren,” Levi breathed into Eren’s hair. “We’re finally done with the case.”

Eren wrapped his arms around Levi’s torso, smiling gratefully.

Levi squeezed Eren even tighter. “My little baby boy. My sweet prince. My darling husband. We’re finally done,” he repeated. “I love you, I love you, I love you,” he chanted lowly into chocolate locks. “I love you so much, Eren.”

Eren lifted his head and gazed at Levi’s lips. “I’ve never seen you this happy, hubby.” A smile spread across his face. “I’m so glad it’s done,” he whispered against Levi’s lips.

“Everyone worked so hard,” Levi said softly. “This case opened so many doors for us.”

Eren noticed Levi never said “me”. It was always “us”. He was always so eager to share his fortune.

“And now I can actually have you all to myself,” Eren purred. He leaned down and pressed his lips against Levi’s, a possessive, but gentle gesture.

The rest of the night was filled with a lot of possessive cuddling on Eren’s part, and frankly, the relief in the room was indescribable.

Eren rubbed Levi’s chest. “Clear your schedule for this weekend.”

“Already cleared. What do you have planned?”

“You’ll see, Levi. I got something kinda special arranged for us. A bit of a surprise.”

“Hmm. No hints?”

“What fun would that be, Papa?” Eren stroked Levi’s face. “Just trust me on this one. I’m gonna make sure you’re treated like the king you are.”

Levi looked at Eren. He was speechless. _A king. Eren thought way too highly of him._

“That’s my hint,” Eren stated with a smile.

Levi reached up and took Eren’s body to tackle him into the mattress. He tickled that boy to the verge of tears, and even though Eren was giggling and squealing loudly, Levi found himself laughing uncontrollably as well. 

And his heart was light and warm, and he knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Eren.


	53. Before Anyone Else

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A sweet, romantic getaway is exactly what our baby boys needed after the M.P. case :3c
> 
> (I'm sorry this chapter took so long to put out. I know a lot of you have been looking forward to it. Life has been really uninspiring lately so it was hard to get into the mood to put my heart into the words like I usually do. But with the help of many Red Bulls and romance ideas, I found the passion to give our fave couple some mudda sweetness. ;) 
> 
> And I've noticed some more new faces around these parts. Hi and welcome! <3
> 
> I hope everyone enjoys!)

When Levi woke up Saturday morning, it was strange to remind himself that he didn’t have to work on the case. He could finally breathe easy.

But, he tried to get out of bed at dawn like he usually did, anyway.

He was stopped in his tracks when a hand gripped the front of his shirt possessively.

“Mm. Stay in bed with me,” Eren grumbled thickly, not opening his eyes.

Levi looked through the little crack in the curtains and noticed it was still dark. He hardly ever slept in, but now, after a long time of starting his days before sunrise for work, why not indulge both himself and Eren and stay in bed a bit more?

He slid back under the covers and nestled into his pillow. Eren scooted closer and curled up into his chest.

Levi held him close, holding his head there. With his nose buried in Eren’s hair, scented unmistakably like pine trees and baby powder, it wasn’t long before Levi went back to sleep in the soft, cold morning air.

-

At the top of the hour at 9 am, Eren decided it was an acceptable time to get up.

The morning routine was a whole lot of Eren’s roaming fingers, and a whole lot of Levi trying to contain his self-control.

They reconvened at the couch, where Eren pushed Levi’s chest gently to seat him and immediately straddled him.

“Mm.” Eren pressed a long, sweet kiss into Levi’s lips. “Good morning, Levi.”

“Good morning, Eren.” Levi ran his hands up Eren’s clothed thighs, squeezing the plumpest parts. “So we’re wearing pants now?” Probably a reference to the fact that Eren usually only wore boxers while at home.

“I don’t have much a choice,” Eren said, “it’s like the damn Arctic in here.”

“The Arctic, huh? I’ll turn it down and make it warmer in here for you.”

Eren wrapped his arms around Levi’s neck. “Thanks, hubs. I appreciate that.” He lifted his head abruptly and grinned. “I’m so excited for this weekend! You’re finally all mine.” He hugged him tight, resting his head on Levi’s shoulder.

Levi turned his head to kiss Eren’s hair. He wrapped his arms tighter around Eren’s waist. It truly was a relief to have his little treasure alone with no distractions.

“I’m excited, too. I love you very much.”

Levi reached over and took the remote to turn on the news. He watched silently as he held a clingy Eren, and over time, Eren eventually let go to lay across Levi’s lap and watch, too.

“Sleeping in wasn’t so bad this morning, right?” Eren asked.

“Not at all. I’m just not used to it.”

“I can tell. You always just leave me alone in the bed at dawn. I’m so cold and lonely,” Eren pouted, but his frown turned into a face-splitting smile.

“You’re my biggest critic, did you know that?”

“Gotta keep Papa on his toes,” Eren winked.

Levi took Eren into a strangling hug and showered him in smothering smooches. “Who else will keep me on my toes, after all?”

Eren giggled and when he was released, he reached for Levi’s phone, which was resting on the coffee table, and handed it to him. “I want you to take pictures of me.”

“Pictures? Alright.” Levi took the phone and waited for Eren to adjust himself on the couch.

Eren’s first pose was a simple one- just sitting on his heels and smiling sweetly. He switched it up and lay back against the armrest, putting on a more sultry expression. He spread his legs a bit and extended his arm behind him.

Levi snapped the pictures diligently, admiring Eren at the same time.              

Eren lifted his shirt up to his mouth and held the hem beneath his teeth. His other hand went straight down onto the front of his striped pajama pants, and a thumb hooked into the waistband teasingly. His gaze glowered and his brows furrowed ever so slightly, making him look much more like a bad boy than his sweet demeanor a few pictures ago.

“My little model…” Levi breathed lowly.

Eren took off his pants entirely, giving Levi some visual access to his brand name underwear-covered crotch.

Eren looked damn cute, Levi had to admit. Even when he was trying to look dark and sexy.

Eren scooted closer and draped his legs around Levi’s hips, giving the picture the point of view of him being the sweet powerbottom that he was.

Levi got plenty of good shots in the session, exploring Eren’s demure, innocent side, as well as his teasing, cocky side.

Eren sat up and took Levi’s unoccupied hand by the wrist, and slipped two fingers into his mouth. While he sucked on them gently, he made sure he made eye contact.

Levi’s heart lurched and his cock twitched simultaneously when he met with those beautiful green eyes and the sight of his own fingers in those pretty pink lips.

“Oh..”

Eren held that calloused, veiny hand with both of his, turning on the puppy eyes.

Levi snapped the picture before forgetting his purpose and taking Eren right there and then.

Eren took Levi’s fingers out of his mouth and gazed curiously at the translucent string of saliva that connected them.

“Are you trying to distract me, Eren?” Levi asked.

Eren licked his lips to cut off the saliva. “Mm… maybe. I kinda like distracting you.”

Eren put his hands on his lap and sat back on his heels again. He stared cutely at the camera.

Levi snapped the picture. “That one’s my favorite.”

Eren smiled and made his way over to Levi’s lap. “Thanks for taking pictures. That was fun.”

“I have a whole album dedicated to you. I’m making that last one my background.” He selected the picture and set it as his home screen.

“Let’s go get pancakes and then we’ll go to the surprise,” Eren said. He got up off the couch and picked up his discarded pants. Levi took his extended hand and they headed off into the hallway together. “I’ll tell you what to pack.”

“You got it.”

\--

After sharing a syrupy, buttery breakfast at the pancake house, Eren and Levi made their way back to the car.

“Let me drive us there,” Eren offered.

Levi handed him the keys, and Eren excitedly got behind the wheel.

“Ooh, yesss…” Eren hissed, running his hands along the smooth wheel. Levi let him drive the car a few times before, but the Aston was so sexy and so much fun to drive even after the first time.

Levi chuckled at Eren’s humorous arousal.

Eren put in the destination’s address into the GPS.

\--

“Here we are!” Eren said.

They rolled up to a getaway resort called Sweethearts’ Inn. Eren specifically chose it after reading many good reviews online.  The company’s promise was that all guests would be treated like royalty- which, Eren thought, was just what Levi needed.

They walked through the extravagant, palm-decorated entrance with relief, especially since it was a long drive.

They were immediately bombarded with “hello!”s and warm welcomes.

The receptionist at the welcome desk was all smiles when they approached her. “Welcome, welcome! Can I get your name for the reservation?”

Eren adjusted his bag on his shoulder and told her the details of their reservation.

“Wonderful!” the receptionist said. “Here’s the key to your room, and a map of the resort and a pamphlet of all our services! Enjoy your stay!”

Eren looked around and his free hand found Levi’s. The welcome lobby was basking in natural sunlight, with semi-circle entrances to the front, and a romantic, tropical vibe provided by golden lanterns and shimmery stone fountains. Flirty couples made their marks on couches.

“I can’t wait to see the room,” Eren grinned and yanked Levi along.

-

“Oh, my. Isn’t this lavish,” Levi mused.

Dark reds, distant neons, whites and velvets spelled out a recipe for very intimate activities. Eren looked at the circular bed, which was scattered with rose petals, and then wagged his brows at Levi.

“Lavish AND hot,” Eren said.

Levi raised Eren’s hand to his mouth and kissed the back of it.

“Let’s unpack and get down and dirty,” Eren prompted.

While Levi set out some of their things, Eren took the opportunity to have a look around the room. He’d never seen a circular bed before. The headboard was made out of a plush velvet material, and resting on the mountain of pillows was a bag of complimentary chocolates.

Mounted high on the wall was a flat-screen TV, and beside it began a wide-set window with the most gorgeous view of the marina behind the resort. Even from here, he could see the sparkling water and the ant-like people wading in the distance.

A large, purple chaise lounge sat adjacent an impressive, well-stocked bar. Alcoholic drinks and soft drinks alike were arranged like a tall, leveled pyramid. The mirror behind the drinks had a neon panel of light hidden on the sides. Subtle, but moody. Eren was digging it.

He pushed through a door to the bathroom, which was just as big as the room itself.

_Oh…wow._

A gigantic jacuzzi, even bigger than the bathtub in Levi’s bathroom, sat on a raised platform at the far end. Scattered all around the platform was an abundance of candles. With that many of them, hopefully they wouldn’t burn the place down while in use.

Eren went over to the jacuzzi to inspect it further. Already at the bottom were more rose petals, and little fixtures lined the sides that were probably lights, by the looks of them.

He made his way back out to the room, where Levi was scrolling through his phone.

Eren lay across the bed and spread himself out on it, sighing contently. Levi sat down on the edge of the bed, and picked up a handful of rose petals to sprinkle on Eren’s face, eliciting a giggle.

“What do you want to do first?” he asked.

Levi looked at the list of activities on the pamphlet. “Let’s go to the spa first. What do you think?”

“Let’s do it.”

\--

The spa was a spacious, white area with the lovely scent of chamomile aromatherapy. After requesting massages, they were escorted into a private room and were told to strip and get into robes.

In the distance, some relaxing harp music was playing.

“I want you to forget all your stress from the case, Levi. I’d give you a massage myself, but I’m sure the ladies here will be much more skilled at it.”

Levi groaned as he lay face down on the bench. “You’re very thoughtful, dear. This is just what I needed.”

Two young female masseuses walked in and shut the door quietly behind them. “Hello, gentlemen. Ready for your massages?” one asked.

“Yup!” Eren said.

The masseuse that took to Eren rubbed his back gently before peeling his robe back. She got to work by rolling out his shoulders first.

The masseuse that claimed Levi peeled his robe down to expose his back, and her eyes widened in pleasant surprise when she got an eyeful of his muscular, toned back and shoulders, despite his short stature. She glanced at her coworker and pointed her chin towards Levi.

Eren’s masseuse looked at Levi’s rippling back and her jaw dropped.

The first one mouthed “so hot!”, and they both giggled silently. She was ecstatic to get a chance to work on such a hunky man!

Little did oblivious Levi know that most women thirsted over him this way- both in shirtless and clothed situations.

-

“You can go in a little harder, ma’am,” Eren requested, his voice muffled from being face down.

“You got it,” his masseuse replied, digging into his spine more forcefully.

“Yes…” Eren hissed.

Levi laughed at him lightly through his nose.

Although, his own masseuse was starting to want some feedback as well. He was groaning lowly as she worked on him, but it sounded like he was in pain.

“Is everything good, sir? Let me know if you want anything different.”

“Everything’s good,” Levi said. It was true; she was hitting all the right spots.

The heavenly hour was finished, and both Levi and Eren were melted and too blissed to speak to each other.

Their masseuses helped them slip back into the sleeves of their robes and showed them a menu of different face masks to try.

“Definitely the cucumber treatment,” Eren said. Levi opted for a clay mask.

“You really enjoy your cucumbers, huh, Eren?”

“That day at the hotel opened up my eyes and my pores to a whole new world.” Eren never even noticed his pores or gave a damn about skincare. But when he felt how amazing his skin was on the day Levi bought him that massage, he had to get some more.

At some different lounge chairs, they sat back as their masks were applied.

“This is the life!” Eren sang.

“Agreed.”

Their masseuses pulled up little chairs beside them to give hand treatments.

Eren’s never had his nails filed professionally before. Sometimes Levi clipped his nails for him at home, but this was like the crème de la crème of being spoiled and pampered.

He was never one for luxuries and extravagance, but playing king with Levi for the day was admittedly not bad at all.

And even though Levi could afford to be treated like this every day if he wanted to, he was not that used to being on the receiving ends of indulgences. He more preferred to provide it for Eren.

The masseuses worked on their feet next, filing their toenails and using a thick lotion to soften overworked tension.

Eren secretly liked that the masseuses didn’t talk much. While working at the coffee shop, making small talk was a part of the job. Not that that was a bad thing; Eren liked getting to know regulars and finding out what different people did for work. It was a relief he didn’t need to think about the goings of his daily life.

He wondered what Armin was doing right now, and how Mikasa was doing. His mind wandered off about irrelevant things, since he didn’t have much time to do that on his own schedule.

Now, Levi’s idea of a good time was a quiet night in with nice bottle of whiskey or bourbon. But this foot massage was just fine, too. It was very sweet of Eren to bring him out here.

The relaxing harp music in the background turned to a soothing piano piece, using mainly the upper register keys.

With the foot rubs wrapped up, the masseuses got behind and began temple massages. This, Eren has also never experienced. It was fucking delightful. He refrained from expressing his vulgar delight, so instead he smiled beneath his cucumber slices and got lost in the moment. He would definitely take notes from his masseuse and do this to Levi later at home.

-

Back in the room, Eren and Levi were a bit too lazy and blissfully exhausted from their massages to do anything too strenuous, but wasn’t that the point, after all?

Eren took out his portable stereo and got to work making a playlist. He climbed onto Levi’s lap and kissed him on the cheek before proceeding.

Levi reached out and stroked Eren’s cheek with the back of his knuckles. “Your skin is so smooth, Eren.”

“So is yours. You got the clay, right?”

“Yes. I quite liked it. I’m not too used to having things on my face.”

“If we do that again, you need to try the cucumbers with me. I’m telling you, it’s the bomb.”

“I sure will.”

Levi gazed at Eren. He felt the urge to give him some kisses. So he did.

Eren grinned and fell back on him to get them to lay down.

Levi shifted uncomfortably, and he lifted himself a bit to retrieve the bag of chocolates sitting on the pillow. While Eren kept working on the playlist, Levi unwrapped a piece and put it into his mouth.

Eren looked up at him. “Let me taste,” he stated. He went in for a deep kiss, and snaked his tongue in to steal the candy.

“You could’ve taken your own piece, love.” Levi held up the bag and shook it around.

Eren moved his tongue around and let the sweetness take over. “It tastes better from your mouth, hot stuff.”

Levi took some of Eren’s cheek beneath his teeth in a gentle bite and wrapped his arms tighter around his body. “Is that so?”

Eren giggled. “It is so.”

The music from the stereo started playing, something dangerous and sexy that Levi didn’t recognize. Eren fingered the opening of his robe near his chest, peeling it aside a bit to kiss Levi’s collarbones.

“Let me-“ a kiss- “service you, hubby.”

Levi lay back and got comfortable against the pillows, allowing Eren to do his thing.

Eren untied the belt of his robe and trailed kisses down his chest and abdomen. When he got to his underwear, he kissed the print through the fabric.

Levi’s breathing harshened, and he stroked Eren’s hair in encouragement.

Eren ran his tongue along the fabric, then suctioned his lips around it. The saliva from his mouth created a moist spot. When Eren looked up to see a reaction, he saw that Levi went heavy-lidded and his head was lolling to the side as he bit back a groan.

But Eren wanted to hear those delicious low groans, so he pulled Levi’s underwear down and started stroking him up. He thumbed the beads of precum from the head to lubricate it a bit.

Eren tried to match his movements to the music. He snaked an unoccupied hand up to Levi’s rugged abdomen to spark some electricity while he sucked the shaft and ran it against his tongue.

Levi was starting to make those deep, almost guttural moans that turned Eren on simultaneously.

Eren popped off the tip and reached down to massage those neglected balls. “Mm.”

“Fuck, Eren,” Levi sighed.

Eren went back down and took him back into his mouth, rolling Levi’s balls in his palm all the while. Running his tongue along those thick, familiar veins of the shaft elicited a crescendo of groans from Levi, and Eren knew he was drawing close.

The music from the stereo was hitting smooth, gentle plateaus, a bit contradictory to the spiking arousal pulling Levi closer. Eren calmly kept at it.

“Mmm… _shit_ …” Levi gave a long groan as he released down Eren’s throat.

Eren squeezed the shaft a little harder and rubbed those balls a bit more soothingly as he swallowed it all. It took quite a bit longer for the hot pleasure to finish, which Eren took as a compliment.

When he made sure Levi was all done, Eren came back up and pulled the underwear back up. “Delicious.”

Levi’s eyes were still closed, and his chest rose and fell harshly as he climbed down from his orgasm.

“That was amazing. Thank you, Eren.” He rubbed the bridge of his nose lazily and sat up on the pillows.

“You’re welcome, Levi. I love making you happy.”

Levi opened his arms. “Come here, sweetheart.”

Eren made his way over and hugged Levi’s torso. He smiled when Levi started scratching his scalp for him.

“What did I do to deserve you?” Levi groaned quietly, still a bit sensitive from the blowjob.

Eren nuzzled his face into Levi’s chest and allowed himself to be soothed under Levi’s touch. “I love you more than anything. You’re my bae, after all.”

“Bae?” Levi repeated, thinking he misheard.

“Before,” Eren traced a ‘B’ on Levi chest with his finger, “anyone,”-an ‘A’- “else.” He traced an ‘E’. He gazed up, and grinned sweetly at Levi.

“Oh, I see,” Levi nodded in understanding. He was always learning trendy new terms and concepts when he was with Eren. “Then, you are my ‘bae’, Eren.”

Eren giggled. Hearing such a silly term coming from that sophisticated, serious mouth was funny. “I’m glad. I’m so lucky I have such a loving husband. I love ya.”

“Let me hold you.”

Levi held Eren close, massaging his scalp and rolling those strands of chocolate hair between his fingers. The romantic music from the stereo let him get lost in thought.

-

“Let’s try out that jacuzzi,” Eren suggested after a while of lazy cuddling. He was looking for a reason to get up; if he stayed in Levi’s arms any longer, he’d fall asleep and waste the day.

In the bathroom, Levi found the lighter and lit all the candles as the water filled the tub. Eren sat on a nearby stool and inhaled the wonderful scent of lavender and vanilla while he waited.

The jacuzzi began bubbling when it was ready, and Levi shrugged off his robe and stepped in. Eren never got tired of the sight of that naked body. He followed right in.

Eren laughed out loud when the bubbles flicked up against his chin. The water was warm and the jets pulsated into his back and sides.

Levi reached for the remote and pressed a button. Colorful lights flashed in the flat orbs underwater, making the frothy water shimmer with the rainbow.

“Woo! Par-tayyy!” Eren sang and danced a bit in his spot, pulsing his chest and thumping his fists on beat.

Levi chuckled and leaned back, his arms lining the rim of the tub. He pushed his hair back off his forehead.

It was quiet for a while, and Levi shut his eyes and rested his head back. He seemed totally relaxed, and his normally stoic expression was a bit softer.

Eren waded over and got in the crook of his arm and torso. Levi didn’t open his eyes.

A wet finger emerged from the water to trail up Levi’s chest playfully. Eren leaned in and pecked him on the cheek with a quick kiss.

“Mm.” Levi grunted gratefully. “This is heavenly. I’m glad to have this time with you.”

Eren gathered some floating rose petals into his hand and sloppily rubbed them against Levi’s chest. “You’re so sweet, hubby. But the truth is…” he started softly.

Levi listened curiously.

“In this spot right now, there’s a jet that’s pulsing directly into my ass and it feels damn good.”

Levi laughed, musical and rich. Eren’s heart squeezed in tender happiness anew whenever he had the chance to make Levi laugh.

\--

After eating the lunch that was delivered to their room, they lounged on the bed lazily and watched a movie. Eren went into the bar to get some water, and his eyes glazed over all the impressive alcoholic choices.

He made his way back to Levi and lay his legs across his lap.

“Let’s get drunk together, Levi.” His eyes sparkled mischievously.

Levi squeezed Eren’s thigh apologetically. “Not yet, my love. We have to wait until you hit twenty-one.”

Eren pouted. He traced Levi’s pectoral teasingly. “Papa used to be a thug. What happened?”

“He was a thug quite a long time ago. I have to be responsible now. But I assure you, Eren, as soon as your birthday comes around, we can get drunk together all you want.”

“…Fine.” Eren said.

They kept watching the TV absentmindedly. And Eren was still feeling frisky.

He slowly sat on Levi’s lap, blocking his view of the TV a bit. While he watched the screen, Eren started grinding his hips forward and back, forward and back, making sure to arch his back and stick his ass out all the way.

He looked behind his shoulder nonchalantly. “Wanna have some fun?”

Levi put his arms behind his head but did nothing else. He would tease Eren right back. Two can play at this game. “I don’t know if I’m feeling up to it.”

“I’ll make you feel up to it,” Eren said. When it came to Levi, he wasn’t used to not having his way instantaneously. It frustrated and excited him at the same time.

Levi’s smirk grew a bit wider when he saw that Eren was grinding on him even harder. Eren’s ass was really firm and bubbly… just begging to be touched… but he would hold out for a bit longer.

Eren whined with growing frustration. “Leeevi…”

Levi wasn’t in a rush. He was enjoying the show. Eren could probably feel his growing erection underneath but Levi’s lack of action was probably doing something else for him, too.

Eren whimpered and hung his head. His own arousal was hitching awkwardly and he craved to be taken care of in expert hands.

Levi was still waiting, though.

Eren gave up trying to get Levi to do something, and decided to finish himself off. He grinded hard, almost aggressively, into Levi’s hips in hopes he would find release.

“Please, Levi…” he whined.

“That’s what I wanted to hear,” Levi said. He reached up and took hold of Eren’s waist to get him off his lap and place him on the mattress. A part of him felt guilty for not giving Eren what he wanted right away. He really did live to please that boy. But teasing him sometimes was fun, too.

He got on top of Eren’s body and lifted the waistband of his underwear with his finger. Strings of thick precum leaked messily between the fabric and his hard dick. Levi looked back up to Eren’s face, which was reddened and flushed like it was whenever he was sexually frustrated and horny.

“All this, baby?” Levi asked.

Eren looked at him a bit angrily, still feeling huffy for having been denied from the get-go.

“Don’t worry, I had a plan for you,” Levi said soothingly. Two strong hands found the band of Eren’s underwear and pulled it down off his legs. Eren’s pout turned into a cocky smile again. He knew he always got his way eventually.

“Did you bring lube?”

“It’s in my bag. It was the first thing I packed.”

Levi chuckled and went to retrieve the bottle. Eren lazily stroked himself up while he waited.

After scissoring Eren open with his fingers, Levi decided he wasn’t feeling slow and sensual. “I’m going to have my way with you, Eren, babe.” He stated and pulled his own pants down just enough.

“That’s what I’ve been trying to get you to do this whole time!”

Levi reached for a pillow and lifted Eren’s hips to shove it beneath him. With Eren’s feet resting past his ears, Levi slammed himself in.

Eren groaned and then giggled. “Yes!”

“You like that?” Levi went in even faster, a bit roughly, but he knew that they’ve discussed their safe word before. Not that Eren ever used it.

“Mmm… just like that, hubs! Just like that!”

Eren’s walls felt heavenly as always. “You feel so good around me,” Levi growled.

“Fuck the shit out of me!”

Levi exhaled harshly. The sounds of Eren’s butt hitting against his hips and that cute, mischievous face beneath him was really bringing out his primitive side.

A few more thrusts, and Levi pulled out to turn Eren upside down harshly after taking a millisecond to yank the pillow away. Eren squealed when his body bounced on the mattress.

Levi smacked Eren’s ass twice- hard. Red blossomed from where his hand met skin.

Eren groaned loudly into the mattress and his fingers clenched the sheets. “ _Fuuuuck…_ ”

Levi aligned himself and planked over Eren’s body, using his arms to hold himself up as he lowered himself over and over. Eren’s ass bounced against his crotch adorably.

He went into the nape of Eren’s neck, the most sensitive spot, right below that cowlick of hair. He nibbled at the spot, and was thrilled when Eren’s body quivered beneath him.

“Ah! Levi, s-sensitive!”

“I know, baby.” But Levi was relentless, and kept sucking and biting at it, and he enjoyed Eren’s whiny moans.

Eren’s toes curled and before he knew it, that shadow of body heat above him was gone. Levi’s hands found his body again, and he was pulled up to his heels.

“Come here, baby.”

Eren used the second to straddle Levi’s hips to catch his breath. Levi was sitting with his legs crossed casually, and his strong hands found Eren’s waist to hold him steady.

Eren put his hands on Levi’s shoulders for support and he lowered himself onto his cock steadily. This position allowed him to feel every excruciatingly delicious inch as it entered.

He moaned softly. “Fuck..”

He started bouncing up and down and as he turned up his pace, his euphoric orgasm was threatening close.

And being inches away from Levi’s face made it all the more intimate. He used the opportunity to share his inner thoughts. “Pop my cherry, Levi,” he purred.

Even though they were in the middle of having sex, Levi couldn’t help but chuckle. Eren was the furthest thing from a virgin, but it was adorable when he acted like one.

“You silly boy.” Levi pulled Eren’s waist down to slam him down on his cock, eliciting a breathy squeal, and when he did it once more, then twice, Eren’s upright cock leaked between them to soil their shirts.

Levi kept Eren seated on him with a firm grip until he finished ejaculating. Eren buried his face in Levi’s shoulder shyly as he completed. The only time that boy was ever bashful was when he was cumming.

When Levi felt Eren finish, he bounced him up and down a few more times and found his own twitchy but slow release.

Eren rested his cheek against Levi’s shoulder, panting quietly. Levi rubbed his back soothingly.

“I think you still have some thug left in you, Levi. I saw it come out when you were fucking my brains out.”

Levi chuckled. “Hmm. Interesting observation.”

Eren lifted his head and placed a long, sweet, innocent kiss on his cheek. He gazed into those steel-gray eyes lovingly.

Levi reached a hand up to stroke Eren’s bottom lip with his thumb. He gazed right back into those emeralds. “You’re the sweetest thing, baby boy.”

He helped Eren get off his cock slowly and lay him gently on the bed.

“What do you want to do next, hubs?”

Levi took off his cum-soiled shirt and placed it into an empty bag. “Let’s visit the indoor pool.”

\--

The indoor pool, as it turned out, was pleasantly empty, considering everyone wanted to take advantage of the last bit of warmth of the year to visit the private beach outside.

Levi enjoyed this. He truly did value privacy. Especially with Eren.

The heated room had a very tall ceiling which echoed any voice or splash from the pool, and the walls were made of a bamboo-type wood. Pool toys and chairs lined the floor beyond the warm pool.

Eren lay Levi down to rub oil on his back, which was usually Levi’s job to do for him. Eren just wanted an excuse to pamper his man and feel up his body.

After Levi was soothed from the hands of Eren, he dove into the pool and began swimming laps. Eren’s never seen Levi swim. As with everything, he was amazing at it- his toned body making its way from end to end of the pool with ease.

Eren chose a large inner tube and got into the pool, sinking into the middle and spreading out his arms and legs. His toes and fingertips dipped into the warm water in lazy bliss and he allowed his eyes to drift close to the sound of Levi doing laps in the distance.

He was just minding his business floating around, and the pool got quieter. He considered opening his eyes to see what was going on but then he felt some water droplets flick onto his face.

“Levi, stop,” he laughed.

Levi hung on to the edge of the floating ring and gazed at Eren.

Eren turned his head. “You should come float around with me.”

“I prefer to move around and get the heart pumping. With the case, it was hard to get my workouts in.”

“Don’t worry, you’re still ripped and yummy.”

“Yummy?” Levi made even the silliest words sound hot with his alluring voice.

“Yeah. You’re my yummy husband.” Eren looked at Levi’s face, and noticed his damp hair was slicked back. It was a look that always got his heart racing. “In fact…”

Without warning, Eren rolled off the inner tube and collapsed onto Levi, sinking them both underwater. As they descended into a world of deep, mute blue, he wrapped his arms around Levi and pressed his lips to Levi’s. The bubbles from both their noses mixed into a swirling column to the surface. 

Levi held Eren back very tightly and they sunk down even further; because a love like this was as all-consuming and engulfing like the deepest of waters.

\--

In the steam room, Eren rested his head on Levi’s shoulder sweetly. Their sweat mixed and dripped onto each other, but with tender secrets and confessions in the foggy air as they talked, their love echoed between these walls nonetheless.

\--

After a much needed shower back in the room, a cleaned-up Eren and Levi made their way to one of the resort’s restaurants for dinner.

This one in particular had an outdoor option, and they were escorted to a table on the terrace.

Eren looked beyond and he sighed contently. “Wow…”

The late October breeze lifted his heart, and the most gorgeous majestic cobalt sky with just a few dusty wisps of clouds oversaw the calm, navy marina. Very far away were shadows of mountains with little specks of light at their bases.

He scooted his chair closer to make them adjacent instead of opposite, and squeezed Levi’s hand on the circular table.

-

A candlelit dinner was a lovely way to talk to Levi and blabber on about nothing, Eren thought, but even when he was just rambling on, Levi sat forward on his seat and gazed at him intently. He hung on to every word, looking at those eyes sparkle with excitement.

The server came by and set down their orders. They both got the spaghetti.

Eren stopped talking for a moment to dig in. “Ugh, I’m starving.” He tore into a piece of bread.

It was comfortably silent as they ate, since the atmosphere said a lot more than words could.

Eren looked up after a while and saw that Levi was sucking up a strand of spaghetti into those plush lips. He leaned in and took the other end into his own mouth to _Lady and the Tramp_ it, sucking on it smoothly. He gazed at Levi and the strand got shorter and shorter till their mouths were centimeters away. When their lips met, the spaghetti strand finally broke, and they met with a kiss. Eren shut his eyes and tasted his man’s saucy mouth. Levi returned the passion, using a bent index finger to lift Eren’s chin and deepen the kiss.

Eren dropped his fork onto his plate with a clatter, and his hands took to Levi’s jaw to hold his face and regain control. He let out a moan, which Levi swallowed right up.

“Ahem,” their server smiled politely at them and refilled their glasses with some fresh ice water from a pitcher.

Levi pulled away and cleared his throat lowly. Eren licked his lips and thanked the server sweetly, as if he wasn’t shoving his tongue down another man’s throat not all of five seconds ago.

When the server left, they shared a knowing smile before going back to their dishes.

\--

Eren realized that with all the time they’ve been at this resort today, they haven’t explored much of the outside. With his hand in Levi’s, they walked to the busy water’s edge, taking in sights of tall palms wrapped in twinkling lights, as well as straw huts with different musicians and chairs for lounging. Resort staff walked around with trays of complimentary smoothies with little umbrellas in them.

The zesty music from nearby steel drums and rows of lanterns lighting the area made the night come alive.

Eren changed their stroll’s course and took Levi to one of the wooden docks. “You can use boats here. Isn’t that fun? Let’s go for a ride.”

“Alright.” Levi chivalrously held Eren’s hand securely to lower him safely onto the boat, and then he entered as well.

Eren held onto the oars, but Levi ushered his hands to hand it over. “Let me, babe.”

“Okay.” Eren untethered the rope connecting the boat to the dock and pushed off, and Levi began rowing.

As they drifted away from the docks, Eren looked out into the horizon and was mesmerized by the moonlight reflecting in the ripples of the water’s surface.

“This is so cheesy, Levi. We’re so cheesy,” he stated.

“I like being cheesy with you.”

“I like cheesin’ it up with you, too.” Eren scooted closer onto his plank seat so that their knees brushed against each other’s.

When they were a safe distance away from the shore, an air of romance and silence surrounding them, Eren gazed at Levi’s face. The night casted shadows on one half of his chiseled features and the lanterns from the marina highlighted the other half with a soft glow.

Levi let go of the oars and gazed back at Eren’s face. He reached out and brushed his bangs aside, and Eren held his hand there to nuzzle into it.

“I love you so much, Levi,” he whispered.

“I love you, too, Eren. You’re my everything. You inspire me to become a better man.”

Eren held Levi’s hand and kissed his palm softly. “You’re my king. I can’t live without you. You’re the sweetest husband in the world.”

“My little baby boy. You leave me breathless. You’re absolutely precious.” He took his hand back to take Eren’s, and kissed his knuckles tenderly.

Moonlight kisses and the gentle sound of the water lapping against the boat only encouraged the sweet nothings, which were way more vast than this very sea.

-

That night back in the room was just about the softest night in each other’s arms, watching TV while Eren stole chocolates out of Levi’s mouth, and then rubbing his chest in cheeky consolation.

-

The next morning, Eren and Levi went straight back to the spa for more massages. Eren’s masseuse from yesterday begged her coworker to get a chance to work on and get her hands on Levi. They still giggled quietly when his robe was peeled down.

Levi tried out the cucumber treatment, as promised. It made him feel refreshed and awake. Eren’s raves definitely lived up to the expectation.

-

When they got back to the room after their spa treatments, they found it immaculate. Housekeeping must have come through while they were gone.

Sitting patiently on the pillows was a monkey intricately fashioned out of hand towels. Tucked into his arms was a chocolate bar.

Eren laughed when he saw housekeeping’s little present. “How cool is this?” He turned and inspected the towel creation.

Levi took out his phone. “Let me take a picture of you.”

Eren held the monkey up and made a bad boy expression and a gangster peace sign. Levi chuckled and captured the moment.

-

Eren took advantage of the resort’s delivery service and ordered a romantic package. He wanted to pamper Levi again.

With a tray of freshly cut fruits, whipped cream, and chocolate fondue, Eren got to work hand feeding Levi.

Sitting entirely way too close with an arm wrapped around Levi’s shoulders, he dipped the fruits and stared at Levi’s lips as he took the bites. Sometimes he’d punctuate the action by pecking kisses on his cheek or rubbing his chest soothingly while he chewed.

“That was entirely too excessive, Eren,” Levi chuckled when it was over.

“Hey, I told you earlier I’d make sure you were treated like a king. I’m a man of my word.”

“That you are,” Levi said and took Eren onto his lap. He kissed the back of Eren’s head and wrapped his arms tight around him.

“We can just chill and relax,” Eren said. “It’s so rare for Mr. CEO to just do nothing and be lazy. Especially after that long-ass case.”

“Then, we’ll chill and relax.”

\--

Hours of eating and cuddles passed by in the romance suite, until it was time to pack it up and head back home.

Not that going back home would change much. The night was still young and Eren learned many techniques for pleasing and pampering his man.

Their bags were packed and they walked out of the resort’s doors with all the lobby staff waving and smiling and reminding them to come back to Sweehearts’ Inn in the future.

-

Back in Trost Tower, Levi took Eren’s face into his hands and rubbed his cheeks with his thumbs. “Hey. Thank you for treating me to that amazing weekend. You’re the sweetest thing. And so very thoughtful.”

Eren smiled and placed his own hands over Levi’s. “You’re very welcome, Papa. I gotta make sure you’re happy and relaxed. It’s my job.”

Levi definitely wasn’t used to being on the receiving ends of being pampered. But Eren would see to it that he got used to it. He did have a particular talent of breaking down many of Levi’s walls, after all.

Especially those of his heart.


	54. Surprises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The beginning of our journey for long-awaited daddy sex (plenty more where that came from) + some familiar faces :3

On Friday evening, Erwin left the office with an immense feeling of relief and joy. The company finished the M.P. case on a strong note. Levi said he would stay in until very late to make sure everything was perfect, so Erwin could go ahead and start his weekend. _He was more kind than people knew._

Erwin thought of no one else better to treat and begin his weekend with than his little Armin.

He went to the store and bought some ingredients and items. He was thinking something romantic tonight, for sure.

At home, he began preparing for a savory dinner. While the kitchen was becoming busy with simmering ingredients, he threw a white cloth over the dinner table and placed a candle in the center. He docked up some romantic music on his music player and dimmed the overheard lights. Now the apartment was shaded with a classy, golden glow from the kitchen.

He texted Armin:

_My dear- be ready in 30 mins. I’ll be over to pick you up._

As usual, Armin’s innocent and excited response brought a smile to his face:

_Yay!! I’ll be ready!_

\--

Armin lounged around lazily at home while he waited for Erwin. His foot dangled off the edge of the couch and he shook it while he thought. He wondered what was on the agenda tonight.

Three solid knocks were heard from the front door. Armin burst out of the couch excitedly.

That tall body was just as delightful now as it was the first time. Erwin stood patiently with his hands in his pockets. Immediately, he opened his arms out for a hug.

Armin jumped into the hug and buried his face in Erwin’s chest.

“How are you?” Erwin asked.

“I’m well. I’ve missed you so much,” Armin breathed.

Erwin reached down and kissed his head. “I’ve missed you, too.”

Armin remembered he actually didn’t close the door behind him. He pulled out from the hug and clicked it shut.

“Will I get to meet your grandfather?”

“He’s not home. Hanging out with some of his friends. It’s drunk bingo night.” Armin smiled.

Erwin laughed out loud and held out his arm. “Shall we?”

Armin took his arm and they walked to the car. Erwin walked him to the passenger side and opened the door for him.

As they made their way through the city alive with sights and sounds, Armin gazed out the window and watched the world go by. They passed the downtown square; the theater with its neon rainbow arches and the distant sounds of laughter and the scents of grilling meat from nearby pubs.

Something secret and amazing was in the air tonight, but Armin couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

-

Erwin unlocked the door to the apartment and held it open for Armin.

Armin smiled at him gratefully. “Always so chivalrous.”

But his smile turned into a bit of blush when he saw the white cloth on the dining room and the sparkles from the ambiance lighting. He could hear a sweet, feminine voice from a stereo in the distance.

He hid his face in his hands and groaned softly. “Erwinnn… what is all this?”

When he lifted his head after a moment, Erwin had produced a bouquet of roses from somewhere and held it out for him. “I’m not sure how much you like flowers, but these are lovely, just like you.”

Armin took the flowers and inhaled their scent. He hummed in content. “I love them. But what’s the occasion for all this?”

“The occasion, my dear, is that you put up with me throughout the entire case. And that in itself is a reason to celebrate you.”

“I’m so relieved it’s finally over! Now we can spend so much more time together. And I can selfishly keep you at home.” Armin looked into one of the lower cabinets in the kitchen and found an empty glass vase to put the roses into.

“I feel the exact same way,” Erwin said. He made his way back to the stove and resumed cooking. “I have many plans and I can’t wait to spoil you.”

Armin watched Erwin’s broad back with a loving gaze, admiring how gentle yet strong, and simultaneously powerful yet humble he was. He was such a dreamy man.

Armin waited at the dinner table rather absentmindedly. A while later, Erwin came by and set down the plates. He took out a lighter and lit the candle in the center.

Throughout dinner, Armin rubbed his feet against Erwin’s, flirty and nonchalant.

-

Armin was up in the clouds from the memory of that awesome steak and mashed potatoes.

Erwin got up and took their dishes to the sink. While he washed them, Armin got out of his own chair and stretched his arms towards the sky. He felt lazy and in need of some warmth.

He squeaked in surprise when he felt himself getting swept off his feet and carried away.

Erwin could always effortlessly scoop him up in his arms, but Armin was once again wondering what the occasion was.

And it was still quite early, but Armin felt himself being laid on the bed. He pondered what other romantic things were in store for tonight.

He partially got his answer when Erwin crawled over him and kissed him gently on the lips. He was as delicious as ever. Erwin separated the kiss, but Armin wrapped his arms around his neck and pulled him back down to suck on his bottom lip.

Armin looked into his eyes, and their noses brushed together. “Congratulations on finishing the case, Mr. Smith,” he whispered softly.

Erwin reached up with a hand to stroke Armin’s face. “Thank you, dear. I think I want to reward myself by indulging on you. I’ve waited for so long.” He used a finger to pull Armin’s collar aside a bit and suck at his jugular vein.

Armin craned his neck up and laughed breathlessly. This position of helplessness was doing something for him. He drew a knee up and curled his toes against the hot feeling spreading in his groin.

Erwin unbuttoned his sweater buttons for him, laying little kisses on his throat all the while. Armin giggled and extended his arms upward. With his sweater undone, Erwin’s hand found the small of his back and the back of his head, and now he really was in control. He loved how small and tender and pliable Armin was in his hands. Those little giggles and that adorable smile was just too irresistible.

Armin was scooped up and was carried to the pillows. Erwin sat him down on his lap; they had to discuss this first.

“Armin… I just wanted to check in and see if all of this was okay,” Erwin started. Watery blues met with icy ones.

But Armin silenced him with a kiss. “Yes, this is all okay,” he rolled his eyes a bit impatiently. “Have your way with me. Let me make you happy.”

Erwin’s smile widened, and he got to work unbuttoning Armin’s shirt. “Alright, then. If it gets too much, just tell me.” With Armin’s shirt completely undone and off his body, Erwin tackled him onto the mattress. Armin’s squeal was infectious, and he laughed, too.

The thought of his man undressing him made Armin incredibly aroused. It was just something about those strong, expert hands roaming all over his body, up every needy groove and surface, igniting his skin with burning trails…

His little fantasy was illuminated into focus when he felt his own belt being undone, and the zipper of his jeans being unzipped. His heart was pounding now. And the blood was rushing straight to his dick.

_Fuck…_

Erwin pulled his pants and underwear down off his legs with one fluid motion. And now he was just lying there, naked, and desperate to get on with it. The slutty council in his head have been ridiculing him for far too long. Tonight, they would finally get laid ( _heh, literally_ , Armin thought) to rest. At least until the next time Armin was a horny mess.

While he was having his internal monologue, Erwin had already gone and retrieved a bottle of lube and a box of condoms.

“Okay…” Erwin exhaled. He spread Armin’s legs and sat closer. “I might be a little rusty at this. Don’t be afraid to guide me if needed, darling.” He slathered some of the clear liquid onto his fingers and rimmed around the ring of the entrance before inserting one finger.

Armin closed his eyes and took a deep breath. It’s been quite some time for him, too. The feeling was initially kind of strange and uncomfortable, but as he started to loosen up and Erwin introduced a second finger, he couldn’t help but moan softly. He tried to stifle his noises by biting on his index finger and looking away.

But his wrist was guided away from his mouth and he was forced to make eye contact. “Don’t be shy,” Erwin said softly. “It’s just me.”

“I know…” Armin sighed. “It just feels really good. Keep going. Actually, go harder.”

“Harder?” Erwin mused with a growing smile. It was always a pleasant surprise when his little one’s naughtier side came out.

But he happily obliged, retracting his fingers and then plunging them in until they were knuckle-deep, making sure to hook his fingers upwards while he was all the way in.

Armin started squirming. “Yes…” he mewled. “So good, Erwin… you’re so good!”

Erwin calmly kept at it, loving the way his younger boyfriend squirmed and made those adorable sounds by his doing. What else could he do, he wondered, to draw some other secret sounds from him?

He went faster and faster, almost violently, and he actually didn’t get all too concerned, because Armin was giggling in ecstasy and biting his lip.

Now that Erwin got to gauge Armin’s threshold, he slowed down the pace of his fingers to move on to the real deal.

Armin furrowed his brows when he felt that unfair emptiness from his asshole. “Mm. Why did you stop?”

“Patience, my love,” Erwin laughed. “You’ll get what you want.” He stripped off his own clothes quickly, and rolled on a condom. He rolled one on Armin’s dick as well.

 _Okay, yeah. This was happening._ Armin’s slutty voices were gushing and on the edge of their seats. Erwin’s body looming over him with that intense gaze was so fucking hot and kind of intimidating.

He pushed in, groaning lowly as he stretched out Armin even more. Yes… this was a pleasure he’s definitely denied himself for this long. 

Armin stared at Erwin’s chest, and every inch was definitely registering. Even though he’d been prepped, Erwin’s girth was a little overwhelming at first. He made labored breaths and waited for Erwin to get acclimated.

And he did. He pushed his hips in and out slowly, making sure to hold Armin’s waist steadily as it became more comfortable for both of them.

“Ohh. Yess….” Armin sighed. It was getting so full. And the tease when Erwin pulled out was just a promise that the thick, savory feeling would be back to appease him.

Erwin started going faster, and the tap of skin against skin filled the air.

“You’re so big… I can feel you all the way in my stomach!”

Erwin’s face twisted in a breathy laugh. “Should I be concerned?”

“Not at all. Just fuck me harder!”

The taps of hips against ass became smacks, and Armin’s body recoiled back against Erwin’s sheer strength. “Ughhh! Yes! Yes! Yes!” he squealed.

Now, Armin wasn’t a virgin, and this was not his first experience. But his first time was such a sloppy disaster that he had successfully repressed the memory and refused to acknowledge it as his first. Eren had told him that everyone’s first time was a trainwreck, but his was… something else.

So Erwin patched up that bad experience quite nicely. In fact, with that fat cock slamming into him a mile a minute now, Armin was getting quite close.

But he felt that emptiness again, and the cold air hit his exposed area when Erwin pulled further away.

“I want to get even closer to you,” Erwin said. He took Armin by the arms and sat him up, pulling him back to the pillows. Erwin had a seat and with him holding Armin up by under his arms like a ragdoll, he lowered him onto his cock. Erwin had a good view of Armin’s pure, unmarred back. He wasted no time finishing the session.

Armin got his purpose and assisted in the task by bouncing himself up and down. “Yes… Oh, my God, yes.”

Erwin took him from under the arms again and slammed him down, over and over.

“YES, DADDY!” Armin threw his head back and squealed. He wasn’t even embarrassed; this was just too damn good and this position was hitting right into his prostate.

“Daddy?” Erwin asked. Although, he couldn’t say he disliked it. It made him feel… powerful. In charge.

Armin’s body was sparking with electricity and prickles, and he twitched as he approached. Erwin rested his head back against the wall and his eyes shut as he swelled up, seconds away from his orgasm.

“Just like that, Daddy! You’re so fucking good! I’m cumming!” Armin screamed. “And with a weaker, softer tone, “I-I’m cumming…”

Armin held onto Erwin’s forearms around him and hung his head as his orgasm rocked his body. And Erwin was there, too, and it was a quiet moment as they finished together.

When Armin came back to Earth and started breathing again, he lifted his head and rested back on Erwin’s chest. He snaked an arm up around his neck, feeling the undercut against his fingers.

Erwin was still in him. But he was too tired to move.

“What are you thinking, my dear?” Erwin wrapped his arms tighter around him lay a kiss on his head.

“I’m thinking… that we should do that more often!” Armin giggled. “It finally happened! God damn…”

Erwin chuckled, and his chest reverberated against his back. “Yes, that was very satisfying. As always, you’re a treat, even after the most stressful times.”

Armin kept playing with the back of Erwin’s hair lazily. “You flatter me,” he mumbled. “You were _such_ a tease.”

“ _I_ was a tease? Do you know how hard it was to contain myself around you? You definitely challenged my self-control.”

Armin craned his neck up. “You should’ve did something about it! Why didn’t you?”

“Because I wanted to be _cautious_. And I needed to make sure you were comfortable,” he explained gently. With one more kiss on his long locks, Erwin lifted a whiny Armin off him. He got to work disposing the used condoms.

And suddenly, fatigue washed over the two of them, partially thanks to that heavy dinner, and they got under the covers.

Armin crawled over and rested his chin on Erwin’s chest. This was such an intimate position. He reached up to Erwin’s head. “Let’s mess up that perfect hair.” He ruffled the still neatly parted hair in his hands, and when it was as disheveled as his, he hugged Erwin’s torso and let his eyes drift close.

Erwin laughed lightly. Armin always did have an effect of loosening up his demeanor. “By the way,” he whispered, “I have a surprise trip for you tomorrow.”

Armin smiled, his eyes still closed. “Mmm… where are we going?”

“The question is, _how_ are we going. And you’ll see.”

“Okay. I trust your judgement.”

They just stayed still and quiet for a while. Armin thought about the slutty voices in his head. _You can all shut up now_ , he told them. Not that they would hear him, they were all just as sated and sleepy as he was. Erwin was still husband material and definitely lived up to their expectations.

It wasn’t long before Armin was snoozing gently. Erwin reached over and turned off the bedside lamp, extending his arm out with some work so he wouldn’t move Armin.

\--

When Armin woke up, he was a bit sore, but definitely well-rested. And it must’ve been really early, because the night was extremely quiet and Erwin was still deeply asleep. He peered at the clock on the bedside table. 6:18. _Huh._

Well, he wasn’t feeling that sleepy, so he climbed off Erwin’s body and threw his legs over the edge of the bed. He remembered that he was stark naked when the cold air made him shiver.

He rummaged through the discarded clothes on the floor and found Erwin’s shirt from last night, so he slipped into it sleepily and buttoned it up. The hem went all the way to his thighs. It was like a nightdress. And the sleeves were far too long. But it smelled like Erwin’s cologne and it was so, so intoxicating. It brought a dreamy smile to his face.

After brushing his teeth, he got to work surprising Erwin with breakfast. He had to admit, he was growing really confident with his culinary skills. Pulling out a cookbook from the countertop shelf, he sifted through some of the recipes to make a little bit of everything for Erwin. As the scents wafted around him, he rested his chin on his hand and glazed over recipes absentmindedly.

He wanted to treat Erwin if even in the smallest way.

When he was all done, Armin loaded the various plates on a large tray. He carried it carefully back to the bedroom, where Erwin was still fast asleep on his back.

He quietly slipped the tray onto the bedside table. Back on the bed, he gazed at Erwin’s sleeping face and ran his fingers through his exposed chest hairs. “Erwinnn… wake up, handsome.”

Erwin opened his eyes with a deep breath, and smiled at Armin.

“I made you breakfast. Breakfast in bed today. You deserve it,” Armin said.

Erwin sat up and ran a hand through his hair in an effort to be more awake. Armin placed the heavy tray on his lap. “Wow… you really didn’t have to, darling.”

“I wanted to.” Armin took the utensils and began cutting into the food. He held a fork up, and Erwin took a bite.

Armin loved this. Erwin always took care of him and treated him like royalty, and now his very own CEO needed to be pampered as well.

Erwin looked good even at 6 am, he noticed. _How the hell?_ His mussed hair was soft and floppy, and his fresh morning stubble was gentle and masculine at the same time.

“I think the student is surpassing his master,” Erwin said. “I don’t think I could make something as amazing as this.”

“You know that’s not true,” Armin giggled. “You think way too highly of my abilities.”

“You’re just humble. I speak the truth.”

\--

Now all cleaned up and ready for the new day, Erwin drove Armin to the secret location.

It was a large, empty lot, and after parking the car, they walked for a distance.

“What’s going on?” Armin asked. He trusted Erwin wholeheartedly, but an empty lot didn’t have many possibilities.

Erwin squeezed his hand. “Look over there.”

Armin looked further away and saw something spectacular.

A sleek, large white private jet sat on a minimalistic landing strip. At the base of its extended stairs was a man in a suit, waiting patiently with his hands clasped in front of him.

Armin looked up with a thrilled smile. His eyes sparkled. “Is that yours!?”

“The company’s,” Erwin said. Armin’s expression was priceless.

“We’re gonna take it for a ride!?”

“That was the plan, yes,” Erwin chuckled.

They approached the man in the suit. He had dark, immaculately trimmed hair and an equally sharp beard. He stood up even straighter and he extended his hand toward Erwin. “Mr. Smith, good morning.”

“How do you do?” Erwin smiled warmly.

He extended his hand toward Armin next. “Young sir. You must be Mr. Arlert.”

“Hi!”

“Let me lead the way.” The man asked. He led them up the stairs and Armin let go of Erwin’s hand when they found the interior.

“Oh, wowww,” he breathed.

The sleek, beige lounge was exhilarating. Huge reclining chairs with thick armrests lined the walls opposite to each other, with a perfect view out the window. Another set of those same chairs had a polished cherrywood table between them. And even further in, an even bigger table with the same polished wood sat with many spinning chairs acted like a conference area. The walls of the cabin were lined with a clean white glow, and the ceiling had bright little lights that looked like stars. In front of the conference area was a flat screen TV.

The man with the suit was apparently the pilot, Armin figured out, because he retreated into the front of the cabin and shut the door behind him.

Erwin took a seat at one of the reclining chairs, watching Armin run his fingers along all the surfaces and furniture. “Impressed?”

“Starstruck,” Armin corrected. He tore his eyes away from the minibar in the back and took a seat on the reclining chair opposite Erwin. It was so big that even with his legs crossed in the seat, he still had room to lay down and take a nap. “How come you never mentioned this before?”

“To be honest, it never came up, so I never mentioned it.”

“How often do you ride it?”

“Usually only on business trips and local travels. So, not too often.”

“I feel so famous!” Armin slinked down in his seat and posed lazily.

“You are famous, my dear. Everyone at the company knows who you are now. And you deserve to be known.”

In the black band that lined the wall, a green icon blinked with the “fasten seatbelt” sign. Erwin buckled in and Armin followed suit.

The jet began moving, accelerating so much faster than the commercial airplane that Armin took to Africa. He watched through the window as the lot zipped past.

And suddenly, the jet’s wheels lifted off the ground and they lurched backward. Armin’s head hit the seat and he laughed as his stomach jumped into his throat from the lack of gravity.

The jet steadied while ascending in the air in a little bit, and Armin watched out the window as the city beneath them became more and more distant.

The city became hazy through the clouds, and the “fasten seatbelt” sign stopped blinking. Erwin unbuckled his strap and patted his lap. “Come sit on my lap, darling.”

“You’re already a step ahead!” Armin unfastened himself and made his way over. Just like on the plush recliner in Erwin’s apartment, Armin curled up and got comfortable. Through the window, the gray blocks of the city below got further and further away through the clouds. This would be the perfect view at night.

But this was so dreamy, too. Armin rested his head against Erwin’s chest and held onto his forearm for comfort. A few months ago, he was just a run-of-the-mill guy. Now, he was dating a CEO and riding a private jet like it was nothing. Life was funny like that.

\--

On late Sunday afternoon, Eren and Levi showered and unpacked from the resort. They didn’t have anything else in mind for the day, so they just curled up on the couch and watched a movie.

-

The movie had long been forgotten, and Eren was in his usual spot straddling Levi’s lap. But now, Levi was taking _his_ time devouring his cutie.

He reached up and sucked kisses and nibbled at Eren’s warm throat, as well as under his chin. While he licked and tasted Eren, he had snaked a hand up his t shirt and rubbed his waist and tummy with a wandering hand. Sometimes he’d dip his fingertips into Eren’s waistband to feel the extra warmth.

Eren was responding so very adorably, Levi thought, to loll his head back with heavy-lidded eyes and release low, gurgling moans. “You know I love it when you give it to me like that, Papa,” he said softly. He hung onto Levi’s shoulders for support.

There was a rather obnoxious knock on the apartment door. Eren and Levi stopped for a second, and shared a look of “Are you expecting someone?” With carefree shrugs, they got back into it. When a few moments passed with no response, the person on the other end knocked again. It was louder this time. They were persistent.

Eren furrowed his brows and sighed in annoyance. His eyes came back into focus and he looked at Levi sadly. “People always try to interrupt our lovin’.”

Levi lay a few more impatient smooches on Eren’s neck before lifting him off. “I’m not done with you yet, baby. Let me just see who it is.” He unwrapped Eren’s arms from around him and walked to the door.

He hardly had it open for a second when a very familiar face, no, two faces burst through.

“LEVI!” Isabel threw her arms around his neck and squeezed hard.

“Isabel… Farlan… I didn’t know you were in town,” Levi laughed breathlessly.

“Hey, let me get a turn,” Farlan pulled Isabel away to give Levi a hug. He clapped his back firmly and closed his eyes, like a friend you haven’t seen in years.

“You two could’ve told me before you showed up. I would’ve prepared something,” Levi said.

“We wanted to surprise you!” Isabel said. “We heard a certain someone finished with a certain case.”

“You heard right.” Levi separated his hug with Farlan. “Where did you just come back from? You two are never in one place for too long.”

“Paris!” they said together.

Eren stood up from the couch to peer at who was making this much commotion.

“Where’s Eren!?” Isabel screeched and pushed further into the apartment. “I want to meet him!”

Eren smiled and was about to introduce himself but she had already sprinted towards him and took him into a hug. “I found the cute boyfriend!!”

“You must be Isabel,” he tried to speak through the suffocating hug. “It’s nice to meet you finally. Levi said great… things about you,” he managed.

“Oi, be easy with him,” Levi approached the scene.

Isabel let go and sized him up and down. “You’re even cuter than Levi told us! He always did have good taste.”

Eren smiled from the flattery. Isabel was really energetic and loud. He couldn’t imagine how someone like Levi befriended her. Especially during his thug high school days. But she had a really friendly air about her; a wide smile and big green eyes. It was like looking at a mirror. Her ruffled, pigtailed hair was put under a brown cloche hat.

When it was Farlan’s turn, he shook his hand before taking him into a firm hug. “I’ve looked forward to meeting you for a long, long time, Eren.” Eren noticed Farlan’s personality was a lot more calm and serious. He could see how Levi would be friends with someone like this. “How are you?”

“I’m doing great! And it’s nice to meet you, too. Both of you,” he grinned at Isabel.

“Have a seat,” Levi beckoned them towards the couch. “Knowing you two, you probably just got off the plane hours ago.”

“I can get some coffee started!” Eren wanted to be polite for their guests. “How do you two take it?”

“Three spoons of sugar, please!” Isabel said.

“Just a bit of creamer for me,” Farlan said.

He got to work in the kitchen and overheard Levi talk to them about their trip. Levi had told him that they were the adventurous sort and were always traveling. That would be cool; to see every corner of the globe regularly. They must be really cultured.

He took the mugs over and handed it to Isabel and Farlan, who took it into their hands gratefully. Then he went back and retrieved Levi’s mug, which he handed over with a wink and a soothing shoulder rub.

“Thank you, love.”

“How cute are you guys!?” Isabel noticed the little gestures and gushed.

 The couch was pretty full, so Eren sat on the edge of the coffee table and listened in on the conversation.

They talked about their trip to Paris. When Isabel took a break from speaking to take a sip, she nodded her approval. “This is perfect, Eren. And lickety-split. In Paris I waited 45 minutes for a latte, and for my wait all I got was a teeny tiny cup. One thing I like about here is that you get a lot, in a little!”

“Yeah, I always forget how fast life is here,” Farlan added. “Over there, a whole street was being held up because a car was blocking the way. People drive too slow there. And the streets are narrow as hell. Isabel and I got out of our taxi and walked the rest of the way.”

“That sounds horrible,” Eren said.

“That? Yeah.” Farlan nodded solemnly. “Transportation is hell there, Eren.”

“But the food and the sights are very worth it,” Isabel assured. “You’ll really like it there, Eren.”

Eren cocked his head to the side a bit. “I’ll like it?”

There was a quick silence in the room and Eren’s confusion went unanswered. Suddenly, Isabel reached over and backhanded Levi’s arm. “You didn’t tell him!?”

“Tell me what?” Eren asked. _How bad French transportation was?_

Levi rubbed his temples with one hand and sighed irritatingly. “I was going to take you to Paris over winter break. I meant for it to be a surprise, but,” he glared at Isabel, “I suppose you know the truth now.”

Eren’s eyes widened. “Oh my, God, Levi! Really? I’m so pumped!”

“That’s Isabel for you,” Farlan sighed. “Ruining surprises since Day One.”

“Did you know, too?” Eren asked him.

“Of course I knew. But I also knew that Levi was planning it for a while, and you keep things like that a surprise. Common sense, really.” He took a long gulp.

“I’m sorry, Eren. I thought Levi told you,” Isabel said. “But it’s okay! Now you have something to look forward to!”

_What an optimist…_

“That’s all well and good,” Levi said as he got up, but how about we discuss the rest of your trip over dinner? I know a place. My treat.”

“Yes!” Isabel pumped her fist. “I think I forgot what American food tasted like.”

“Who am I to deny such a generous offer?” Farlan said.

“Come on, Eren, let’s get dressed,” Levi waved him over.

Eren quickly dressed in his room and went into Levi’s bedroom while he was still changing. He sat on the edge of the bed and kicked his feet. “I really like them, Levi. They seem so fun!”

“They like you, too. I can tell. They always ask about you.”

“I think you trying to surprise me is really sweet. I don’t think you know how excited I am to travel with you.”

Levi finished fastening his belt and wedged his way between Eren’s legs. “I’m very excited to travel with you, too, sweetheart. I want to show you the world.”

Eren slowly wrapped his arms around Levi’s neck. “I love you so much.” He kissed Levi’s lips sweetly. Levi kissed him back with more intensity. Eren giggled and retaliated with sloppy kisses on the sides of Levi’s mouth. “Mm. You’re amazing, hubby. I want you to finish what you started earlier.”

“Don’t worry,” Levi whispered. “I haven’t forgotten about you, baby boy. The minute I have you alone tonight, I’ll take good care of you. But for now, let’s go entertain our guests, shall we?”

“We shall,” Eren nodded once and wrapped his arms firmly around Levi’s neck, which Levi knew meant that Eren wanted to be carried. He lifted his thighs off the bed and set him down on the floor.

Eren placed his hands on Levi’s shoulders as they made their way back out to reunite with these old friends.


	55. Happy Halloween!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our boys have a not-so-dull Monday. And we get to see one of my fave characters in the series! :3 
> 
> (I really liked writing this chapter! I hope you like dat wan, too!)

Monday was Halloween, and an eventful day for both Eren and Levi.

Eren was meeting up with his friends for Sasha’s annual Halloween party, and Levi had to attend the M.P. wrap-up event. Seeing all the irritating representatives and even Nile himself was not something he was looking forward to, but above all he was glad this collaboration was able to happen.

He asked Isabel and Farlan if they wanted to join him in the event, but they were more interested in driving around the city and getting acclimated with Trost.

-

Eren came back from work and was pleasantly shocked to see Levi there. He can finally get used to coming back to hugs and kisses again.

“Levi! I’m home!” Eren said, as if Levi hadn’t noticed. He kicked off his shoes and pushed them aside neatly. The minute he joined Levi on the couch, he was taken into a strong pair of arms and was showered with smooches.

“How was your day, darling boy?”

“It was great! And seeing you here when I got back made it ten times better.”

“Spending time with you is my favorite way to wind down after work,” Levi told him. He checked the time on his phone. “Let’s get some dinner. I want to make sure you’re fed before we part ways tonight. What are you thinking?”

“Takeout!”

“You got it.”

\--

As they ate, the TV show in the background was once again ignored, because they were too busy paying attention to each other. Now they didn’t have to wait for bedtime to catch each other up on their days.

“…and so I was like, a cappuccino with no foam is a _latte_ , ma’am!” Eren said. His coffee shop stories were always entertaining.

“I didn’t know that, either,” Levi said. It wasn’t like he ever ordered anything other than plain black roast coffees. He picked up a stir-fried piece of broccoli with his chopsticks and hovered it in front of Eren’s mouth.

Eren took the bite and talked as he chewed. “I’m okay with people not knowing, but if I correct you, I think I would know better! This lady kept trying to argue with me. Like I was trying to trick her or some shit.”

Levi chuckled. “Eren does know best, after all.”

“He does. Especially after spending damn near half my life surrounded by coffee.”

He took a gulp of water and rubbed Levi’s back. “But I’ve talked a lot. Tell me about your day.”

“It was a bit ordinary. With the case over and done with, it’s back to the normal routine of managing subsidiaries and partners. I’m going to start attending to clients again.”

Eren nodded knowingly. “I’ve never asked… what do you do for these clients?”

“They usually come to me for advice on starting up their businesses. We talk budgets and sometimes I’ll even invest in them.”

“So like a financial advisor… but a company advisor?”

“Precisely.” Levi patted Eren’s thigh.

Eren grinned and took a mouthful of rice.

There was a vibration between them. Eren took his legs off of Levi’s lap to lift his hips in the air and rummage his pocket for his phone.

His eyes glazed over the message and he groaned. “Fuck…”

“What is it?”

Eren sighed and draped his legs over Levi’s lap again. “I lost a bet, so now Sasha’s allowed to dress me up for the Halloween party.”

“Don’t worry. I’m sure you’ll be adorable. What will she be dressing you up as?”

Eren stroked Levi’s chin gratefully for the compliment, but he still had on a worried smile. “That’s the problem. I don’t know. She has full liberty.” He picked around his white takeout box and took a mouthful of noodles. “I hate dressing up. I hate makeup and shit going on my face. I should’ve never taken the bet.”

“It probably won’t look too bad. Have faith.”

“If she fucks me up, I’ll never forgive her.”

\--

Eren sat at the barstool and texted Mikasa, trying to convince her to ditch her training for a day and attend the party.

Levi emerged from the hallway in a striking black suit with silk lapels with a black vest underneath, but instead of the usual tie or bowtie, a maroon cravat with an intricate swirl pattern was tucked into his vest.

Eren turned around and a smile stretched across his face. “Wow. Who’s that handsome man?”

Levi made his way to Eren’s awaiting arms and wedged between his legs. “You like the look?”

“I love it. You look like a vampire.”

“A vampire, huh?”

“A very sexy vampire,” Eren purred. Levi reached up to latch his lips onto Eren’s warm throat, and he relished Eren’s breathy giggles.

Eren went to run his hands through Levi’s locks, but instead rested them on his shoulders as to not mess up his carefully slicked-back hair.

When Levi finished his tasting, he squeezed Eren’s thighs soothingly.

“Do you want me to make you some coffee before you leave?” Eren delicately held and stroked that sharp jawline as he spoke. The strong scent of cologne swirled between them. It made Eren woozy with lust.

“Thank you for offering, baby,” Levi declined resentfully, “but that would make me more alert. And dealing with those motherfuckers, all I want is to get delightfully drunk and unaware tonight.”

Eren laughed. “Understood. One more kiss before you go?” he asked.

Levi took Eren’s cheeks and lay a patient, full kiss on his lips.

But it wasn’t enough. Eren could never, ever get enough of this man.

So he wrapped his arms tight around Levi’s shoulders and clamped his legs around his waist to go in for a deep, tongue-filled retaliation kiss.

And he was splendidly pleased when he felt himself being lifted away into the living room. He hung on tight as Levi spun him around. The glass wall, the TV, the kitchen, the distant front door, the living room space… everything whizzed by in succession and he laughed out loud.

All the spinning got Eren nice and dizzy, so Levi lay him down carefully on the couch. “Alright. I should leave now before you tempt me to stay with you.”

Eren caught his breath and reached out to take Levi’s hand. “I can’t get enough of you, Papa. I love you.” He massaged that calloused, veiny hand between both of his. _How could such a tough hand have such a soft, tender touch…?_

Levi’s heart was struck weak. His adorable little boyfriend was a great incentive to get back home at night.

“I love you, too, Mama. I’ll see you soon.”

With one more assuring kiss on Eren’s forehead, Levi collected his wallet and keys and left.

\--

Eren drove over to Sasha’s house with Armin and braced himself for the worst. She had instructed him to wear all black.

He cut off the engine and sighed with his hands still on the wheel.

“Don’t worry!” Armin patted his arm optimistically.

“I _am_ worrying. I’m scared.”

“What’s the worst Sasha can do?”

Eren tried to take the encouraging words. _Well, if it was horrible, at least he only had to put up with it for one night._

They walked through the door and took in all the spooky decorations of the entrance. Fake spiders and webs hung in the corners, and various carved pumpkins with different facial expressions sat around the room. The lights were dimmed and orange string lights were strung along the walls. Oranges and blacks and skeletons gave the house a spooky vibe, even from the outside.

“Eren! Armin!” Sasha came out of the kitchen and wiped chip crumbs onto her witch’s robe. She took off her pointy hat and gave each of them a hug. _She was really living up to her costume tonight_ , Eren thought.

“I like the decorations,” Armin told her.

“Thanks! I spent like, five hours on it! Everyone’s in the family room, follow me!”

She led them through the kitchen into an equally festive room. Jean sat with an arm draped around Marco, and Connie was fiddling around with a steam box. There were some other people sitting around that Eren didn’t recognize.

With the greetings out of the way, Eren felt Sasha take his hand and lead him to her bedroom. “Don’t think I’ve forgotten, mister! You lost the bet, so I get to do whatever I want!”

“Sash’, please,” he tried to bargain. He was already dreading this.

“Don’t worry,” she sang. “I’ll make you look cute. Trust me!”

Sasha’s room was blue and pink and she had empty chip bags and soda cans amongst her books and stuffed animals. She sat him down on her bed and took a white bag out of her closet.

Eren rubbed his eyes wearily and sat up straight. “Alright. Let’s get it over with.”

\--

“Aaaaall done!” Sasha put the cap on her eyeliner and patted around for her handheld mirror.

Eren took a deep breath and took a look at himself.

He was a goddamn kitty-cat. Sasha used black face paint to color the base of his nose and draw on whiskers, and she colored his upper lip black. He opened his eyes wide in disgust and blinked repeatedly to see that she drew on a perfect, thick winged liner to look like a cat-eye.

On his head was a headband with felt kitty ears, and on his throat, a choker with a golden bell on it.

Sasha was watching him inspect himself with a pleased look. “Not too bad, huh? Now you’re the cutest guy here.”

“Was the eyeliner necessary?”

“It was _very_ necessary. I had to accentuate those green eyes of yours.”

Besides the eyeliner, Eren couldn’t say he despised it. He could deal with this for one night.

“Alright,” Eren nodded and got up. His bell jingled from the movement. “Let’s go get the laughs out of the way.”

“Wait!” Sasha said. “One more thing.” She reached into her white bag of torture and pulled out a clip-on cat tail.

Eren shook his head vehemently. “You got me fucked up. There’s no way in hell.”

But Sasha smiled sweetly. “I think you forgot that I’m the queen of winning bets. Now get over here.”

Eren stood angrily as she clipped the swishy tail into his belt loop. She pulled down his shirt to hide the clip.

With one more deviously sweet pat on his back, Sasha put back on her witch’s hat and led them back to the family room.

While Sasha was dressing him up, a lot more people showed up to the party. Including Mikasa, of all people. She talked to Armin on one of the couches. Connie got the steam box to work, so now the room was filled with an ominous, murky haze.

Sasha showcased Eren proudly. “I’d like for you all to meet the new pet!”

All eyes fell on Eren and not even a second passed by before everyone whipped out their phones and snapped pictures.

Eren groaned and scanned the room for a place to sit and live out the rest of his shame. “You too, Mikasa?”

She put her phone down and tapped her screen. “What? You’re adorable.”

“Look at my little Eren-poo!” Jean had on a sleazy grin. “Come here, kitty-kitty!” He made little kissy sounds with his mouth.

Eren made sure Jean’s picture had a nice, clear middle finger.

Armin laughed as a defeated Eren approached him. “I don’t know why you’re so upset. Sasha actually made you look nice.”

“Thank you, Armin!” Sasha agreed. “It was either a kitty-cat or a demented doll.”

“At least demented dolls don’t have their eyeliner on fleek,” Eren said.

“Hey,” Sasha sat on the low armrest beside Eren and patted his shoulder soothingly. “Everyone here thinks you’re cute!” She took out her own phone and turned on the front-facing camera. “Take a selfie with me.”

Eren was actually secretly grateful that Sasha didn’t make him look ugly or make him wear a frilly dress. It really could be worse. He could deal with eyeliner and a tail for a night. So he smiled for the camera.

Sasha looked at the selfie. “We’re so damn cute, Eren! Here, give me yours, so we can keep this memory.”

He handed Sasha his phone and they posed for another selfie. This time, Sasha held his bell up cutely.

Sasha got up and before she walked away, she adjusted his ears.

Pretty much everyone in this room had gotten a picture of him, so Eren sent the picture only to Levi. He wouldn’t let anyone else see him like this if he had a choice in the matter.

\--

Levi sat at a table, tracing the rim of his glass absentmindedly. Just a quick break with the hardest alcohol available on premise was a good way to unwind after countless conversations and handshakes with Niles and his employees. The good thing about being a CEO was that he usually never had to talk to someone if he didn’t want to. But at events like this, he was no exception.

He was still proud of himself for being so hands-on during this case, considering how insufferable the company he was working with was.

His thoughts were interrupted for a second when his phone vibrated in his pocket. It was a message from Eren.

A smile curved at the corners of his lips when he saw that Eren was dressed up as a cat. He was posing with a smiley chestnut-haired girl whom he recognized from the coffee shop. That must be Sasha.

Cat ears and an adorable painted-on nose was a good look for Eren. And that eyeliner made his already bright eyes sparkle even more. That boy was cute as hell. His heart melted considerably.

 _Not bad at all,_ Levi replied. _You’re beyond adorable, babe._

“Mr. Ackerman.” Levi looked up and someone he didn’t know approached for a handshake.

“Hello,” he nodded cordially. He put his phone away and engaged in a conversation.

But the whole time, his mind was on Eren.

\--

“How did you spend your weekend with Levi?” Armin asked.

“Oh, I took him to a romantic resort. I made sure he was pampered, since he’s not too used to it.”

“That’s so sweet of you to do for him! I’ll take notes to do something like that for Erwin.”

“How’d you spend your weekend with him?”

Armin thought back to the weekend for a second. A very pivotal moment flashed in his mind and he started gushing in his spot. Eren’s winged eyes opened in curiosity.

Armin leaned in closer. “We had sex, Eren!”

Surprise flashed across Eren’s face. “Why didn’t you tell me the minute it happened!?” he hissed excitedly. “You told me you’d keep me in the loop, Arm! Tell me _every_ detail. Leave nothing out.” Eren grabbed a pillow from behind him- he yanked it irritably when it got caught on his tail- and held onto it as he eagerly awaited the story.

“Okay,” Armin nestled into his spot and launched into it. “So on Friday, the last day of the case, he picked me up from my house. I noticed he was being extra chivalrous. Like, more than usual. I could _smell_ the sex in the air.”

Eren nodded. “Oh, I feel that.” He thought of Levi.

Armin laughed. “So anyway, we got to his apartment, and he has it all nice. White cloth… a candle on the dinner table… all the lights were all dimmed and sexy. He gave me a bouquet of roses. I played footsies with him while we were eating, just to… y’know. Rile him up a bit.

“Apparently it worked, because after wining and dining me, he literally picked me up and carried me to the bedroom!”

Eren was totally mesmerized now, and he crunched on a chip intensely. “Oh, my God! Did my baby bird finally bust it open for his man!?”

“I’m getting there!” Armin squealed. “So we made out for a bit, and I’m just thinking, _‘What’s gonna happen…?’_. And then I feel his hands all up on me. God damn, Eren, it was so good. My body was on fire.

“And so then he takes off all my clothes. I’m lying there naked… vulnerable… ready for anything. He gets out lube and condoms-“

“Condoms?” Eren interrupted. “No raw-dogging the first time, huh?”

Armin hid his face in his hands and giggled. Eren’s vulgar terminologies were not only embarrassing, but completely ridiculous. “Don’t say raw-dog ever again. And no, we didn’t. So anyway. He starts finger-fucking me, right?”

“Did it feel real good?”

“ _Real_ good. It was kinda uncomfortable at first, but once I was a little more used to it, it was heavenly. Having another man’s fingers inside you is kind of unexplainable.”

“Oh, it’s explainable,” Eren said as he dipped his chip in some dip. “It feels completely violating, but you don’t want it to stop. It’s deliciously fucked-up.” He nonchalantly fit the whole chip into his mouth and crunched.

Armin stared at him. “I didn’t realize I was friends with a poet,” he joked. “But you’re right. It _was_ deliciously fucked-up. Then he pulls out and I’m like, ‘Whyyyy?’, and he tells me, ‘Patience, my love, you’ll get what you want.’”

“That’s hot,” Eren agreed.

“I watched him take off his clothes- god _damn_ does he look good- and then he puts the condoms on. And he pushes in slowly. Remember how I told you how hung he was?”

Eren nodded excitedly.

“Yeah. My ass felt every fucking inch. And he’s girthy, too, Eren. I was like, _‘Will it even fit…?_ ’”

“It always fits,” Eren assured. “You just gotta believe. It’s a mindset.”

Armin laughed. “You’re right. And so I waited for it to get comfortable again. And when it did…” Armin rolled his eyes to the ceiling and held his own body tenderly, “that man was like, tearing me in half!”

Eren grinned. “My baby bird busted it way open!”

“I sure did! So we’re going at it. I was like ‘ _Yessss… this feels so good_.’ But then he pulls out, and I’m really sad. But it turns out he wanted to switch positions.”

“Ooh.”

“It was reverse cowgirl. Or cowboy, in my case…”

Eren nodded wisely. “I’m quite familiar with that one. It gets in quite deep.”

“You’re right! It was so damn deep and amazing! I was like ‘Yes, Daddy!’”

“You actually said it!?” Eren grinned. “What did he say?”

“He was okay with it! I think he’ll embrace his title quite nicely.”

“I think I’m gonna try calling Levi ‘Daddy’ while we’re fucking. I wanna hear his reaction… But anyway, what happened next?”

“He, like, holds my waist and slams me down on his cock over and over. It was so big!” he squealed. “And then we came. The end.”

“The end?” Eren asked. “It was getting good! We were at the climax!”

“Literally.” They dissolved into a fit of giggles. “But yeah,” Armin concluded. “That was our first time.”

“Nice…” Eren groaned. “I’m proud of you, Arm. You were bold.” He took Armin’s head beneath his arm and ruffled his hair violently.

Armin fixed his hair. “Thanks. I learned from the best.”

Eren ate another chip and he pulled out his vibrating phone. He smiled. Levi liked his photo with Sasha. But then again, Levi thought he was cute no matter what state or condition he was in. He didn’t count.

But he was grateful to have such a sweet man to encourage him in his most vulnerable state. He wondered how the M.P. event was going.

\--

More tedious socializing had Levi a bit weary and bored. He excused himself from the circle of conversation to go get himself another drink.

As he made his way to the bar, a gruff, familiar voice resonated behind him.

“Oi, shorty.”

There was only one person in the world who could call him that without getting a punch to the mouth. Levi looked behind him and saw an unexpected person approach him.

“Kenny. What are you doing here?”

His uncle made his way over. Even after not seeing him in- _God, how long, now…?_ \- all the memories of his youth rushed back.

“Is that any way to say hi to me? Didja forget that I used to work for these asswipes?”

Levi nodded. _Yeah… how could he forget?_

“It’s my nephew’s important day. Why wouldn’t I be there?” Kenny wasn’t the most hands-on guardian growing up. He regularly left him alone at nights to go handle his personal life and let loose with his friends, but he always made sure to attend all his boxing matches and important events.

“You could’ve told me you’d be here. You could’ve even talked to me throughout the case. Your past experience with them would’ve been helpful.” Suddenly, Levi was irritated.

“I like to watch from afar,” Kenny said. “I knew you’d do just fine. You always did.”

Kenny’s underhanded compliment went a long way. He was the only family Levi had left, so he subconsciously wanted his approval.

Not that he would let Kenny know that.

“Oi. Levi,” Kenny said. And without warning, he swung back and threw a punch towards Levi.

But Levi was all too familiar with this move. Quickly, he brought his arms up in a loose ‘X’ in front of his face to diffuse the punch, just like Kenny taught him. Some surrounding people noticed the strange scene, but went back to their conversations promptly.

“Good,” Kenny nodded. “You’ve been keeping up with your training.” He opened his arms wide open. “Come here and give your uncle a hug.”

Levi sighed, but walked into his arms anyway. The smell of cigars and a unique cologne brought back many memories.

Kenny rubbed his back and held his head close, as if he was a child. “I’m proud’da ya, shorty. You’re only goin’ up from here. Let’s go get a drink and talk.”

They started towards the bar, and an elderly man from M.P. approached them. “Kenny. Long time no see.” He acknowledged Levi. “Do you two know each other?”

Kenny grinned and held Levi’s shoulders to showcase him. “This is my nephew, and my pride and joy.”

Levi was a bit embarrassed and annoyed that Kenny would treat him like a child in front of a stranger. He was a fucking CEO, for Christ’s sake. But he sucked it up and held out his hand for Kenny’s old friend.

-

Levi was actually becoming grateful that Kenny showed up. He was starting to get rather bored at this event, and a conversation with Kenny had hardly a dull moment.

With matching bourbons, they caught up with each other, and Levi told his uncle all about working on the case.

In the middle of their conversation, Petra approached them in hopes of meeting Kenny. She had on a sweet smile and held her hand out for him. “Hello, Mr. Ackerman. It’s nice to meet you, sir! My name is-“

Kenny stood up to greet her, considering it was rude to stay seated to speak to a woman. He had always taught Levi to be chivalrous. “I know who you are, dollface. You’re Levi’s secretary. Nice to meet’cha.”

Levi was used to Kenny being an almost perfect gentleman until he opened his mouth.

Petra welcomed him to the event and encouraged him to visit Survey Corp. more often. She couldn’t help but to think about the differences between Levi and his uncle. They had the same mannerisms, but Levi was more refined and polished. They looked quite similar, though. Hardly showing their ages. _Must be an Ackerman thing._

They finished up their quick conversation, and Petra nodded politely. “I’ll leave you two alone now.”

Kenny took a seat again and had another gulp of his drink. Even with all that he’s knocked back tonight, he couldn’t seem to get drunk. _Yet another Ackerman thing._

“So, when do I get to meet the boyfriend?” Kenny asked abruptly.

Levi swallowed down his drink. “How do you know about him?”

“I got eyes at the back of my head.”

“Do you mean horns?” Levi chuckled silently to himself at his own joke.

“Oi. Watch before you get mouthy with me.”

Levi wasn’t sure how he felt about Kenny meeting Eren. Kenny knew everything. He really did have eyes everywhere. But he might be a little too rough around the edges for Eren.

“Whaddaya worried about?”

“I don’t know if he’s ready for you.”

Kenny looked somewhat hurt. “I’ll be gentle with the boy. I can already tell he means a lot to you. And if he makes you happy, then I’m happy.”

Levi still looked unamused.

“I wanna meet who my nephew’s seeing. C’mon, now.” Kenny always assumed Levi would end up with a woman, but he would support whatever made him happy.

“He’s not arm candy like the rest of them,” Levi told him. “He actually means something. So I don’t want you to ruin it.”

While Levi was coming up in his career, Kenny always told him to get with a classy lady to take her to events. “Arm candy”, as he put it. But Eren was never that to Levi.

Kenny looked truly in disbelief. “I didn’t know ya thought so lowly of me, Levi. Why so harsh?”

Levi looked at him, still hesitant. Eren always did ask to meet him. And meeting family was a milestone in every relationship. Even if that family was ex-gangster. “Fine, I’ll give you a chance. But if you fuck it up, that’s it.”

Kenny grinned and leaned back in his seat with a pleased look. “Ya always came around, shorty.” He lifted his glass in a small salute and knocked the whole thing back.

\--

Eren successfully prevented himself from drinking at the party, considering he had to drive both Armin and himself back home, and he promised Levi earlier that he wouldn’t drive drunk.

With a raggedy pillowcase full of candy- traded to his liking- Eren saw that the party was slowing down and decided to pack it up. Relieved, he took off his tail, ears, and bell and handed it to Sasha. “Remind me to never get into a bet with you again. And do you have any makeup wipes or something?”

“I sure do. The least I could do is send you off with a clean face.”

She ran to her room and came back with some remover. She held Eren’s chin as she wiped away the black face paint. When she got to his eyes, she frowned. “Those are some perfect wings. It’s a shame they can’t stay for longer.”

“Wipe it away, Sasha.”

Sasha pouted and wiped away the cat-eyes.

Eren checked his face in his phone camera to make sure everything was gone. _Yes, he had his own face back._

“Alright. Armin and I will head on out now. Great party, Sash’. And thanks for all the candy.”

Sasha gave each of them a good-bye hug. “You’re welcome. We should all hang out more often. I’ll see you at work, Eren.”

\--

When Eren got home late that night, exhausted and pumped full of snacks, Levi was still away. He placed his bag of candy on the bar counter and promptly finished up in the bathroom. He had to get up nice and early for class tomorrow, so he wasted no time crawling into his bed and falling asleep.

\--

Levi arrived home- his system full of alcohol- and he was socially drained. He took off his suit and hung it up to be dry-cleaned, and took a grateful, hot shower. He glanced into Eren’s bedroom to find his favorite boy snoring away loudly.

He crawled into his own bed and wasted no time falling asleep, too.


	56. Lavande

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A fateful encounter + Our baby boys switch it up :3c

Eren sat at the bar counter, munching on the different candies he got at the party last night. A small mountain of wrappers was forming around him. When he lived in his previous, shitty little apartment, he had candy for breakfast all the time. This was a blast to the past.

While he held up a sour belt in the air and dangled it into his mouth, he heard Levi walk into the kitchen and open the fridge. “Eren, babe, enough with the sweets. Let me make you some real food.” He took out eggs and a pan, and the stove crackled before igniting its fire.

Eren licked the sour sparkles off his lips. “Who needs coffee when you got all this, am I right?”

Levi looked at him. “I don’t know how you can stomach that in the morning.”

“Practice,” Eren laughed. He pointed at a specific pile made exclusively of dark chocolate. “This is all for you, Levi! I know my hubby likes dark chocolate.”

Levi covered the pan of cooking eggs with a lid and made his way over. His young boyfriend knew him quite well. “Thanks for sharing with me, darling.” He took one and unwrapped it. Eren looked at the way his body leaned over the edge of the kitchen counter; the way his hair was flopped over to one side carelessly. His cheeks hollowed out while he tasted the chocolate. _It was unfair how attractive he was even this early in the morning. Unfair!_

Levi went back to check on the eggs, and he popped in bread in the toaster. In a separate pan, he cooked some bacon.

Eren went in for another sour belt despite Levi’s previous comment. But Levi came over and unwrapped another dark chocolate.

“Levi, ya damn hypocrite!” Eren giggled.

A smile curved in the corners of Levi’s lips and he went back once more to start plating. “My health is already on its way out. I have to take care of you, since your body’s still growing.”

Eren looked confused. Levi was 35 but looked 25, and his body looked like the stuff of gods. If his health was on its way out, Eren would’ve loved to see what he looked like in his prime.

“Don’t say that. I think you’re handsome and hunky no matter what. And I think you’re perfectly healthy,” Eren said.

Levi used a spatula to fix their plates and he chuckled silently. “I love that you think so highly of me, Eren.” He placed a plate amidst Eren’s mess of wrappers, and he went back into the fridge to get orange juice.

“Breakfast with my hubs is the best way to start the day!” Eren grinned and watched Levi get onto the stool next to him.

“My thoughts exactly,” Levi pinched Eren’s cheek softly. “Run me through your day.”

\--

When Eren finished work, he was fucking hungry. He drove over to the city’s public library, where Armin was working.

The echo of soft voices and computer clicks resonated in the front lobby of the building. Even when he wasn’t saying anything, Eren felt like he was being too loud.

He approached the front desk, where Armin was glancing down into a book. He turned the page smoothly.

In a silly, muppet-like voice, Eren spoke up. “Ex-cuuuuse me, sir, but would you be so kind as to tell me about the Dewey Decimal System?”

Armin looked up from his book and giggled. “Asshole. I thought you were a real person that needed help.”

Eren laughed and checked the time on his phone. “This asshole is taking you out for dinner when your shift ends in five minutes.”

_Well, of course they knew each other’s schedules._

Armin smiled gratefully. Eren couldn’t have chosen a better time. He had quite the long day, and he wasn’t in the mood for cooking tonight. “Well then, I’ll teach you all about Dewey Decimal, sir!”

Eren grinned at him and wandered about while Armin finished up his last few minutes and clocked out. He looked through the CD and music section, trying to recognize some of the older groups.

“Ready?” Armin approached him from behind and adjusted his messenger bag across his body.

Eren wrapped an arm around his best friend’s shoulder and walked them out the door.

-

Eren started the ignition and started backing out. “Where are we gonna rustle up some grub, Arm?”

Armin never knew where Eren got his strange phrases, but they were still hilarious. “How about Burger Wall? Just like old times.”

“You got it, baby,” Eren moaned. Armin wanted to smack him.

As they made their way closer to the city pier, Eren turned on the radio. A familiar chord of steel drums played, and they grinned at each other. This was their jam.

“I got Nick, you got Tove?” Eren asked.

“You know it!”

Eren launched into it. _“Oh damn, oh damn, oh damn, I'm so perplexed, with just one breath, I'm locked in.”_

The atmosphere in the car was quiet for a few seconds while Eren got into the music.

_“Oh damn, oh damn, oh damn, I'm so perplexed on that, it's almost shocking_

_I know, I know you know you're scared, your heart, your mind, your soul, your body_

_They won't, they won't, they won't be careful, but I guess that you don't know me.”_

Eren reached out a gentle hand to pretend to serenade Armin. _“Cause if I want you, and I want you, babe. Ain't going backwards, won't ask for space_

_Cause space was just a word made up by someone who's afraid to get too...”_

Eren’s last note tapered out, and in the most screechy, obnoxious voices they can muster, Eren and Armin sang out:

_“CLOSE!”_

They were at a red light, and the person in the car next to them looked at them strangely.

_“OOH! Oh, so close, OOH, I want you close, ooh,_

_Cause space was just a word made up by someone who's afraid to get CLOSE, ooh_

_Oh, so close, ooh_

_I want you close, ooh!_

_Oh, I want you close, and close ain't close enough, no!”_

Armin, whose voice had an impressive range, mustered up a fairly feminine sound:

_“Oh man, oh man, I am not really known for ever being speechless.”_

Eren nodded along to the steel drums.

_“But now, but now somehow my words roll off my tongue right onto your lips, oh_

_I'm keeping cool while you keep smiling saying all the things I'm thinking_

_Oh man, oh man, I am like you so I want proof I'm what you're feeling_

_Cause if I want you, and I want you, babe_

_Ain't going backwards, won't ask for space_

_Cause space was just a word made up by someone who's afraid to get too...”_

Armin’s voice tapered off and they prepared to screech again:

_“CLOSE!!”_

\--

That evening, Eren took out his keys and unlocked the door to the apartment. His backpack was slung over his shoulder lazily, and he wanted nothing more than to strip off all his clothes and collapse on the couch. _What a long day…_ he sighed internally.

But when he walked in, instead of being greeted by the usual scent of lemon cleaner or incense, Eren got a huge whiff of cigar smoke.

He recognized the back of Levi’s head, but another man was sitting on the couch, too, and this one was wearing a black hat.

Both heads were turned to him now. “Hello, sir,” Eren made his way over to greet the guest.

The man put out the rest of his fat cigar into an ash tray and stuck his hand out to Eren. He blew his puff of smoke away from Eren’s face before speaking. “You’re the boyfriend. I’m Kenny. Levi’s uncle.”

Eren was suddenly really excited. Levi’s told him so many stories of Uncle Kenny, and now he was finally meeting the man himself! He realized that Kenny only came around once a blue moon, so this must’ve been a special occasion. “I’m Eren Jaeger. It’s great to finally meet you, sir!”

He got a chance to really look at him. Kenny was strikingly handsome, like Levi, despite the age wrinkles on his face. He had the same steely-gray eyes and glossy black hair, but his was long and combed back beneath his hat. Even sitting down, Eren could tell he was really tall, unlike Levi.

And Kenny looked back at him, this bright-eyed kid standing in front of him. He was trying to figure out how his nephew got to like a soft cupcake boy like this. But he refrained from making a comment, since Levi was watching him like a hawk right now to make sure the meeting went smoothly.

“You can ditch the ‘sir’. Just call me Kenny. How old are you, boy?”

“I’m twenty.”

“Mm. You’re just a kid, huh?” Kenny grunted and nodded slowly. He took out another cigar and took off his hat wearily. “Nice to meet’cha, Eren.”

Eren glanced at Levi excitedly. Now that Kenny was here in person, he got a chance to get to know more about the legend.

“I can make some coffee,” Eren said and he started towards the kitchen. “How do you take yours, Uncle Kenny?”

“Black for me.”

Eren smiled to himself as he got to work. _Like uncle, like nephew, huh._

\--

Kenny began getting to know Eren more… well… it was more like Eren allowed himself to speak, and like Levi does, Kenny sat and listened with an intense gaze, while smoking away.

He seemed to like Eren’s coffee, which was pretty much the only indication that he had a positive opinion towards him. It was a bit nerve-wracking.

Levi excused himself to go the bathroom quickly. Before he left, he gave Kenny a _look_ that Eren couldn’t comprehend. It was like a warning look.

The click of the bathroom door could be heard deeper into the hallway.

Eren didn’t think too much of it. He stood up to shed his jacket that he still had on, and he saw Kenny get up, too, for some reason. There was a glint of silver, and a blur of black from Kenny’s outfit.

Eren felt his bangs being yanked back by a tight fist, and his neck was fully exposed.

A sharp, slightly curved knife was pressing right at his throat.

It took three seconds for Kenny to put him into this position, and just about the same time for Eren’s unguarded mind to realize what was going on.

His heart pounded, and he couldn’t get himself to blink. And his pulse was beating in his throat, right up against that shiny silver. He was almost afraid to swallow his nerves back down- his Adam’s apple might brush against the blade and cut him. He stayed as calm and still as possible.

But with all things considered, and despite being held at knifepoint by an ex-gangster, Eren knew he wouldn’t be hurt. His instinct told him to remain calm and don’t panic or show weakness.

A long while stretched with the blade pressed right up to Eren’s jugular. Kenny didn’t say a word. He put his face closer to Eren’s to gauge his reaction with a predatorial, sadistic expression.

 _Stay calm, stay calm_ , Eren told himself. _Where the hell is Levi?_

And just as suddenly as it happened, Kenny let go of Eren’s bangs and pulled away. Calmly, he folded back his knife and placed it in a pocket inside his trench coat. “Good. You passed my test.”

Eren finally swallowed and he looked wary. His bangs were still tousled from where Kenny’s hand was fisting it in his hand.

Kenny took a seat back on the couch and ushered Eren to do the same. “I had to make sure you were a right fit for my Levi. Ya don’t crack under pressure. I like that. I can see why the shorty likes you.”

The color came back to Eren’s face and he got more comfortable in his seat. “A-A test?” _Did he do that to all of Levi’s acquaintances?_

Kenny clapped him on the back and rubbed a soothing circle into it. He laughed maniacally. “Oi. Relax, boy. I approve-a ya.”

Eren laughed lightly in relief. His nerves were still rattled, but his thrill-seeking and reckless side had to admit that having a knife held to his throat was kind of cool.

“And, oi, Eren,” Kenny grunted, “don’t tell Levi I did that to ya. He would never let me see you again.”

Eren giggled. “Alright. I won’t.”

Kenny took his mug casually and took a gulp. Levi finally came back, looking suspiciously at Kenny, but when he saw that Eren was unscathed, he gave his uncle the benefit of the doubt and thought nothing of it.

\--

“…and so Levi tells ‘im: ‘The only short thing here is your dick!’” Kenny said, and cackled loudly at the memory.

Eren was weak at the stomach. He could never, ever imagine Levi saying that to his middle school principal.

Levi chuckled quietly at the memory, too, a reminiscing smile pulling at his lips.

“Yeah, this one was a real punk, back in the day. He’s all prim n’ proper now, but this brat always caused trouble.” Kenny took Levi’s shoulders and shook him around roughly. When Levi was released, he punched Kenny’s arm hard. Eren winced on Kenny’s behalf, but he looked totally unperturbed by Levi’s punch. _What an interesting dynamic they had…_

“See,” Kenny pointed his chin towards Levi. “He still has some punk left in ‘im.”

Levi’s childhood stories were hilariously contradictory to the polite, refined man that Eren was familiar with. And the way Kenny spoke was so blunt and unbiased that it made the memories that much funnier.

Eren wiped away the tears collecting in the corner of his eyes from laughing so hard and got up to collect all their empty coffee mugs.

“That hit the spot, Eren,” Kenny said. “How ‘bout another?”

“Sure thing!”

\--

Eren left Levi and Kenny alone for a bit, seeing as they didn’t see each other much and probably wanted some private time.

Kenny knocked back his second mug of coffee and clapped Levi’s back. “Oi. Let’s go visit your mother, huh?”

Levi nodded. _Oh, yeah… it was about that time of the year._

\--

Levi forgot what it was like taking the passenger seat while his uncle drove. It took him back to his youth. And now, as they traveled back to Sina where his mother was buried, he felt heavy and morose.

They stopped by a florist and bought a small bunch of tulips. They were her favorite flowers.

The sky was gray and bleak, as if it knew what today’s occasion was.

Levi walked alongside Kenny through the cemetery. The wind whipped against his hair and he sniffled. At his feet, crunchy, dry leaves brushed past.

-

Levi placed the flowers at the base of his mother’s headstone. He felt weathered hands take hold of his shoulders firmly. And despite the coat he was wearing, he felt cold suddenly.

“Your son is doing great things, Kuchel,” Kenny said. “I’m sure you’d be as proud of ‘im as I am now.”

A smile ghosted at Levi’s lips. Kenny’s updates to his mother were always a bit flattering, if nothing else.

“Didja hear that he successfully collaborated with those M.P. asswipes? All by himself, too. I didn’t have to lift a finger. He’s a very capable brat, Kuchel.”

Kenny massaged Levi’s shoulders grimly and wandered away to give Levi some alone time with her. It was a tradition.

And now that Levi was all alone, face-to-face with the spirit of his mother, he always felt like he didn’t know what to say. She passed away so early in his life that he didn’t remember much of her. He remembered her face, distinctly. And Kenny’s showed pictures of her, but still, his clearest memory of her was in the bath.

 _Levi, which type of soap do you like?_ A gentle voice resonated somewhere in a different world.

Levi couldn’t hear himself answer, but he saw her face nod in agreement.

 _Lavender is my favorite, too. It’s called_ lavande _in French, my beloved boy. Can you say “lavande”?_

Once again, Levi couldn’t hear his own voice, but Kuchel’s smile widened. And her smile made his heart squeeze in happiness.

 _What a smart boy you are. Lavender is good for all sorts of things,_ she started. Levi could feel her washing his back tenderly. _It’s good for relaxation, headaches, and it helps you sleep… You’re already getting tired, huh, baby?_

Levi felt his memory self shake himself awake.

 _Well, I’m almost done here. Let me wash your hair first. It’s getting so long…_ she mused. Levi could feel her fingers run across his scalp.

 _It’s fun to get clean, isn’t it, my love? I love experimenting with new soaps. It’s important to always be clean, Levi. Always be clean. Clean, clean, clean boys make handsome boys_ , she sang.

And even though he was nowhere near lavender, Levi inhaled the unmistakable scent and opened his eyes. He was back. He was in the cemetery, staring at her headstone. And he felt nostalgic and vulnerable.

He couldn’t find it in himself to have a full-on conversation with her like Kenny. He just thought of the things that he would say to her if she was here in person. He knew that she was looking down on him, so it would be pretty redundant to catch her up on his life. She knew how happy he was with work, and Eren, and that everything was falling into place. He let his heart speak for him. And that seemed to be louder than Kenny’s words.

Levi could’ve sworn he could feel long, gentle fingers run through his scalp. _I love you, baby. My beloved Levi._

“I love you, too, Maman,” Levi’s mouth spoke over his heart this time. _Please keep watching over me._

Levi crouched down near the base of the headstone and went into a moment of silence. With a deep breath, he got up and went over to join Kenny again.

His uncle took his shoulders and massaged them comfortingly as they walked back. “Pousser en avant,” Kenny said. There wasn’t more either of them could say about the matter. “Let’s go get’cha dinner, shorty.”

And even though Levi was a millionaire and could very well handle his own bill, Kenny insisted on paying for his meal when they were done. _You’re still my bratty li’l nephew_ , Kenny said teasingly, _no matter how rich ya become._

\--

Showered and tired and in his coziest pajamas, Eren lay on Levi’s bed, waiting for his man to come back home.

He texted Armin while he waited.

 _So Erwin asked if I wanted to move in with him,_ Armin sent.

_No way, you said yeah, of course?!?_

_Trust me, Id LOVE to live with him. It would be my dream come true. But Id feel more comfortable if I can stay at home so I can keep a close eye on my grandpa. I worry about him a lot_

Eren sighed. His best friend was way too selfless. _I hear ya,_ he typed _. But you should start thinking bout yourself more, Arm. Im sure your gramps would want you to be happy_

_My grandpa hasn’t even met Erwin yet. I should get on that_

_Get on it!_

_As compromise, Erwin gave me a key to his apartment_

Eren grinned _. How nice of him! What a man!_

 _I KNOW RIGHT!!! >!!_ Armin included a full page of heart emojis.

Eren could hear the front door of the apartment open and shut, and then footsteps. Levi was home!

He walked into the room and smiled gently at Eren. He was already unbuttoning his shirt.

“Hey, hubs! I wanted to get some cuddling in before bed,” Eren said.

“Your wish I my command. Let me just have a shower first.”

Eren smiled and texted a bit more while he waited.

-

Levi climbed over to his side of the bed and turned on the TV. Eren fit himself beneath his awaiting arm.

“Where did you go with Uncle Kenny?” he rubbed Levi’s abdomen through his soft shirt.

“We visited my mother’s grave. It’s all the way in Sina, so that’s why we took a while.”

Eren’s heart lurched in sadness for him. “Aww. I’m so sorry, Levi.

Levi squeezed him close. “Don’t be sorry, baby. The two of us go visit her every year. There are no bad feelings. She’s in a good place now.”

But Eren couldn’t just sit back selfishly. He wanted to help soothe Levi in his most sensitive time. Levi wasn’t the emotional or readable person, but Eren could tell when he was feeling heavy. _Mama’s intuition._

He crawled out of Levi’s arm and sat back against the pillows. “I want to make you feel good, Levi. Come lie down on me so I can give you some lovin’.”

Levi made his way over, nestling his body between Eren’s legs. Eren’s long fingers found his temples and started massaging slow circles into them, just like the masseuses did at Sweethearts’ Inn. Levi immediately closed his eyes.

“You’re so strong… and kind… and amazing…” Eren said slowly. “And you’re the best man that anyone could ever ask for. I love you, Levi. I love you… sooo… sooo… much. You’re the most perfect thing there is. You always know exactly what to say… and everything about you is so yummy and delicious.”

Levi laughed lightly. Even on his worst days, Eren managed to get him to smile.

“And my life was a trainwreck before I met you. You were my missing puzzle piece. The macaroni to my cheese. The peanut butter to my jelly. The hot to my sauce, the whip to my cream-“

Levi started laughing quietly, his body shaking as he kept listening. Eren giggled, too.

“I can never get enough of you, my sweet hubby. You’re my king and you’re my whole world.” Eren moved his temple massage to Levi’s head, going through freshly-washed hair to massage Levi’s scalp, which Levi usually did for him.

Levi sighed in content.

“You deserve all the pampering there is. I wanna make you so happy.”

“You do make me happy, Eren. More than you’ll ever know.”

Eren smiled and he kept massaging with his fingers, occasionally scratching at Levi’s undercut. It was smoothly buzzed and felt nice to the touch.

A long while went by in a lovely silence, and Eren could notice Levi breathing more deeply as he was on the brink of sleep.

He ended his massage and patted Levi’s cheek softly to get him beneath the covers.

And with the lights and TV turned off, and Levi holding Eren in his arms, the sadness he was harboring from visiting his mother was reversed. Any cuddling session with his little baby boy seemed to have that effect.

“Wait,” Eren’s soft voice pierced the dark, “is Uncle Kenny coming back?”

“I think he’ll be back tomorrow, but no promises.”

“I really like him, Levi. He’s so fun and interesting and badass like you. I’m so glad I got to meet him finally.”

“He told me he likes you, too. He said you met his standards. He doesn’t approve of most of the people I introduce him to, but I’m not surprised you won him over. You’re irresistible, sweetheart.”

Eren grinned into Levi’s chest. He remembered Kenny’s “test” involving the knife, and he was glad he met Kenny’s expectations.

It was quiet again, but Eren remembered one more thing. “Are Isabel and Farlan gonna be back, too? Or did they already travel again?”

“No, they’re still here for a while. They’re just exploring the city a bit more. They want to stay and get to know you more before hopping on a plane again.”

“That’s good. I feel like I learned even more about you lately. I want to know everything there is about you.”

Levi replied by squeezing Eren in his arms harder. “I love you so very much, darling boy.”

“Love you, too, Levi. Good night.” He kissed Levi’s chest sweetly.

“Good night.”

Sleep was very quick arriving and so needed for this particular pair. November was off to such a sweet, cozy start.

\--

Eren’s class workload was increasing as the holidays neared. He came back home from a weary shift at the coffee shop, but he was greeted by all new sights.

His eyes sparkled and he shut the door behind him. “Oh, my God!”

The apartment looked completely different. It was decorated with all the things they bought at IKEA a while ago. Now, instead of a majorily empty spacious living room, the apartment overflowed with personality.

“Welcome home, baby,” Levi said. “You like it? I had the deliverers set it up while you were away so you could come back to a surprise.”

Eren was too excited to speak. He threw his backpack to the ground and dashed around, looking at huge new right-angle couches, a new pool table towards the back of the room… and next was a classy cabinet set-up next to the door, which used to just have a small stand for jackets, but now it had a shoe shelf and pegs and a mirror, and a ceramic bowl for keys.

Levi sat on the barstools and watched admiringly as Eren explored all the new furniture.

Eren went to a spherical stool made out of a twisted metal and sat on it. His grin never faded for even a second. Next, he sprinted over to the hangout spot, where the same leather couch sat. He was glad Levi didn’t get rid of it; it was full of memories he’d formed in this apartment. What Levi did get rid of, however, was the small glass coffee table that sat in front of TV, which they always struggled fitting all their takeout and pizza boxes on in the past. Now there sat a large, thick wooden table that sat low to the ground, which had rugged edges for a rustic yet modern vibe. Leathers, modern finishes, and smooth beiges was the theme throughout, so this odd wooden table was a lovely pop of taste.

“HOLY MOTHERFUCKIN’ SHIT!” Eren exclaimed and ran to the TV.

Like a kid in a candy shop, Eren ran his fingers along the edge of the new Samsung Curved TV that replaced the old flat-screen. He’s dreamed of having this since it was announced! It sat atop a really sleek soundbar and on a sleek, black media storage unit. It even had built-in lights that showcased the curved TV.

Levi laughed at Eren’s excitement.

Eren went back to the pool table, and he ran his hands along the wall which was lined with billiards cues and polishes among other supplies to play. It seems Levi made it look like a little lounge space, and plush, dark brown cushion chairs sat around the table in a neat row.

…There it was. The chair of his dreams. The thing that had his heart second only to Levi. Well, third. There were Cheetos, too. Eren sprinted to the gigantic recliner and curled up in it, squealing in pure joy.

Eren didn’t know what to do next! He ran to the kitchen last, and right next to the entrance hung the baguette painting that he picked out. He was so ecstatic right now. _This was his home, this was home, and he was so happy to share this all with Levi._

And speaking of that man, Eren dashed over and took him into his arms tight. He was practically jumping in his spot. “Levi, I’m so, so, so happy!! It looks amazing! I can’t even believe this is real!”

Levi patted his back and chuckled. Eren’s excitement was contagious, to say the least. “I’m so glad you’re happy, Eren. That was my goal.”

But he felt Eren’s arms wrap around his neck even tighter. “Oooh, thank you, thank you, thank you!” he chanted. “For all of this! I love you so damn much! You’re the best husband ever!!”

“You’re very welcome,” Levi said softly. “Anything for you, my sweet.”

\--

Kenny did end up coming back to the apartment that night, and he looked around the new furniture with a disgruntled but impressed expression. He muttered something about green being able to get all the shit a motherfucker could want.  

He wanted to take Levi to dinner one more time before leaving for a while. “Eren, join us, will ya?”

Eren gladly came along for the ride, more so eager to hear Uncle Kenny talk more. This day just kept getting better and better.

\--

When dinner was over, Kenny dropped Levi and Eren back off at Trost Tower- much like a father chauffeuring his kid and his lover on their date night- and began his good-byes. He gave Levi his new phone number, but it was useless because Kenny changed phones all the time. Ex-gangster paranoia, Levi figured. It was always difficult to get a hold of his uncle.

“…But I’ll always be there for ya, shorty. I’m always watchin’ from afar. ” He took Levi in for a firm hug, rubbing his back in a fatherly sort of way. Levi buried his face into his shirt and inhaled the smell of cigars and classic cologne. “Make sure ya keep up with your training.”

Eren watched their embrace patiently. When they separated, Kenny took Eren in gruffly for a side hug. “Oi. It was good to meet’cha, Eren. I mean it. You’re a whip-smart kid.” He leaned in to Eren’s ear and lowered his voice. “Thanks for makin’ my shorty happy.”

Eren smiled and rested his head against Kenny’s torso before finally parting ways. He didn’t need to be thanked for making Levi happy. It was the thing he enjoyed doing most, after all.

\--

Besides all the new furniture, Eren noticed there was something different about the apartment. He tried to pin down which sense it was attached to.

It was smell. He inhaled the air deeply and tried to figure it out. “Did you burn new incense?” he asked Levi.

“Yes. I did it a few times today to get rid of the stench of Kenny’s cigars. I was feeling lavender lately.”

_Lavande in memory of his mother._

“I like it,” Eren assured. “Switchin’ it up is what we do here now.”

Levi rubbed Eren’s back. “I couldn’t agree more, my dear.”

\--

That night, Levi lay back on his small mountain of pillows, scrolling through his tablet. Eren wrapped up his studying for the night and was ready to get in bed with his man.

With a cheeky smile, he crawled across the bed, and pounced on Levi’s torso in a small body slam. His move knocked the wind out of Levi’s system, and he groaned lowly in pain.

But Eren snapped into concern quickly. His heart squeezed and concern etched his face. “Oh, no, I completely forgot your back was still healing!” He took Levi’s hand up and kissed it apologetically. “Please forgive me, Levi.”

Levi shut off his tablet and put it on the bedside table. He really wasn’t in much pain after the fact, but Eren’s apology was too sweet for words. “Don’t worry about it, baby. I’m almost fully healed.”

“I’m an idiot. I should be more careful.”

Levi took Eren’s wrist and pulled him down onto his chest, trapping him there with his arms. He spoke into that chocolate brown hair. “I’m _fine_ , Eren. Really. Please don’t worry that pretty head of yours over me. Okay?”

Eren sighed in relief. “…Okay.”

He stayed in Levi’s arms for a little while, thinking about the day they had. As his mind wandered away, he snaked his arms around Levi’s torso.

He lifted his head rather shyly, and gazed into those steely-grays.  “…You’re so amazing, hubby. I kind of have a little crush on you.”

A smile pulled at Levi’s mouth. “Just a little crush?” his deep, rich voice had traces of fake hurt. “And here I was head over heels for you.”

Eren bit his lip and laughed into Levi’s chest. He loved joking around with his man. And he loved pretty much every waking and sleeping moment with him, too, but to say that out loud would be rather repetitive.


	57. Pheromones

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sugar, spice, and everything Eren. <3
> 
> (Sorry this chapter took so long to put out. My life got real busy lately. Also, is anyone going to Youmacon 2016?)

It’s been a long, rather eventful week, but Friday was here and Eren was excited to get the weekend ball rolling.

Tonight was a meeting with the Crime Forensics Club, though, so he clocked out of work and drove back to campus.

\--

Levi went to his chiropractor’s appointment, and he was now fully adjusted. His normally stiff back from working long hours on the case now had returned its mobility. He was comfortable and his posture was back to normal. And he owed it to Eren for pushing him to get his back looked at as soon as possible.

Now, he walked around the company, checking in with the executives to make sure all the departments were on track. Erwin was away working on some other business.

He took the elevator to the mail floor, where Mike was speaking to a gaggle of sassy, bright-eyed interns.

They all sat up a bit straighter when they saw him.

“How are you all?” Levi asked them.

“Mr. Ackerman! Hi!”

Mike crossed his arms, unamused. _What a bunch of kiss-asses._

The kids were only slightly older than Eren, Levi noticed. It reminded him of his young boyfriend, whom he was quite excited to go home to.

After a quick conversation with the interns and Mike, Levi said he’ll leave them to it, and he walked back to the elevators.

“Mike, why do you keep having us sort out mail?” Levi heard an intern ask from a distance. “It’s boring! Give us some real work!”

Levi chuckled. Their ambition was infectious. It was a good trait to have in this company, or in life, for that matter.

As the elevator doors closed, Levi heard impatience and frustration in Mike’s voice despite trying to maintain professionalism. “If you ever wish to work for this company, you’ll keep quiet and do as I say.”

“…Yes, sir.”

-

When he finished making his rounds, Levi gathered his briefcase and started making his way out the doors. But then he noticed a rather frazzled Petra at her desk.

She was juggling the phone between her ear and shoulder as she furiously wrote into her planner, and she used a fork to quickly eat cubed melon while she listened.

Levi made his way over and waited patiently for her to finish the phone call.

“I’ve moved your appointment with him to next Wednesday, and I’ll make sure the team is briefed for the next meeting. …You’re very welcome. Buh-bye.”

Petra put the phone back into its cradle and exhaled deeply. She acknowledged Levi.

“Petra, have you had your lunch yet?” he asked.

Petra shook her head, and her strawberry blonde bob swished slightly. “I don’t have time. I have to make several more calls, and then I have to brief Marketing, and then set up the scheduling blocks with-“

“Petra.”

She looked up from a forkful of cubed melon and she stopped nervously clicking her pen in her hand.

“Come have lunch with me. I can tell you’re stressed.”

Petra chewed her melon slowly and took a few more notes. “That’s very nice of you, Levi. But I can’t slack off now.”

“You’re not slacking. It’s an order. I’m taking you to lunch. I’ll tell Mike to put your calls on hold.”

Petra knew she couldn’t say no to her boss. And she couldn’t deny she was starving. Those melons weren’t doing much for her. “Alright.” Levi helped her into her coat and she shut her planner.

Levi walked by her side as they exited the building. “I can’t have my secretary keeling over in the middle of the day, after all.”

“I wasn’t going to keel over!” Petra huffed.

“Only because I was there to prevent it.” Levi’s lips curled in an amused, almost teasing way.

Petra pushed his arm lightly and giggled.

-

They decided on Olive Garden; keeping it simple even though Levi could do much fancier. But Petra was adamant on this place.

Levi made sure Petra was fed and thoroughly de-stressed. He asked about her well-being and her home life, as well as her father.

Petra liked her relationship with Levi. It was different than most secretary-CEO dynamics. Through all their years working together, they became friends foremost, then business partners. They always maintained a level of professionalism in their work, but conversations weren’t stiff and awkward. Petra could really appreciate that. In her previous jobs, she was usually talked down to- not only because she was a woman, but also because she was petite and young-looking. When she started working at Survey Corp, she was pleased that her new bosses treated with her respect and kindness.

If there was anything Petra’s learned throughout her career, it was that it’s a man’s world out there.

“…so that’s why I’m switching gyms. I’m looking into taking more classes. Cardio wears me out too much,” Petra said. “I want something low-intensity.”

Levi nodded. “Cardio wears me out, too. I stick to weight training, usually.”

“I couldn’t imagine regular weight training. I don’t want my muscles to get all huge and puffy like yours.”

A ghost of a frown crossed Levi’s lips. “Puffy?”

Petra giggled. “Built. I meant built.”

Levi took a sip of his drink. “You shouldn’t worry about getting too big, Petra. Women and men put on muscle differently. Lifting can tone without expanding. My old boxing coach said that weight training can actually burn more fat than cardio.”

Petra listened intently. “Hmm. Maybe I’ll give it a shot. And I need to change up my diet, too. Starting by cutting out my daily Frappuccino.” She sighed sadly and took a bite of her pasta.

Normally a woman wouldn’t discuss her weight with a man, but with Petra, she didn’t find it strange to confide in Levi.

“I’m no dietician, but I think your daily frappuccino should be fine as long you add more protein to your diet,” Levi said.

“More protein,” Petra nodded with determination. “But first, let me enjoy these delicious carbs.” She took a happy bite of her pasta.

Levi chuckled.

\--

When Eren got home late that night, he was a bit ecstatic and energized.

“Levi, I’m home!”

Levi turned around from the TV and opened his arms, awaiting his little treasure to find himself in them. Eren took off his jacket and shoes and ran over, curling up in Levi’s lap and receiving an abundance of smooches on his face.

“How are you, my sweet Eren?”

“I’m doing great, hubby.” Eren dragged his fingers across Levi’s face, his smile ever-widening. “I have so much to tell you, so let’s go to bed!”

-

Levi held Eren in his lap while listening to his day.

“The Crime Forensics Club was so cool!” Eren gushed. “First we looked at crime scenes and tried to figure out how to look for suspects. And you can find clues like hesitation marks in the strangest places!”

Levi loved listening to Eren talk about things he was passionate about.

“…Did you know that many suspects are wrongly convicted only because traces of their DNA was found at the crime scene? Talk about being in the wrong place at the wrong time!”

“Kind of like that documentary we watched a few weeks ago.”

“Amanda Knox! Yeah, exactly!”

Levi squeezed Eren tight. “I’m so glad you had a good time. You’ll make a fine detective one day.”

“I really hope so. And thanks for encouraging me to join the club. I would’ve missed out if it wasn’t for you.”

“I’ll always encourage you to expand on your interests. That’s my job.”

The mattress vibrated quietly. Eren looked behind him and saw that his phone was flashing with an incoming call.

Eren checked the caller ID and smiled before accepting the call. “Hey, Ma!”

Levi stroked Eren’s thigh and stayed quiet.

“No, it’s not too late, you’re good… I’m doing awesome! I went to the Forensics Club today and it was real fun. Classes are getting kinda stressful but I’m staying on top of things. …Uh-huh. Yeah. Yeah. Really…? Huh. …That’s weird. …Yeah, he’s right here!” Eren looked at Levi and squeezed his shoulder. “One sec.”

Eren removed his phone from his ear and held it in front of Levi. “My mom wants to talk to you.”

Levi took the phone. “Hello, Carla.”

“Levi, my dear. How are you?”

“I’m doing just fine. And you?”

“Oh, I’m doing great. I heard you finished that big M.P. case! I wanted to congratulate you myself.”

“Thank you. That truly means a lot. I couldn’t have done it without the company’s diligent employees. I can’t take all the credit.”

“As humble as ever, I see. Did Eren give you a hard time throughout the case? I know he can get a bit difficult when he doesn’t get enough attention.”

Eren, who was still in Levi’s lap and could hear his mom’s voice through the phone, became offended. “Wow, Ma… way to throw me under the bus,” he said loud enough that she could hear.

Carla laughed.

“No, he was very patient and understanding,” Levi assured. Eren ran a flirty thumb across Levi’s jaw. _At least his man will defend him._

“That’s good,” Carla said. “I hope you’re doing well and that you can take a breather after working so hard on that case. Please visit us again soon!”

“I sure will. Thank you for checking in with me.”

“Here, Grisha would like to speak to you, too.”

Levi waited for her to hand off the phone.

“Levi. How are you? Congratulations on completing the case.”

“I’m doing great. Thank you for the kind words, Grisha. Everyone worked hard and pulled their weight. The payoff will be well worth it.”

“I bet. I’m interested in seeing how much more the company is going to grow from here. You have a good thing going. Please keep up with your health and make sure Eren is safe. Keep us updated on the latest. And visit more often.”

“I will make sure of those. Thank you for being interested in the company. I’ll keep you updated.”

“Excellent. Let me speak to Eren.”

Levi handed the phone to Eren.

“Hey, Pop. …Uh-huh. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I am. I got 90s on my last two quizzes. Oh, it’s funny you mention that. My professor pulled me aside and said he was proud of my progress.”

There was a longer silence. Eren smiled a bit bashfully. “Aw. Thanks, Dad. …Okay. Okay, I will. Thanks for making time to talk to me. I’m surprised you’re not working a night shift at the hospital.”

Eren listened and then laughed. “I figured. …Well, rock the socks off the ER like you usually do. Be the badass doctor that brings people back to life.”

Levi heard Grisha chastising his son. _“Eren, working in the ER is serious business. It’s not like those hospital dramas we used to watch.”_

“I know, Dad. But we all have to add some excitement into our careers. Right?”

Grisha sighed wearily. “ _I suppose so.”_ His son always did have a wild imagination and vibrant outlook on life. _“Alright, I should let you go now so I start the night shift. I love you, son. You know the drill.”_

“Keep up with my health, don’t eat junk, keep my grades up,” Eren recited. “I love you too, Pop.”

 _“Your mother is giving you kisses,”_ Grisha said in his stern, unwavering voice. _“Talk to you soon.”_

Eren ended the call and tossed his phone aside.

Levi’s heart felt a bit lighter. Kenny was normally the only family he had, but with Eren’s parents asking about him and being interested in his career, it made him feel like he was part of a bigger family. It seemed that virtually every aspect of his life became sunnier when Eren came into the picture.

And now that it was just the two of them alone again, with no distractions, Eren wasted no time showing his man some love.

He took Levi’s cheek to hold him still, and on his other cheek, he placed the loudest, sloppiest, wettest smooch. He drew back to inspect the damage. “I love you so much, Levi,” he said softly, rubbing his pectoral soothingly all the while.

Levi chuckled and wiped the saliva away from his face. “I love you, too, Eren.” And without warning, he tackled Eren to the mattress and tickled him to the brink of giggly tears- revenge for that dirty kiss.

\--

Eren wasn’t sure why he woke up so early today. Maybe he was just excited it was Saturday? Either way, he was ready to start the day.

He sat up in his spot and cuddled his pillow, trying to escape the clutches of sleep. He yawned deeply and scooted over to Levi, who was still asleep. His strong arms were curled under his pillow.

Eren ran his fingers through Levi’s hair gently. It was cool and soft to the touch, especially in the silky morning air. _What a handsome man… So sweet and gentle despite his hardened appearance,_ Eren thought.

He crawled out from his side and went to finish up in the bathroom.

Eren used the pour-over method to brew Levi an extra flavorful mug of coffee. The air filled with the rich, earthy scent of cocoa and floral undertones.

Into his own mug, he mixed in hazelnut creamer and two spoonfuls of sugar.

He balanced the mugs and tried to tread lightly on his feet so the liquid wouldn’t shake. By the time he was done fixing the drinks, Levi had woken and made his way to the couch. He was wearing his warm black robe.

Eren sat beside him carefully and handed him his mug. “Good morning, hubby.”

“Good morning, sweetheart.”

Eren puckered his lips and Levi met them gently.

They took their first sips and sighed contently. The stereo near the TV began playing the beginnings of a song’s soothing chords.

Eren smiled at Levi. “Levi, it’s our song!” He rested his head on Levi’s shoulder and allowed himself to be filled by the music.

“It sure is,” Levi squeezed Eren’s thigh soothingly.

 _Waves_ by Mr. Probz was a song that played on the radio in the beginning of their relationship. They played it on loop while spending a romantic night at the beach. While the waved lapped playfully against shore, a lovely, balmy breeze enveloped them. And while Eren laughed and pressed sweet kisses on Levi’s face, Levi picked him up and spun him around in the sand, telling him how precious he was and how adorable he looked like this. It was a memory ingrained in both of their minds, and this song made all the emotions flood back.

Eren lifted his head to take a sip. “We’re totally gonna play this at our wedding.”

Levi chuckled and brought an arm around to pull Eren’s shoulders close. “You already have it all planned out, huh, Mama?”

“Yup!”

\--

After breakfast, Levi retreated into his study to do some work and make some calls. Eren put on his workout gear and jumped rope in front of the glass wall to get his cardio in for the day.

“98…99…100,” Eren counted out loud. After finishing his last set, he slowed down and came to a stop, checking his heart rate on his fitness tracker. _Good. He pushed himself today. He made progress._

And now he was out of breath, sweaty, and desperate for a drink. He rummaged through the fridge for a cold water bottle.

“Knock, knock,” he announced before entering the study, where Levi was speaking to someone on the phone.

Levi turned his chair to acknowledge Eren. His nose curled when he got a whiff of Eren’s sweat, which Eren giggled at.

And as Levi listened to his client and nonchalantly replied, he turned Eren’s waist and palmed that firm, bouncy butt. Eren swayed his hips slightly to give him some eye candy.

“A twenty percent profit is expected at this point,” Levi explained to his client. He slapped Eren’s ass ever so softly, just to watch it jiggle a bit. “Where are you based now? …Mm-hm... Mm-hm.”

Eren giggled and rotated his hips in a seductive little lapdance. _How could Levi remain so professional in these circumstances?_

“I’ll tell you again; I really think your particular product will do quite well in an online shop. I’ll email you several names and numbers that I personally trust. Consider it, and get back to me. I think it’s a bit too early in the game to move on to your second choice manufacturer, since they’ll demand a higher share in the profit. A one-person operation should play it safe for now.”

Eren took a seat on Levi’s lap, gazing at the computer screen while he listened.

“No problem,” Levi told his client. “Let me know what you decide. I’ll check in with you later. Bye, now.”

Levi ended the call. Eren hooked an arm around his broad shoulders, exposing his sweaty armpit.

“Eren. Your sweat is overwhelming. Go take a shower.”

But Eren only hugged him tighter, much to Levi’s chagrin. “Are you getting turned on? Can you smell the pheromones in the air?”

“I don’t think that’s how pheromones work, babe.”

Eren peeled himself off and stretched. “Okay I’ll go wash the pheromones off,” he said sadly. He turned around slowly and Levi used the chance to swat him on the butt.

“Get out of here, you silly boy.”

Eren turned around and winked. As he walked away, he was already taking his sweaty shirt off, and he could feel Levi’s gaze boring into him. Teasing his man was quickly becoming one of his favorite hobbies.

\--

“What are you thinking for lunch?” Levi asked a now-showered Eren.

“Let’s go to an old-timey diner so we can share a milkshake like a fifties couple,” Eren said.

Levi smiled at him. Eren was always very specific with what he wanted; it was very adorable.

“Understood.”

-

The old-timey diner that Levi found on the side of a turnpike was exactly what Eren had in mind. As Levi walked him inside, he noticed the sky was heavy with dark clouds.

The red cushioned booths and black-and-white checkered floors was, once again, pretty much the opposite of the four- and five-star restaurants that Levi met his business partners at. His young boyfriend really did serve to humble him.

However, the neon signs and the jukebox playing cheesy love songs were endearingly old-fashioned and romantic.

And when the waitress came around with their burgers and fries, Levi knew he was in for another sweet conversation with his Eren.

-

“One large vanilla milkshake,” the waitress smiled. “With two straws,” she clarified, as per Eren’s request.

The drink was embellished with a thick swirl of whipped cream, some rainbow sprinkles, and a maraschino cherry on top.

Levi snapped a picture of Eren smiling with the milkshake. The classic posters and colorful signs behind him made him look extra cute.

“Okay…” Eren unwrapped the straws and put them into the glass. “Do you want the cherry, hubs?”

“No, you can have it.”

Eren smiled and popped it into his mouth. “You can have my cherry later at home,” he winked.

Levi laughed. What a playful little dilemma he had on his hands.

They took the straws into their mouths and began drinking the shake. The fifties doo-wop music from the jukebox took them to a different time.

Eren reached his hand across the table and took Levi’s hand in his. Now _this,_ was his ideal date with his hotshot boyfriend.

Levi didn’t skip a beat. He rubbed his thumb over Eren’s hand soothingly, and they met with admiring eyes.

Somewhere in the distance, a girl looked at them sharing their milkshake, and then glared at her inattentive boyfriend and wondered why he couldn’t do that for her.

-

Back at home, Eren demanded- well, _heavily encouraged_ \- cuddles and video games.

Levi looked at the screen. “ _Jaegerbomb69_? Is that you?”

“That’s me,” Eren said. “They call me that because I’m hard to swallow.” He bit his lip seductively and gazed at Levi predatorily.

“Hard to swallow?” Levi mused. “I beg to differ.”

Eren giggled and handed Levi his controller. “I’ve been practicing, so you shouldn’t be able to kick my ass this time.”

“We’ll see.”

\--

“God damn! I quit!” Eren huffed and slammed his controller down on his lap.

“Don’t be a sore loser, dear.” Levi couldn’t lie though, defeating Eren at his own craft was quite satisfying.

His comment received him a swift kick to the arm by a still quite bitter Eren.

“Oi.”

Eren looked at him.

“One more round?”

“Fine.”

As Eren went into a state of deep focus, he stuck his tongue out and was determined to beat Levi. Not this time. He’d spent hours and hours playing. He could do this.

-

No, he couldn’t.

Levi took a seemingly effortless, but close win.

And Eren was frustrated that his boyfriend was good at everything. “No, no, no!” He pounded his fists on Levi like a brat. “I was so close!”

“Better luck next time,” Levi said gently. He reached over and pulled Eren’s beanie over his face, so that he looked like a kidnapped victim. That seemed to stop Eren’s tantrum for a second.

Eren pulled his beanie back up to his hair and sighed. “Why are you so perfect? Why did I have to choose the most perfect husband? There has to be something you’re bad at.”

“I’m flattered,” Levi began, pulling Eren closer, “but I’m very far from perfect. You just happen to overlook all my flaws.”

Eren realized this conversation got a bit more serious than his petty loss at the video game. Was that true? Did he overlook all of Levi’s flaws? Or was he so blinded by his love for him that he never noticed them to begin with?

He wasn’t going to overthink it. Levi’s flaws were overshadowed by the fact that he was kind, and generous, and made him the happiest guy in the world. And that was all that mattered to Eren in the end.

Eren got up and tried to think of the words to say. He slipped his beanie off and placed it on Levi’s head. It made him look casual and even younger than he already deceived for his age.

“I’m sorry,” Eren said. “I know I can be a brat. It’s just that…” he held Levi’s face in his hands and stroked his milky white complexion with his thumbs, “you’re absolutely flawless to me and it overwhelms me sometimes. I find it hard to compete with my very own CEO hubby.”

Eren’s voice was quiet and careful, and his touch was tender and motherly. Levi had to make his point crystal clear as well.

“Eren, baby,” he took Eren’s hands from his face and clasped them within both of his. He made sure to look deep into those sparkling emerald eyes, not that that was a difficult task. He could get lost in those eyes any time he wanted to. “I don’t want you to feel like you have to compete with me. I find you absolutely flawless to me, too. I won’t have you any other way. We promised no more secrets, right?”

Eren looked at him expectantly.

“You’ve brought me to my knees, Eren. I’ve never imagined in my whole life that I could be this vulnerable around someone. You’ve torn down my walls, even the ones I never knew I had. I’m so stupidly in love with you, Eren. Eren, Eren, Eren, my darling,” he whispered. “Words cannot describe how grateful I am that you came into my life. I don’t want you to change, or feel overwhelmed by our differences. I want you to keep me a humble man, and to help me appreciate all the innocence that is left in the world. Okay?” Levi took Eren’s hands and placed a kiss on each of them. He met those confused emeralds again. “Okay, baby boy?”

Eren didn’t know what to say. He was speechless. Absolutely fucking speechless. Of course Levi would go and say something like that to further prove how perfect a man he was.

Eren’s bottom lip quivered and his vision became blurry with hot tears.

Concern flashed like a quick lightning across Levi’s face. “Oh, no, babe, I didn’t mean to make you cr-“

But it was too late. Eren began sobbing quietly, collapsing into Levi’s arms to be comforted. He was overwhelmed by emotion and admiration for Levi. This was his man. This was his happy ending. This was the man who captured his heart and attention, and likewise.

Eren made sure he cried a fat puddle into Levi’s clothes before calming down and lifting his head. His sobs were now reduced to sniffles. With a dry laugh, he smacked Levi’s arm. “Why do always make me cry, you jerk?”

Levi laughed and used his fingers to wipe away the moist tears trailing down Eren’s face. “I’m truly sorry, sweetheart. I didn’t mean to. I just had to let you know how I felt on the matter.”

Eren wrapped his arms around Levi’s neck for a firm hug. He didn’t say anything, but he stayed in that hug for a very, very long time.

\--

Levi checked the time on his phone, and it was occurring to him that the evening was wearing on.

He looked down at Eren, who was resting the side of his face against his chest absentmindedly. “Hey, love. I was wondering if you were still up for date night.”

Saturday date nights were their tradition, after all.

But Eren was still a bit sensitive from their heart-to-heart from earlier, and frankly, all he wanted was to stay in these arms tonight. “Can we just order a pizza and chill here tonight? Let’s have a cozy night in.”

“I can make that happen,” Levi said. He dialed the pizza place and stroked Eren’s locks as he explained the order.

\--

When the pizza guy knocked on the door, Eren was in the middle of a sensual makeout session with Levi.

He separated and placed three more lingering, desperate kisses on those plush lips before peeling himself off the couch.

“My wallet is on the bar,” Levi said, his lips a bit swollen from all the kissing.

Eren took Levi’s wallet to the door.

It wasn’t Brad, like he was used to. Some new guy.

“Hey, what’s the weather like out there?” Eren asked.

“Very cold,” the guy said. “I reckon it’ll start snowing in a few weeks.”

“Oh, God, no…” Eren grumbled as he fished out the money for the food. “It seems like summer was just a few days ago.”

“You ain’t kiddin’.”

Eren took the pizza and the deliverer took the money. Eren fished out two twenties from Levi’s wallet and handed it over. “Your tip. Good night!”

“Thanks much,” the guy said. He eyed the money a bit hesitantly. This was the biggest tip he’s gotten his whole career delivering pizzas. Although, based on this huge, fancy ass building, he figured these customers could afford to give out ridiculous tips like this.

Eren shut the door and took the pizza back to the TV, where he flipped through Netflix to find a suitable movie to watch. When he found his selection, he went to the fridge to get drinks and then dimmed the lights.

Dark, and warm, and totally cozy, Eren got under the beige blanket, so close to Levi that they shared body heat, and now they could finally dig in.

Right as Eren reached for his slice, a huge lightning strike lit up the sky through the glass wall, illuminating the otherwise dark living room for a second. Right after it, a loud thunderclap rumbled through the earth.

“Looks like we made the right choice tonight, huh, Papa?” Eren asked.

Levi took a bite from his slice and held Eren’s shoulders close. “Absolutely, my dear.”

And as the storm commenced outside, the rain pouring without remorse, and the elements rocking the world beyond, everything was just right over here on this couch. Cozy, and warm, and quiet save for the dialogue from the screen, Levi and Eren enjoyed each other’s touch and comfort and company.

Levi figured even his little firecracker of a boyfriend wanted to slow down sometimes.

And Eren, well… Eren was just glad he had strong, muscular boyfriend to protect him from the rather scary thunderstorm outside.


	58. I Luhh Ya

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More fleshing out the story + There's never a dull moment with Isabel and Farlan (Levi disapproves)

The movie came to an end, but the rain was going as strong as ever.

The pitter-patter outside over the roof of the building was soothing and gentle. Perfect for a quiet night in.

Eren slowly got up from Levi’s shoulder. After staying in this position for a couple hours, his body was stiff and he felt lazy.

“What did you think?” Levi asked.

“Predictable ending.”

“Agreed.”

Eren was sitting up now, but he hooked an arm around Levi’s neck. He took a deep breath rubbed his eye with his palm with a will for his body to gain some energy. This couch was so damn comfy.

“Mmm.” Levi closed his eyes and took Eren’s waist closer. “Let’s clean up here and head to bed, shall we?” he said lowly into Eren’s ear.

“We shall,” Eren said sweetly.

They unraveled from each other and silently got to work disposing of the pizza box and empty drinks. Eren turned off the TV and stood in front of the glass wall, watching the storm drench the city. Ant-like neon lights in the distance flickered from electricity shortages. He startled when a massive lightning bolt rippled down from the black clouds.

And he startled once more when Levi’s strong, unexpected hands snaked around his waist. Levi laughed lightly when Eren jumped.

“It’s not letting up at all…” Eren thought out loud. He held Levi’s hands still where they were wandering.

“I wonder if tomorrow will be the same.”

“I hope not. You can’t do anything fun with all that rain. It affects everyone’s moods, too.” Eren thought about his shifts on rainy days, and how the city seemed like a different place. Even the regulars had different demeanors. Like masks. Much like the rain brought out all the secrets and earthworms from the soil, it seemed to bring out a darker side of people.

_Whatever. He was just overthinking it._

He tore his gaze away from the wall and they made their way to Levi’s bedroom to begin their nighttime routine.

\--

Eren waited patiently under the covers, scrolling through his own tablet.

Levi joined him shortly, immediately taking Eren under his arm.

They usually let the TV run in the background while they cuddled before bed, but today, Eren wanted to catch up on YouTube videos.

Levi tried to follow along Eren’s explanations. A lot of what Eren found funny flew over his head, but being here with him right now was the most important thing. He relished in Eren’s sweet laughs and the fact that he wanted to share everything.

Perhaps watching YouTube videos together before bed would be a new tradition.

Levi figured he must’ve been lost in thought for a little bit, because Eren’s voice brought him back into focus.

“…Levi?”

Levi looked down to meet their eyes. “Hm?”

“Can you hold my hand?” Eren went to put his tablet away on his bedside table. When he crawled back, he had on a charming, expectant smile.

“I can do a lot better than that,” Levi said, matter-of-fact. “Come here.” He patted his thighs twice, and Eren found his way onto them. With Eren curled up on his lap, Levi took Eren’s hand and laced their fingers together.

Slowly, he rocked Eren from side to side, occasionally laying some smooches into his hair.

Eren sighed contently and allowed himself to get lost in the moment. Truly; was there anything in the world better than being held in Levi’s arms?

He had a softer side that not many people knew about. At the coffee shop, he would have a sharp tongue with Jean and would cuss rude customers out under his breath, and even in his classes he would admittedly act a bit closed off to the world if he was feeling a bit grumpy that morning.

He liked being indulged and babied and pampered by Levi. And Levi _only_. No one else in the world was allowed to see this side of him.

\--

When Sunday morning came around, the storm lifted considerably, and now it was just raining peacefully.

Eren was rolling around on his red yoga ball lazily, texting a few friends and trying to decide what to do with his day.

Levi came around a bit later, and after he shared a morning greeting with Eren, he settled into the couch in front of the TV to the news.

And now that he was caught up and informed, he wanted to give Eren some real love. Little did he know that Eren was eyeing him curiously from afar.

“Come over here, baby,” Levi beckoned him over.

Eren got off his yoga ball and lay across Levi’s lap, stretching his arms and legs out.

“There he is.” Levi lightly tickled Eren’s tummy, eliciting some breathy giggles. “Sleep well?”

“ _Very_ well,” Eren nodded. He laughed again when Levi’s cold hands trailed up his skin beneath his shirt.

“Not the nips!” He squirmed in discomfort when Levi’s fingers brushed against his now-hardening nipples.

Levi laughed, rich and full. “The nips?” But he kept teasing Eren’s nipples anyway. Just like every aspect of Eren’s body, they were sensitive and wonderfully responsive.

Levi played with Eren a bit longer when his phone vibrated on the coffee table. Eren got off of him so that he could reach for it.

“Hello,” Levi greeted when he answered the call. “Yes, you have the right number.”

Eren sat beside him and listened quietly.

“It’s not too early to call,” Levi assured. He got up abruptly and retrieved a pen and his yellow notepad from the kitchen. When he came back to the couch, he clicked his pen. “Let’s talk budget.”

 _Ah,_ Eren realized. _A client._

“Mm-hm…” Levi punctuated, and Eren watched him jot down numbers and percentages on the notepad. He drew arrows and wrote names and simple diagrams. “Mm-hm… and partner benefits? Mm-hmm…”

Eren sometimes got annoyed when people called Levi in the middle of their hangouts, but he also loved hearing him speak business. He had a commanding and in-control, yet reassuring voice to him. When Levi spoke to Eren, it was usually a gentle, warm tone- which he loved. But- Eren allowed himself to fantasize- when Levi cracked the whip and went into money-makin’ mode… _Oooh! It was… kinda sexy!_

“…I think that’s a bit too much to be giving as a markout at this stage. My advice is to lower it ten percent, which you can then increase your own profit, or expand your product.”

Levi tapped his pen against the pad while he listened. “I understand. Don’t worry, it’s not a selfish business move. I’ve had other clients express that same concern. When you’re making more profit, you can afford to give out more rewards. Think of your company’s numbers in terms of months, not weeks. Let me explain quarterlies to you.”

Eren realized this was probably going to be a longer conversation. And he also realized that they didn’t have breakfast yet. He made himself useful and got up to make some coffee.

He hummed to a song while he got to work.

When he returned to the couch, he placed Levi’s coffee mug down on the wooden table, and sipped his own while he listened.

Levi looked up from writing some more numbers, and he reached over to playfully squeeze Eren’s cheeks together in quiet gratitude.

“…Alright. Let me know if you have any more questions. I’ll review your budget and figure out a plan for you. ...You’re very welcome. Bye.”

Levi ended the call and placed the pad on the table. He eagerly took his mug and took a long-needed gulp.

“Levi… I like listening to you talk to clients.” Eren scooted closer, and with a bashful, cheeky smile: “It’s kinda hot.”

Levi chuckled and took Eren’s shoulders close. “Is there anything you don’t find arousing, Eren?”

“With you? Nope.”

\--

Levi got to work deep-cleaning the apartment like he usually did on Sunday mornings, and Eren played video games.

Eren had a habit of bugging Levi while he was busy, usually while he was working at his desk or just relaxing on his bed, but he made it a silent rule for himself to never bother that man while he was cleaning. Levi was in the zone, de-stressing, and Eren knew to leave him be. Cleaning was sacred for Levi, and Eren respected that. Asking for attention could wait for different times.

 _See?_ Eren asked his conscious. _I’m not completely selfish._

In the background, Eren heard the sounds of scrubbing, sweeping, vacuuming, cleaner sprays, and he smelled different refreshing scents.

Levi finished his cleaning by burning fresh incense and wafting it around with a rolled-up magazine.

Eren took a deep, filling breath and let the exotic scent soothe him.

They shared a knowing smile before Levi retreated into the hallway.

\--

The afternoon was wearing on, so Eren padded into Levi’s study to see what he was up to.

Levi was looking over the same pad from this morning, typing into a spreadsheet on his laptop.

Eren came from behind and wrapped his arms around Levi’s neck, placing a kiss on his temple.

“Hey, sweetheart.” Levi wrapped a hand around Eren’s arm, but he didn’t move his gaze away from the screen.

Eren was bored. He didn’t feel like doing much today due to all the rain, but he was also feeling a bit antsy. He wandered around Levi’s study absentmindedly. His eyes fell upon that sturdy black safe near the desk.

He sat on it and kicked his feet. “What’s in here?” he asked Levi.

Levi looked to him. “Some important documents, cash, and a gun.”

Eren was a bit surprised that Levi told him exactly what was in there. The mantra of their relationship was that they didn’t keep secrets, but he was so used to his father’s shady secrets of the lockers in the basement that this was pleasantly different.

“Ooh. Can I see the gun?”

Levi got up from his chair. “Sure.”

Eren hopped off the safe and waited for Levi to put in the code. The safe opened with a click, and Eren peered in.

Levi was exactly right. There were folders; very, very tall stacks of cash; a cardboard box of contents, and sitting all by its lonesome was a handheld gun.

Eren never held a real gun before. He reached for it gingerly and inspected it. It was heavier than the movies made it out to be.

And Levi watched him calmly. “It’s not loaded,” he assured when Eren avoided hooking his finger in the trigger. “It’s mainly for home defense. I’ve never had to use it. But Kenny insisted that I keep one around.”

“This is so cool,” Eren said. He aimed it at Levi’s chest and put on an authoritative gaze. “You’re under arrest.”

Levi was not off-put at all by the fact that a gun was aimed at him. Even unloaded, Eren would’ve felt uneasy. “For what, may I ask?” Levi casually played along.

Eren dropped the swaggering demeanor and placed the gun in his lap. “Oh, uhh… I didn’t think I’d get this far,” he admitted. “How about… for being such a good husband!?” Eren re-aimed his gun.

Levi laughed. “Damn. I guess they’ll have to lock you up for the same offense, too.”

Eren giggled and handed back the gun. He watched as Levi locked up the safe again.

“Okay.” Eren held Levi’s hand and kissed his palm. “I’ll stop bothering you for real now.”

Levi reached over and ruffled his hair. “You are never a bother, my dear.”

\--

Eren let the TV in the living room run in the background while he hummed and drew into his sketchbook.

He drew the gun in the safe from earlier to the best of his memory. It was a detailed rendition of the real one, and he tried to replicate the inky black and the high-gloss finish.

When it was to his liking, he signed it with a small note at the bottom corner, much like Levi would do for him:

_For you, hubs._

_-E_

He scribbled the date and put the drawing on the table. He went to go get a drink, and as he was browsing for a good choice, there was a distantly familiar obnoxious knock on the door.

He opened the door, and there waiting were Isabel and Farlan.

Isabel took him into an immediate hug, and Eren welcomed them inside.

“Eren. We’re gonna go have some fun right now. Wanna come?” Isabel asked.

That was such a vague yet interesting explanation, but admittedly, Eren was a bit bored and he felt like he bothered Levi enough times today to ask him to take him out. Armin already said he was busy, so… why not?

It would be his first adventure with these two, anyway.

Farlan spoke up. “We found some interesting little corners near the city’s edge. I can see that you’re bored. Is Levi working? Yeah, he probably is,” he answered his own question. “We’ll take you to the movies and drive you around. What do you say?”

“Sure,” Eren nodded. “Let me just get dressed.”

“That’s a lad!” Isabel cheered. She went over to the fridge and helped herself to a water bottle.

\--

After some sightseeing and the movies, Isabel and Farlan took Eren out to eat to get to know him more. They listened to him talk and gave him some advice that was crucial at his stage of life. Eren liked speaking to them. They reminded him of the older siblings he never had.

Not all of their advice was warranted, though, and some, Levi would definitely disapprove of. Isabel taught him some scam tactics that would definitely get him arrested if he got caught- _“Not if you’re careful!”_ Isabel wagged her finger playfully, and Farlan, contrary to Isabel, taught him how to avoid scammers in different situations; even overseas. Between the two of them, Eren felt like they had tons of knowledge.

And like Levi, they aggressively insisted on paying for his meal.

-

Eren went with Farlan to get their Uber and move on to the next stage of their afternoon.

\--

Levi figured he could take a break from working. He had successfully created a budget plan for his client, and now he wanted to do something else to clear his mind before making the call explaining his decisions to her.

He looked for Eren, hoping to take that boy out to eat. He wasn’t in his own room, the bathrooms, or the living room.

Levi peered into the fridge for a drink while he continued his search for Eren. He noticed the fridge was looking poorly-stocked _. I should go shopping, too_ , he thought.

He sent a text to Eren to figure out his whereabouts:

_Where are you, babe?_

There was no response immediately after, so Levi figured perhaps he’d gone to hang out with some friends. He’d probably be back soon.

In the meantime, he dressed and headed to the grocery.

-

Levi had gone to the grocery, came back, unpacked all the items, and there was still no response from Eren.

There was a piece of paper on the living room table that he hadn’t noticed before. He went over and looked at it.

It was a very detailed drawing of the gun in the safe. He forgot how secretly talented of an artist Eren was. He read the little signature at the bottom and his heart squeezed.

 _Eren drew this for him. How adorable and so very thoughtful was his little boyfriend?_ He would definitely cherish this drawing.

But speaking of Eren, he still didn’t know where he was. And being protective as he was, he started to get worried. Eren usually texted back right away.

He called him. No response. He tried another text:

_Eren, please let me know where you are. I need to know that you’re safe._

Levi went to hang up the drawing on the wall of his study.

 _Okay, relax_ , he told himself. Eren’s probably fine. He’s probably with friends.

But even still, he couldn’t get his mind to stop jumping to conclusions.

\--

Levi had finished calling his client with the budget plan, and even after all that time, he was left empty from a response from Eren.

Now he was truly getting nervous. _What if he was kidnapped? What if he ran into one of his asswipe exes again?_

Levi’s face flattened and he mentally slapped himself in the face for being so apprehensive.

He could only think of two people responsible for Eren’s sudden disappearance. Isabel and Farlan.

He dialed Isabel. This was probably her idea.

“Hey, Levi!” her voice was as cheery as ever. In the background on her end, there was a buzz of voices. Wherever she was, it was probably outdoors, and busy.

“Isabel. Where have you two taken my boyfriend?” He was not in a joking mood. Those two were drawn to danger and thrilling situations. And the idea of Eren getting caught up in their shenanigans was not amusing at all.

“Oh, relaaax! We just took him to the movies and lunch, and now we’re walking around downtown to show him some digs.”

“Do not put him in danger. Do you hear me? I mean it.”

“You’re so serious all the time! Lighten up!” Isabel said. “Don’t you worry, he’s completely safe with us!”

Levi sighed in annoyance. He loved Isabel and Farlan dearly, but “safe” wasn’t necessarily the most relevant term in their vocabularies.

“Here, Farlan wants to talk to you,” Isabel said. There was a moment of silence as she handed the phone over.

“Levi,” Farlan greeted.

Levi rubbed his temples. “Farlan. I’m not fucking around. Wherever you’re taking Eren, don’t let him in harm’s way. I don’t want you going through the shady parts of town. I’m trusting you.”

Farlan’s voice was as calm and collected as usual. “Relaaaax. I won’t let anything happen to him. We just wanted to give him a good time. You have my word.”

Levi had to give him the benefit of the doubt. “Alright. If he comes back with so much as a scratch, you two are in a world of hurt. Is that clear?”

He heard Farlan laugh on the other end. He’s known Levi for so long that his threats didn’t really phase him. “Crystal,” he stated.

Farlan ended the call and gave Isabel her phone back. He looked to the sky and breathed in cold November air. Well, they already broke one of Levi’s rules. They were in the rougher parts of town, where in just a few blocks, the building will have boarded-up windows and metal-barred gas stations.

Steam released from manhole covers, and the sidewalks were dented and worn in.

Isabel was explaining the history of a tall, abandoned skyscraper to Eren. He was fascinated, and they continued walking.

Eren checked his phone _. Shit._ With how action-packed the afternoon was, and with how conversations with Isabel and Farlan seemed to flow seamlessly from one to the next, he totally forgot about his phone.

He saw that he had a slew of missed calls and unread texts from Levi. He must’ve been worried sick.

He replied right away:

_Hey levi. I’m so so sorry, I was too busy to answer. Im doing fine. Isabel and farlan are showing me around some new areas. Don’t worry about me, hubby!!_

Levi sat in his chair at home, having read Eren’s message, but still a bit hesitant about allowing Eren to go around with his adrenaline-seeking friends.

\--

“The other day, Farlan and I learned that this pharmacy right here used to be a speakeasy!” Isabel explained to Eren.

She pointed to an old, decrepit shop with its black metal paint rusting off. “That’s where they would illegally sell alcohol during the ‘20s!”

“And since it was in plain sight,” Farlan added, “It would be easy to mesh this once busy downtown with the in-demand underground scene. Life is full of loopholes,” he said while patting Eren on the back.

In the distance, two men were talking in hushed voices. Isabel eyed them suspiciously. “Guys. I think we’re about to witness ourselves a little drug deal.”

Farlan stood up straight, looking non-suspect as possible and he looked at the scene from the corner of his eye. “Eren. Don’t look too obviously, but in about three seconds, you’re gonna see a transaction go down.”

Eren looked at the scene. Much like Farlan’s startlingly accurate prediction, he saw a little baggie of white powder being passed between the two men. They quickly dispersed after the hand-off.

And the man who received the bag broke into a small jog, right towards them. He must’ve noticed Eren staring.

Farlan stepped up quickly in front of Eren, in a protective stance. While he broke one of Levi’s rules, he was still going to keep his promise to keep Eren safe.

The man slowed his run to talk to them. “You didn’t see nothin’.”

Almost immediately, a hidden cop car swerved the corner and screeched down the street. The sirens blared and the man broke into a sprint.

Eren’s eyes widened in shock. Isabel and Farlan stood in front of him in a casual blockade, like they experienced things like this every day.

Two cops burst out of the car with guns drawn and chased the running man. “Stop right there!” they demanded.

“Oh, my God…” Eren breathed. He only saw shit like this on TV.

The watched the cops tackle the man to the ground and arrest him. He looked back in the distance for the dealer, to find that a second, silent cop car had pulled up to him and had him arrested.

Now the block was cleared from police and passers-by went back to their business.

“Welp,” Isabel piped up and ushered them to keep walking, “just another day in the life!”

Eren laughed, not quite sure if it was in relief, or the pure thrill of it all.

\--

Eren unlocked the door to the apartment, and Isabel and Farlan waited behind him.

They were hit with the usual fresh scent of incense in the apartment. Levi, who was at the couch, brisked over.

He immediately took Eren’s face in his hands and turned to inspect it, then looked him up and down. “Good. You’re unharmed…” he mumbled to no one in particular.

Eren laughed and took Levi into a hug, rocking their feet from side-to-side slightly. “Stop worrying about me so much, Levi! I’m a grown man, I can handle myself.”

Levi knew that. Eren was technically an adult, but he had a penchant for getting himself in harmful situations- and he wasn’t necessarily the most skilled in self-defense. If Levi had any choice in the matter, he wanted to make sure that Eren was as safe as possible; and if Eren was out alone, to know that Levi was just a call away from coming over in case he felt even an inkling of danger coming his way.

Levi sighed. “I know. But with these two, I can never be too sure.”

“Guilty as charged!” Isabel winked and put up a peace sign.

And Farlan looked just as carefree. “Hey, with you doing your CEO thing, we gotta keep the boyfriend entertained,” he told Levi. The way he phrased it, it was as if they shared Eren between the three of them.

“Are you guys hungry?” Levi asked them all gently, like he wasn’t just chastising his friends for abducting his boyfriend without permission earlier.

“I can eat.” Farlan was already shrugging off his jacket.

“I’ll help you cook,” Isabel offered Levi. She, too, took off her jacket and hat and hung it up on the rack near the door.

“Farlan, are you any good on Xbox?” Eren asked.

“I’m a man of many talents,” Farlan said confidently. Eren led him to the couch and they got into some matches.

Much like Eren took Levi by the shoulders and walked him through the house, Isabel did the same, and she took him to the kitchen where they were discussing dinner options. It looked like it was going to be lasagna tonight.

\--

They sat at the matte black table towards the back of the room. The current topic of conversation was the many jobs that Isabel had cycled through.

“Weren’t you a flight attendant for a few months?” Levi inquired.

“Yeah. I liked the traveling aspect of it…” Isabel explained, “but I hate answering to people. And some people treated me like a handmaiden. I can’t be in a situation where people snap their fingers at me. It’s not good for my inner spirituality.”

“Rude people come with every job, Izz,” Levi said sternly.

“You wouldn’t know much about that, Mr. Big Boss Man CEO,” Isabel teased.

“You’d be surprised; I have to deal with a handful of tactless motherfuckers on business.” He thought about the M.P. case, and the shitty collaborators he had to come in contact with.

“No, the only reason Isabel can’t hold down a job is because she has issues with authority,” Farlan said casually, and took a forkful of his lasagna.

“I do _not_ have problems with authority!” Isabel reached over and punched Farlan’s arm.

“You do,” Levi and Farlan nodded and spoke simultaneously.

“Wow,” Isabel frowned. “Where do you find true friends, Eren?” she asked morosely.

“I think a true friend would tell you things even you don’t notice about yourself,” Eren offered. He had experience in that department; Armin was ruthless when it came to telling him what was what.

“I’m a free spirit,” Isabel proclaimed, spreading her arms out majestically. “I’m like a bird. I fly away when things get too boring. And I don’t answer to rude customers.”

“Okay, bird girl, finish your lasagna before it gets cold,” Farlan pointed to her plate.

He received another punch to the arm for his comment, but everyone was laughing.

\--

“Spend more time with the cute boyfriend!” Isabel told Levi before heading off. “He needs some adrenaline!”

She gave both Levi and Eren a firm hug as well as a kiss on the cheek before waving and shutting the door behind her.

“We’ll be back for you, Eren!” he heard Farlan’s voice from the hallway outside.

“What a handful,” Levi sighed. But he seemed happy to see his old friends again.

And it was very late now, so they got into their pajamas and into bed.

-

“By the way, I got your drawing earlier,” Levi told Eren as he ran his fingers through soft chocolate brown hair.

Eren looked up from where he was cuddling Levi’s torso. “Oh yeah? How’d you like it?”

“I loved it,” Levi said genuinely. “You’re very talented, did you know that? Thank you very much for drawing it for me, baby.”

“Aww, you’re welcome, hubs. Anything for you.”

\--

Eren attended to the noon rush of the coffee shop; a time where people were desperate for a caffeine fix.

“What’s a macchiato?” a rather clueless man asked.

“It’s Italian for ‘marked’ or ‘stained’. It’s espresso slowly poured into steamed milk. I can even make it iced for ya. Or add caramel,” Eren offered.

“Oh, I’d love to try an iced caramel macchiato,” the man took out his wallet.

“Of course!” Eren grinned.

Jean overheard the conversation and got to work making the drink.

And perhaps it was because he was extra outgoing and friendly today, but Eren Jaeger just earned himself a fat tip.

-

Levi finished up at the office and went to the dry cleaners to pick up his suits. This place was pretty close to Trost Coffee. And, Eren should be finishing his shift any minute now.

-

Eren kept up his energy all the way towards the end of his shift. After such a stressful day of classes, it was nice to be able to blow off some steam and immerse himself in work.

Jean had already taken his leave and was smoking outside while waiting for Marco in the parking lot. Eren squatted down and restocked the pastry case.

The door bell jingled, and it was almost startling considering the shop’s been quiet for a minute. He stood up and figured it was Sasha coming in for her shift, but a familiar man taking off his dashing aviator sunglasses walked in the door.

“Levi!!” Eren almost squealed. This scene was pretty nostalgic; it reminded Eren of those fateful summer days, when Levi came into the shop as a stranger. _And look where they were now._

Levi approached the register with an admiring smile, tucking his sunglasses into the dip of his shirt collar. “Hey, babe. I was in the area and figured I’d stop by.”

“I’m gonna be done in like two seconds,” Eren said excitedly. He wiped down the bar and machines and grinded some fresh beans.

Sasha walked in with a bag of fast food. “Hey, Eren!” she greeted. She waved to one of the regulars sitting near the windows.

Levi turned around and recognized her from the adorable Halloween selfie. This was the girl responsible for turning his boyfriend into a kitty-cat.

“Hi, sir!” Sasha smiled at Levi. “You look familiar, I think I’ve seen you around here a few times!”

“Sasha, this is my boyfriend, Levi,” Eren introduced proudly.

Sasha’s eyes widened and her mouth made a surprised ‘O’. “Wow, it’s nice to meet you! I was always trying to figure out who Eren’s beau was, and now all the pieces have come together.”

Levi shook her hand gently. “It’s nice to meet you, too, Sasha.”

Sasha put on her apron and made her way around the counter. “Uhh…” she sang quietly while she thought. “You like the dark roast, right, Levi?”

Levi smiled at her gently and nodded. “You got it.”

“Eren and I have a secret talent of memorizing everyone’s orders,” she grinned while pouring him a fresh cup.

“It’s true,” Eren nodded smugly.

“Here you go, Levi!” Sasha put a sleeve on the cup and handed it over. When she saw Levi hand over a five dollar bill, she waved him down. “On the house! Boyfriend privileges.”

Levi had already put his wallet away, and five dollars were literally useless compared to what he made on a daily basis. He put it into the tip cup. “A tip, then.”

Sasha flashed him a grateful smile. “Thank you, sir!”

Marco walked in on the scene. He had a curious expression as he made his way behind the counter and tied his apron. “Oh, hey, I’ve seen you around here,” he smiled at Levi.

Sasha massaged Marco’s shoulder. “Marco, this is Eren’s mysterious boyfriend! The one he’s been keeping a secret from us!”

Marco’s eyes sparkled just like Sasha’s did when the pieces came together. “It’s you,” he breathed theatrically.

Eren rolled his eyes at how cheesy his friends were.

Levi shook his hand as well. “It’s nice to formally meet you, Marco.”

Eren was getting impatient with the greetings. He wanted Levi all to himself after a long day.

“Okaaaay, bye, guuuys!” Eren called as he walked Levi out by his shoulders.

-

That night, Eren took extra indulgence in cuddling with Levi. His classes were getting really stressful as finals were just around the corner. After sharing the details about his day, Eren made it clear that he wanted to be comforted. Levi was already a step ahead.

Eren’s phone buzzed with a message, and his eyebrows furrowed in annoyance. He glanced at the screen. Sasha sent him a picture.

 _MY PARENTS SURPRISED ME WITH A NEW PUPPY! MEET DAISY!!_ was the caption, and attached was a picture of very small golden retriever puppy.

Eren’s heart melted. He showed Levi the picture, too. “Look at Sasha’s adorable new puppy! Isn’t she cute?”

“She’s very cute,” Levi agreed. He also remembered how much Eren loved animals.

Eren texted Sasha back congratulating her on her new pet. He instantly returned to cuddling Levi, though, and his eyes drifted close when Levi’s fingers massaged his scalp slowly.

\--

Tuesday was much of the same. Instead of being all smiles after returning home, though, Eren’s nerves were shaken and he was exhausted.

“Welcome home, Eren,” Levi called from where he was typing something on his tablet in the kitchen.

“I’ve had a shitty day,” Eren stated shortly. He tossed his shoes, backpack, and jacket near the door and collapsed into the huge recliner, and he curled up under his blanket.

Eren obviously wasn’t in the mood to talk, but Levi knew of a little pick-me-up.

He fixed a mug of hot chocolate and added a handful of mini marshmallows. Just how his boy liked it.

Grumpy Eren took it with grateful hands. His expression instantly softened. “Thank you a million times, Levi. You’re husband goals.”

Levi thought he was only doing his job, but Eren was as sweet as ever. He tucked some hair behind Eren’s ear and stroked his cheek with the back of his knuckles. “You’re very welcome, doll. If you want to talk, just find me, okay?”

Levi went into his study to work.

And as Eren sipped his hot chocolate, he felt a cozy warmth spread through his heart. And it wasn’t because of the warm drink. Levi always respected his boundaries. He knew when Eren wanted to be left alone, even before Eren said so.

Attentive, kind, and available. Eren liked ‘em _juuust_ like that.

\--

When Eren came back home on Wednesday, he marched straight into Levi’s office, not even bothering to take off his shoes.

“Hey, Levi, how was your day?”

“Had a meeting at the office, and then had drinks with a client. Then I worked out. What about you, babe? How did that test go?”

Eren sighed into Levi’s shoulder. “Only time will tell. I’m pretty positive.”

“Mm. What would you like for dinner today?”

Eren wrapped his arms tighter around Levi’s neck while he thought. “Surprise me.”

And Levi knew just the thing.

\--

Later, Eren was pacing around the house. Armin asked to be driven to the bookstore, since one of his favorite series just a got a new sequel and the author was having a book signing.

Eren was glad to accompany him, but he couldn’t find his keys.

He called out for Levi. “Levi… my luscious… lovely Levi… where are you?” He wasn’t in his office or the bedroom, and he didn’t want Armin to be late to his event.

Levi chuckled lightly at Eren’s pet names. “I’m in here, Eren,” he called from the laundry room.

Eren walked in on Levi sitting on a small wooden stool, calmly folding fresh clothes. “Have you seen my keys? I don’t remember where I put them and they’re not in the bowl near the door.”

Levi folded a shirt with mechanical precision and placed it on a stack. “Check my desk, I think you set them down there when you first came home.”

Eren’s memory flashed with him putting his keys down on Levi’s desk while he hugged him from behind. “Oh, yeah, damn, I think you’re right,” Eren said. “I’ll be back home in a little while,” his voice decreased in volume as he was already halfway down the hall.

\--

Armin hopped into the car and his excitement was flowing out of his pores. “Thank you so much for driving me to the signing, Eren!”

Eren backed up out of the driveway. “No prob, Arm. What’re friends for?”

Eren wasn’t a book junkie like Armin, but he had to admit that a book signing was a new and worthwhile experience. And seeing a smile on his best friend’s face made it all the more worth it.

\--

When Eren returned home, a scent overcame him and made him feel like he was back home with his parents.

He went to the kitchen, where Levi was fixing plates.

“Are those Ma’s potatoes?” Eren’s grin widened.

“They are. She told me the recipe the last time we went.”

“Yes!! Aww… I _luhh_ ya, Levi!” he slurred his words and his voice had a little lilt.

Levi laughed. “I hope it comes out as good as hers.”

Eren used his fork and knife to dig into the soft baked potatoes. When he took a bite, he sighed dreamily and it was as if he was transported to his mom’s kitchen.

“It’s perfect,” Eren whispered.

Levi skipped out on his own potatoes for a second, just to watch Eren’s reaction. He didn’t know what it was exactly, but he could watch Eren eat all day.

\--

After the dishes were done, Levi pulled out a stepstool from a lower cabinet to put back the tray he used to bake the potatoes.

Eren watched as Levi stretched and stood on his tippy-toes to get the tray to the highest shelf.

When Levi stepped down, he noticed Eren holding back a smile. “Laugh it up, Eren,” he sighed unamusedly.

“I think it’s cute,” Eren assured. “Don’t be self-conscious about your height.” He approached Levi from behind and wrapped his arms around his neck. “Because what you lack in height…” Eren purred, and squeezed Levi’s thick shoulders, then his hard biceps, “you make up everywhere else.” Eren trailed his hand down Levi’s torso- making sure to linger on his heart for a brief moment- all the way down to Levi’s crotch and wrapped his hand around the print.

Levi, having been made fun of his height all through his childhood, mostly by his friends, and especially by his own uncle Kenny, thought it was a bit refreshing that Eren never really brought it up.

But his thoughts about his height were kind of irrelevant right now, because Eren’s wandering hand had a goal in mind, and Levi was in the business of pleasing his boy. He turned and hoisted Eren up, taking him to one of the couches for some fun activities.


	59. Levi's Dilemma

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> My fave shorty has a dilemma :( + And ummm. Filth. Just some yummy, gross filth.

At the Thursday coffee shop shift, Eren saw some familiar faces.

Connie ordered his usual quad Americano, and Reiner; a protein shake with extra shots.

“Orders up, guys,” Eren said at the ready station. He was working the bar today and let Jean handle the register.

“Eren. Come by my house later,” Connie said. “I’m lookin’ to get rid of some things. Come see if there’s somethin’ you want.”

“Sure. I’ll swing by when I finish up here.” Eren didn’t want for anything these days, really, considering his man was a millionaire CEO- “ _It’s your money, too,”_ he heard Levi’s voice remind him gently- and that in turn caused him to be spoiled rotten… but off-market, secondhand things always had a vintage thrill to them.

Eren finished up the handoff and a quick catch-up conversation with Connie and Reiner. Making his way back to the bar, he waited for Jean to ring up a group of customers and wiped his hands on his apron.

He took the scribbled note of orders from Jean and began a pumpkin spice latte.

As he steamed milk, hardly even looking at it (routine did this to him), he read the other orders on the slip.

\--

“Welcome to Connie’s surplus!” Connie lifted his arms and beckoned to the pile of random items surrounding him on the floor.

Eren walked into the living room and started looking around. There were headphones, hats, party lights, movie props-

“Why do you have all of these?” Eren laughed and picked up a goblin mask and fake sword. It wasn’t a secret that Connie was a YouTuber (Eren actually made appearances in some of his videos), but even these were rather strange.

“Hey, there’s a reason I’m fixin’ to get rid of some,” Connie grinned. “And I already threw out all the defective shit. Everything you see is fully functional.”

“That’s good to know,” Eren nodded. He pocketed some drumsticks into his backpack, and found a limited edition poster of one of his favorite video games.

He rummaged through the overwhelming clutter a bit more, pocketing some cool trinkets along the way. He found a pair of binoculars that Armin would love. Armin could probably use it to go bird-watching. Since he was busy working at the library and couldn’t make it here, Eren pocketed it for him.

Eren came across a clear packaging and picked it up curiously.

“Connie. What the hell?” Eren laughed.

Connie looked up from the sword fight he was engaged in with an invisible entity. He sheathed his fake sword honorably and squatted down to Eren’s level. “Oh, that maid costume? I kinda forgot about that. Ya see… I went with Sasha to go shopping for that kitty costume of yours. For the Halloween party.”

“That’s true,” Sasha walked in from the kitchen, her words thick from a mouthful of crunchy chips. She slumped on the couch lazily and tuned into the conversation.

“I saw this and figured I could use it to spice things up in the bedroom with one of my side chicks,” Connie explained casually. “But she left me before I got the chance to get her into it… so now I just have a maid costume sitting around.”

Eren eyed the excessive frills beneath the packaging. He wasn’t sure why Connie kept messing around with random girls… everyone and their mother knew he had a years-long, adorable, undeniable crush on Sasha. But even a little guy like Connie who possessed tons of swagger was too shy to confess to the girl he truly loved.

It was precious and kind of sad at the same time.

But this costume gave him another idea. Sex with Levi was always steamy and dreamy… but what would happen if they switched it up a bit? This costume also included thigh-highs, which Eren knew was one of Levi’s kinks.

 _Yeah… he could get into a little roleplay with his man._ Eren Jaeger had some sexy tricks up his sleeve, to say the least.

“I’ll take this,” Eren stated and put the costume package into his backpack.

Sasha gave him an impressed, mischievous glance from the couch, but she stayed quiet.

And Connie’s expression wasn’t much different. “My boy Eren is fixin’ to spice things up, too?”

“I’ll find a use for it,” Eren said simply.

\--

“How was your day, Papa?” Eren lay on his chest and looked up with bright eyes.

Levi rolled strands of Eren’s hair between his fingers and sighed quietly. “Very tiring. I had several meetings and pushed myself a bit too far while lifting.”

“Do more cardio,” Eren advised. “It’ll increase your energy.”

“You’re very right. The irony is that cardio wears me out too much, too.”

Eren smiled sympathetically. “You know what else is good cardio…?” He trailed his hand down beneath his own stomach to Levi’s crotch, and rubbed it slowly. He kept sweet eye contact all the while.

But Eren wasn’t really in the mood, anyway. He’s had a long day, too, and all he wanted tonight were cuddles and immediate sleep. Classes and work were really stressing him out.

He was just doing this because he was a mischievous little shit.

“Eren.” Levi sounded defeated, but amused.

“What is it, hubs?” Eren purred. “Having a hard time getting it up? Maybe we should put you on some Viagra.” He kept rubbing slowly, pouting his lips.

“You teasing me is not helping your case at all, Eren,” Levi’s response was calm as ever. With a quick, fell movement, he managed to knock Eren’s balance and roll them over so that he was on top, and Eren was pinned to the mattress with wide eyes.

“Old man,” Eren whispered, then giggled.

“Do old men…” Levi spoke so close to Eren that their lips brushed together and their breaths mixed, “do this?” Levi pressed his lips to Eren’s, sucking it swollen, then biting that lower lip. When he felt Eren sigh contently and try to move his hands to gain some control, Levi aggressively pinned him down harder and went back in to suck Eren’s tongue intimately.

And now Eren was regretting his sass, because being pinned down while kissing was not his ideal situation. He just wanted to grab Levi’s glossy black hair and work his passion.

Levi finally let go of Eren’s wrists and started to back away, but Eren grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him back down for a gentle smooch. He wrapped his arms around Levi’s neck.

“I was kidding, Levi. You’re not an old man. And you _definitely_ don’t need Viagra. I can vouch for you.”

Levi chuckled. “I know you were kidding, darling. Although, you can’t blame me too much,” he started, rolling back on the mattress onto his back. “I do have an insatiable brat on my hands, after all.”

Eren cuddled closer and drew the covers over them. “I am _not_ a brat!”

“I’m kidding.”

“Good.”

“Or maybe I’m not,” Levi teased in that deliciously low voice of his.

Eren smacked Levi’s chest, causing Levi to laugh fully, rich, and deep.

And Eren kissed the same spot that he smacked and nuzzled in deeply. “I love you, hubby. Good night.”

Levi held Eren closer and placed a loud smooch on his hair. “I love you, too, baby. Sweet dreams.”

What a strange and wonderful thing they had going on, to insult each other and then go right back to cuddling like it was nothing.

And by the time that the previous sentence was finished, Eren was already snoring.

\--

“Let me take you to the mall, baby.”

Even though date night was usually on Saturday, Eren was up for going out on Friday. This would make a pretty nice transition into the weekend.

“Yes!” Eren took Levi’s hand and they made their way down the elevator.

-

Eren fiddled with the radio for a good station, and reclined his seat.

Levi’s mind wandered a bit. He felt that he’s been neglecting Eren lately. And now that he wasn’t working on a major case, he felt like he didn’t have an excuse.

Isabel was right. Eren was young and needed adrenaline, and fun, and attention, and love… well, she didn’t say _all_ that, but Levi put the pieces together.

To even remotely deny Eren of those would be shitty. This boy deserved the world and more.

\--

They walked through the mall, and Levi insisted on buying every single thing that Eren expressed interest in. And, like a perfect gentleman, he carried the heavy shopping bags.

On Friday nights, the mall was crowded with young and old couples alike. It was stuffy, rowdy and loud, and almost a bit uncomfortable.

Now, Levi wasn’t too big on PDA ( _yet_ , Eren figured), and Eren knew that. Levi liked to savor his boy in private, all to himself, without anyone watching or interrupting. Eren on the other hand, wanted the whole world to see their love.

This situation resulted in secret ass squeezes behind shirt racks; Levi slipping his hand in Eren’s back jeans pocket when no one was around; and subtle hand kisses while browsing through the different outlets.

\--

Now, they were at a shoe store, and Levi read emails while Eren tried on some options.

“Hmm.” Eren brought two different shoes over to where Levi was sitting. “Hubs, you have good style. What do you think? Which one do you like better?”

Levi’s eyes went from the blue running shoes to the brown skater-style high tops. “I like them both. We’ll take both.”

Eren sighed in defeat but smiled anyway. Yeah, he was definitely becoming spoiled. And, he couldn’t say he disliked it. “Not helping!”

Eren used to always check the price tags on things, debating in his head whether certain items were worth blowing his paycheck on. Now, he could take as many things off the racks and shelves and buy them without having to make any financial sacrifices.

Levi found it adorable when Eren tried to protest getting the things he wanted. Despite how many things he bought Eren, Eren stayed humble and earnest about money. It said tons about his character.

The shoe fitter overheard the conversation. “You’ll take both, then?” he smiled.

“Yeah. We’ll take both,” Eren told him.

The employee put the shoes back in their boxes and picked them up. “I’ll be waiting in the front to ring you up when you’re ready.”

“Leviiii…” Eren sat down next to him on the cushioned seats and rested his head on his shoulder. “I have too many shoes now. You gotta hold me back.”

“You don’t have too much of anything. I’ll buy you the whole damn store if you want me to.”

“I know you would,” Eren giggled.

\--

At an apparel store, Eren was in the fitting room, trying on some shirts. Levi was once again waiting just outside to see the selections.

And his mind started wander again.

Eren expressed his love in so many ways. He enjoyed cuddling, kissing, hugging, asking questions about work, making excellent coffee before or after long days… the list could go on.

 _How do I express my love?_ Levi asked himself.

 _Buying things? Is that all?_ He started becoming somewhat irritated and disappointed in himself. _You’re just like every other well-off motherfucker out there. If Eren ended up getting bored with me down the road, I wouldn’t be too surprised._

Levi snapped out of it when Eren burst out the fitting room. He was wearing an olive-colored graphic t shirt.

“This is the only one I liked out of the stack. Whaddaya think?”

“I love it on you. It brings out your beautiful eyes,” Levi said.

Eren covered his face in a quick, bashful giggle. “You think everything looks good on me, Levi.”

“You make everything look good,” Levi retaliated. “That shirt would match those tan sneakers from earlier.”

“You’re right!”

\--

As they made more laps around the crowded mall, Levi was still ruminating.

He was thinking about his monologue from earlier. He didn’t _feel_ like there was a disconnect between him and Eren.

He knew all about Eren. He knew his dislikes, his favorites, and everything in between. Someone could even consult him like a specialized Eren database. Favorite music? Easy. Eren loved _Panic! at the Disco_ and Rihanna. Favorite food? Trick question. Eren will eat pretty much anything except celery. His favorite color was blue, and summer was his favorite season. And, he liked a medium roast coffee with two spoonfuls of sugar and hazelnut creamer.

But knowing all that was child’s play.

Because Levi also knew all of Eren’s insecurities, bad habits, and secrets. Deep, dark shit that he was shy to tell at first, but when he realized that Levi loved him unconditionally and was actually interested in learning about every drop of this beautiful thing named Eren Jaeger, Eren became more open, even _eager_ to tell Levi anything and everything.

 _No secrets, remember?_ Eren’s sweet voice echoed in Levi’s head. And now, he felt even shittier for all these extra thoughts.

“Whoa, WORLDSTAR!!” someone yelled.

Levi noticed he was too busy being an inattentive jackass to notice that not even twenty feet in front of them, a fight had broken out.

A crowd formed in a circle around the hoodlums like a gladiator fight.

Eren had whipped his phone out to take a video, and he was laughing at the free entertaining.

While Eren was too busy capturing the scene, Levi instinctively put an arm out in front of him to push him back away from the fight.

The fighters were two young men, perhaps a little older than Eren. Based on the context clues, they were duking it out over a girl. The girl in question timidly oversaw the display of testosterone, making weak attempts to call her boyfriend off the other guy.

“DO YOU THINK IT’S OKAY TO TOUCH MY GIRLFRIEND, YOU SICK FUCK?!” one of them asked, and he charged forward to lay a stinging punch to the other’s jaw, sending him tumbling to the ground.

“Oooh…” the crowd cringed in secondhand pain, Eren included. But this footage was pure gold. He couldn’t wait to show this to all his friends.

“Stop!” the girlfriend cried out.

The two guys wrestled around on the floor and fumbled with each other’s clothes to get in good positions for gaining an upper hand in the fight.

They were encroaching closer to where Levi and Eren were standing. While Eren was ecstatic for a better shot for his footage, Levi didn’t want to risk Eren becoming mixed up in the brawl, so he took him by the waist and pulled him a good dozen feet back.

And two more voices were heard somewhere along the edge of the circle. A pair of mall cops penetrated the onlookers to pull the two fighters off each other.

“Alright, that’s enough of that.” “Get off him. Don’t struggle!”

With the tousled young men having been subdued and the girlfriend on the verge of tears, there was no reason to look around anymore.

“’Ey! Nothing to see here, folks!” one of the cops yelled. “Keep moving!”

The crowd dispersed and kept on their business. Eren ended his video and took Levi’s hand. “Live entertainment,” he stated.

“Eren, babe. Stay more alert. I don’t want you getting involved in skirmishes by standing too close to the action.”

And there it was again. _You’re being a fucking killjoy_ , a judgmental voice told Levi from within his mind.

 _I’m not being a killjoy. I’m protecting him_ , Levi’s conscious snapped back.

“You’re right,” Eren said. “I’ll be more careful.”

\--

Back at home much later, after a long evening of shopping and snacking, Eren sat on the couch and was too lazy to put all his new clothes away. But, he did send the fight footage to his friends.

The most common question: _Where did that happen!!!?_

 _Ten Oaks Mall_ , Eren would proudly reply like a town newsboy who had all the juiciest information.

The most notable response was from Connie: _The freaks come out at night._

 _Yeah, you aint kiddin and you aint shittin_ , Eren replied.

“Are you hungry, darling?” Levi asked from the kitchen.

Eren looked up. “Not hungry, but could you get me a drink? Anything.”

Levi reached into the fridge and retrieved a cool water bottle. When he handed it over to Eren, he ruffled Eren’s hair, and without much else, he retreated into the hallway with plans of a long, hot shower.

-

There wasn’t a better place in the world to allow thoughts to catch up to you than the shower, it seemed, and Levi was back to ruminating on his dilemma.

In the beginning of their relationship, Eren cried one time because he thought that Levi deserved someone better. Now, Levi was wondering if he was making Eren happy to the fullest potential.

Funny how tables turned like that.

\--

Eren waiting in bed under the covers, freshly showered with damp hair that made his chocolate locks look almost black, and a sweet smile was a sight Levi never seemed to get tired of.

“There he is,” Levi stated like he usually did. Eren liked that. It made him feel extra cherished.

Eren opened his arms expecting a hug, which he received. But suddenly, he pulled away and took Levi’s face in his hands. He stared into steely gray eyes.

“Levi. You’ve been kinda distant tonight. What happened?”

“What makes you think that?” Levi wondered.

“Because I know my husband, and I know when something is bothering him.”

 _God damn, did he have an attentive boyfriend_ … Levi thought. He stayed silent for a moment, trying to think of how to even come about this. The words were scattered in his head.

“We don’t keep secrets, remember?” Eren said softly, and stroked Levi’s sharp jawline with his thumbs.

Levi took a deep, long sigh. And he came right out with it, much like propositions at work meetings. “Eren… my sweet boy… I feel like I’m always neglecting you. I feel like I’m not making you happy enough.”

Eren’s face turned over in disbelief.

And Levi launched into an explanation of his thoughts from earlier. He felt incompetent in that he didn’t feel like he fully pleased Eren in the “fun and exciting” department, or sexually. Money was his most common way to express himself, and that made him feel like a jackass.

Eren made sure Levi was all done speaking to make his rebuttal. He took Levi’s hand within both of his. “Papa… noooo…” he shook his head slowly. “You _do_ please me in all departments. I know you very well. And I know you’re way more generous and loving than you think you are. I know how important work is, but you do always make time for me. You keep my dumb ass safe and grounded. And I like that you spoil me. I have more things now than I’ll ever need. Especially shoes.”

Levi chuckled lightly.

And Eren smiled, too, massaging Levi’s hand soothingly. “My point is… all those things you thought are bullshit. Because even though you think you’re boring and too serious for me, you’re not. I like you just the way you are. I need my strong hubs to protect me and cuddle me. That’s all. I’m a man of simple tastes. So don’t overthink it, okay?”

Levi nodded. Eren’s words truly did take a weight off his chest. And maybe he was overthinking it, after all. Because if Eren was anything at all, he was vocal and very explicit about everything. If he had a problem with Levi, or feeling like he wasn’t getting enough attention, he would’ve made it crystal clear right away. “Alright. Thank you for listening to me.”

Eren took Levi into another tight hug, loving the way Levi’s chest pressed against his. “I’m just doing my job. I have to make sure you’re happy, too. I can’t be a piece of shit and just think about myself.”

Several minutes passed in their quiet embrace, but it felt like hours.

When they were both sitting again, facing one another, Eren had one more thing to address. “As for you thinking you’re not having enough sex with me, don’t you worry about that, either,” Eren waved his hand lazily as if it was a petty issue. “You pipe me down plenty.”

“’Pipe you down?’” Levi repeated out loud, and Eren managed to draw another one of those rich, musical laughs that made his heart sing and pound in happiness.

“Yes,” Eren laughed and laced their fingers together. “And I know your limits, and I know when you’re not in the mood. So if I ever tease you, it’s because I’m a ‘brat’,” -Eren put up air quotations- “as you put it.”

The corners of Levi’s mouth curled in a smile. He reached over and took Eren close to trap his head against his chest. “You _are_ a brat,” Levi said gently into Eren’s damp hair. “But you’re also _my_ brat, and my adorable husband, and my darling baby boy. So I guess I have to live with it,” he said in fake regret.

Eren laughed into Levi’s chest. “Careful, Levi. I can show you juuuust how much of a brat I can be.”

“Maybe you can show me tomorrow,” Levi said. “What do you say we sleep now, love?”

“You’re already a step ahead,” Eren said gratefully. “I’m tired as hell.”

They turned off the lamps and got beneath the heavy covers.

“Kisses,” Eren stated, and so very well-rehearsed, Levi gave him three light kisses on the lips.

“No secrets, okay, Levi?” Eren said softly. “We’re doing just fine.”

\--

And now that Saturday was here, Eren was now prepared to show Levi how much of a “brat” he could be, true to his word from last night.

He eyed the maid costume package with determination. He wasn’t _nervous_ , per se… he’s had sex with Levi countless times before and they were completely comfortable with each other. Eren just found it strange that he hated wearing costumes in any normal situation, but was almost excited to wear something for Levi.

Well, Levi _had_ seen him in his worst and best states… which end of the spectrum the maid costume fit in would be up to Levi, evidently.

Eren put on the frilly black-and-white staple, slipped on the garter and thigh-highs, and as a finishing touch, he slipped on the cute lace headpiece.

\--

Levi figured he could use the first half of Saturday to simply “chill and relax” as Eren would say, allowing himself to watch TV and lie back in bed without having to worry about work.

His usual position was curling his arms behind his pillow. He heard light footsteps in the hallway.

Eren stood in the doorway and leaned against the frame with a rather sultry gaze. “Are you ready to have your house cleaned, Master?”

Levi looked up and many reactions seemed to cross his face. Lust. Admiration. Fucking humor. He laughed harder than Eren had ever heard him laugh before, lightly holding onto his abdomen. Eren giggled, too, but he quickly snapped back into character.

Levi sat up and patted his thighs twice. A command. “Come here, Eren.”

Eren sauntered his way over, making sure to take unhurried steps. When he mounted the bed, he crawled over to Levi on his knees.

“You put this on for me?” Levi asked lowly. He took some time to hold Eren and feel the skirt of the maid dress- the layers of frills, the white apron, the mesh lining that was hiding the treasure within.

And _oh_ , God fucking _damn_. Eren’s firm, shapely thighs were covered in white socks, cutely embellished with little satin bows on the elastic.

Levi could already feel his libido revving up as he squeezed Eren’s thighs with a possessive grip. His fingers disappeared into the skirt, attempting to find Eren’s crotch. And no surprise at all, he was erect and firm and ready for action.

Eren fisted the back of Levi’s hair and pulled it down to lift his face. “Just for you, Daddy,” he purred. He punctuated his sentence by taking Levi’s lips roughly, exhaling through his nose. With his eyes closed, Eren decided he was done talking for now. He would let his tongue do the work.

To gain more control, Eren pulled down Levi’s hair even harder, and placed his other hand right behind Levi’s ear to keep him still. And now that Eren was in control, he forced his tongue into Levi’s mouth. While he was salivating, albeit from arousal, he used it as a lubricant of sorts to slide into every corner of Levi’s mouth- all along his teeth, and then further in deep to wrestle with his tongue.

 _How far can I get it in?_ Eren wondered.

He moved his hand to Levi’s jaw, and angled his own head to be able to probe his tongue in deeper. When he was convinced that his tongue has well entered Levi’s throat, he pulled out slowly and sucked at those plush lips in a suctioning kiss before sliding off.

With how much his mouth was watering, a couple strings of clear spit webbed between their mouths upon separation.

“Mmm…” Eren dragged his middle finger across his lower lip in memory of the taste of Levi’s mouth. He broke off the saliva, and his emerald eyes were approaching black because of how widely his pupils were blown out.

And now that Levi allowed Eren to have his little bout of dominance, it was his turn to show this little maid who the boss was in this house.

Levi roughly lifted Eren by the waist and turned him so that he was sitting on his lap facing away instead. He lifted the layers of lace and chiffon to find Eren’s bare ass; it seemed he didn’t think underwear was necessary. Levi didn’t mind. It was just one less step for him to take care of.

“Get on your knees, Eren,” Levi commanded.

Eren crawled up so that he was on his hands and knees, and in this position, his ass was just a reach away.

“Have you been you a good little maid for me, Eren?” Levi rubbed the smooth skin of Eren’s firm ass.

“Yes.”

Levi sharply spanked Eren’s ass, eliciting a gasp, and then a giggle from Eren. “Yes, what?”

“Yes, sir!” Eren said.

Levi smiled and he rubbed the sore spot in front of him. “Ohh, yes. I think this will do quite nicely.”

He drew Eren’s legs closer and began licking circles around Eren’s entrance.

“Ah, shit!” Eren hung his head.

Levi could feel Eren clenching his muscles. Good. He was going to test his limits today. He went back in and snaked the tip of his tongue into Eren’s entrance.

And for a moment, Eren’s arms gave out and he collapsed a little. He whined and felt his face flush red. Yeah, Levi was definitely showing him that two can play at the tongue game.

“Oh, yeah, keep going!” Eren said desperately.

Levi removed himself and spanked Eren on the ass again. Because that spot was still sensitive, Eren cried out. “Is that any way to address me?”

Eren, now drunk with lust, could not afford to disobey anymore. He needed to comply with his Master’s wishes to get what he wanted. “No, Master. I’m sorry. Please keep going.”

“That’s so much better, Eren,” Levi said before going back.

“Mmf, _fuck_.” Eren bit his lip and tried to prevent himself from making demands like their usual sexual encounters. Now, he was a submissive. His pleasure will solely be in Levi’s hands right now, no matter how. Painstakingly. Slow. It would be.

Levi took his time relaxing Eren’s entrance to his liking, groaning into the pink ring to add some sort of vibration. Originally, he wanted to get Eren’s metallic vibrator involved in this session, but that toy was far away, and frankly, he didn’t want to leave his plaything alone for even a minute.

And he silently relished in Eren’s slutty moans and choked whines. _Yes… always so ready and able, his Eren._

When Levi was sure Eren was eaten raw, he put his skirt back down. Eren was grateful to sit back down and get off his wobbling, feint knees.

“What do you want me to do now, Daddy?” Eren licked his index finger, still heavy-lidded from having his asshole teased.

Levi reached over his shoulders to grab the back of his shirt and pull it off in one precise motion. He stretched his neck from side to side calmly as he pulled down his shorts. “Let’s see you service me with that pretty mouth of yours.”

“Yes, sir,” Eren smiled sweetly. He crawled over and wrapped his hand around Levi’s erect cock, one finger at a time. He stroked it a few times to get a quick feel for it, and when it was all measured up, Eren drew some saliva in his mouth and spit it onto Levi’s shaft. He rubbed it over a few more times over to lube it up.

“You filthy little thing,” Levi glowered, and held Eren’s chin with his hand to assist in the blowjob.

Eren kissed the tip teasingly, then started sliding Levi’s cock in and out of his mouth. He pressed his tongue flat against the underside of the shaft, which added a dimension of warm, wet pressure that had Levi groaning deeply.

Levi looked down at Eren, who was bobbing his head from base to tip of the shaft. He squeezed Eren’s chin softly. “Look at me while you’re working, Eren. I want to see those gorgeous eyes of yours.”

Eren vibrated a confirmation against his cock, and started bobbing his head again; this time, being sure to look up at Levi looming over him.

“So pretty,” Levi groaned. “Good boy. Just like that.”

Eren’s heart sang. Levi said those magic words that gave his tummy butterflies. Nah, fuck butterflies. More like the whole damn zoo.

Saliva dribbled down Eren’s chin messily as he kept at it, but Levi found it strangely endearing. A labor of love, he liked to think of it.

Eren slid off the tip with a suctioning pop of his cheeks. While catching his breath, he used both hands, mainly his wrists, to pump Levi up.

“I want you to face-fuck me, Master,” Eren said. “I want you all the way down my throat.”

“What do you say?” Levi warned.

“Please?”

“Good boy,” Levi nodded approvingly. “Come back here.”

Eren placed his lips over the head, and took a few more plunges into his mouth before figuratively giving the Levi the wheel.

Levi grabbed two handfuls of Eren’s soft hair, and with absolutely no caution, he used the control to force his cock deep down Eren’s warm, expert throat and back out. Eren held onto Levi’s thighs for support.

Levi threw his head back and growled. “Fuck, Eren…” he continued plunging Eren’s head into his pelvis, and his hips involuntarily began thrusting to meet Eren halfway.

The resulting sound was a squishy, wet sound as Levi’s cock hit the depths of Eren’s throat over and over.

But Levi still had some other plans. As much as Eren’s tolerance was unreal and his throat was very fuckable, he had to give his boy a break.

When Eren was finally allowed some air, tears streamed down his cheeks.

And even though they were still mildly roleplaying, Levi’s instincts kicked in. He used the back of his hand to gently wipe away Eren’s tears. Then he ran his thumb across Eren’s abused mouth.

“You did very good for me, Eren. What a good boy you are. Is my little maid ready for more, or does he want to rest?”

Eren, being the good sport that he was- and still in need of his own release- nodded sweetly. “I’m ready for more, Daddy.”

Levi stroked Eren’s chin admirably. “Alright. Lie down on your back for me and wait.”

Eren got into his appointed position while Levi quickly rummaged through his bedside drawer for the lube. He quickly slicked himself up, and then slathered some of the liquid on his fingers to stretch Eren open just a bit more. They might have been roleplaying, but Eren’s comfort did always come first, no matter what.

With expert, strong hands, Levi let Eren’s long legs rest past his own hips, and after aligning himself, he skipped the buildup and started a strong, steady pace.

Hips to thighs. Skin on skin. _Tap, tap, tap, tap._

Levi dragged his hands up along Eren’s socks, right to that little showing of the pure skin under the garter clip that wasn’t covered. Eren’s legs were worthy of attention all to themselves.

Even as a submissive, Eren couldn’t prevent himself from running his mouth.

“I’m such a dirty boy for you, Daddy. Fuck me harder, please. Pretty please, sir?”

“Because you asked so _nicely_ -“Levi snarled the last word before he drew back and pounded into Eren full and deep.

“Uh-huh!” Eren’s eyes rolled back and he gripped the sheets beside him tightly. “I want you to fuck the dog shit out of me, Daddy!”

Levi broke character for a moment to chuckle. _Dog shit? Where in the world did Eren get his terminologies?_

But he fulfilled his little maid’s request anyway. Building up the tempo of his hips, he spread Eren’s legs further apart to make sure Eren felt every fucking inch enter his greedy hole.

And even though sweat was glistening on his skin and he was driving into Eren a mile a second, Levi made sure block out all the whines and moans and groans between them to really savor the sight of Eren.

That lovely, pliable body beneath him. So young, yet experienced. Eren’s face twisted in sweet, sweet pleasure, and that lacy headband he was wearing made his now-sweaty bangs look extra cute.

 _My little baby boy_ … Levi’s conscious sighed.

And now he was back in the moment. He pulled out abruptly. “I don’t want you finishing… just yet, Eren,” he managed with this brain in total disarray.

Eren whined at the absence of a big, fat cock in his ass, but he sat up anyway and awaited his next instruction.

Levi sat and leaned back on a small pile of pillows. He was a bit too close to orgasm to be making complete, coherent sentences, so he patted his thighs twice and Eren crawled over.

“I want you to ride me,” Levi said.

“Oh, I’ll ride you into the fucking sunset, Master.” Eren grabbed Levi’s shoulders to align himself and fixed his skirt so that it wasn’t in the way.

Levi stifled a smile. _Once again, with Eren’s adorably hilarious terminologies._

Eren kept one hand on Levi’s shoulder for an anchor, and used his other hand to bunch up his skirt and hold it so that Levi could see all the precum dripping onto his stomach right now.

Eren skillfully rolled his forward and up in a vertical circle, which ensures that he would be getting the fullness sooner than he’d prefer to wait. _Faster, faster_ , he told himself.

“Look at you…” Levi mused. He held Eren’s thighs indulgently. “Doing all the work yourself. Good boy.”

“Mmm, yeah, you like that, Daddy?” Eren whined. “Ooh, fuck, I’m getting close…”

Levi wrapped a firm hand around Eren’s aching cock. He started stroking it up slowly.

Eren whined louder, and his hips were moving at an incredible pace. “Finish me off…”

“What do you say?”

“Please, Master. Please, please, please finish me off, sir.” Eren screwed his eyes shut and hoped that with all the atoms and space matter floating around uselessly in his system, everything would come together just right for orgasm.

Levi stroked Eren up a bit faster and firmer, still holding out a little bit just to stretch Eren’s limits.

Eren resorted to teasing and bargaining as he wasn’t in his right mind. His orgasm was coming two steps forward, and one step back. And it was frustrating as hell!

Luckily, Eren found that Levi was increasing the pace of his handiwork, and he was now moving with quick, solid, tight strokes upward. Just how he knew Eren liked it.

“Are you gonna make me shoot ropes, Daddy?” Eren babbled. “Are you gonna finish me off? I’m such a bad, bad boy. I wanna cum all over your chest!”

“Where did you get that filthy fucking mouth of yours?” Levi growled, and his orgasm was approaching fast, too.

Eren ignored the question. “Ooh, I’ll only cum for you, Levi!! Make me shoot ropes!”

With two more solid, languid strokes in his direction, Levi squeezed Eren’s cock and watched as- true to Eren’s word- thin, pearly white ropes ejected one after the other onto his chest like an abstract painting.

Eren hung his head and groaned lowly, his body twitching as all the particles came together in his brain and rewarded him with an orgasm that seemed to come in endless waves.

And as Eren’s body stiffened with his twitching orgasm, Levi knew this was the right time to get there, too. He lifted Eren’s hips and dropped his body down a couple times, and he found his spilling release into Eren’s warmth. He shut his eyes and groaned loudly.

Who knew how much time had passed before they made their way back to Earth from their orgasms and peeled off of each other.

Eren’s body was weak, and he couldn’t seem to find his voice.

Levi was completely spent and felt filthy.

“That… was some good shit…” Eren said softly once he caught his breath.

Levi managed to open his eyes. “You did well, my little maid. Good boy. What do you say we get cleaned up together? And I think I’d like to pamper you after that.”

“Sounds good, hubby.”


	60. Traditions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A classic Sunday, filled with so much familiar sweetness. Plotless and pointlessly fluffy.

With gentle hands, Levi scrubbed Eren’s body with an expensive, lovely-smelling soap. He continued by lathering Eren’s hair with shampoo, making sure to get a deep clean.

Much like cleaning the apartment was sacred and personal for Levi, sharing washing-up time with Eren was very intimate and important.

The little roleplay session earlier was a mighty good time for both of them, but something prompted Levi’s instincts and told him a little aftercare was in order. Just like Eren put on the maid outfit and indulged him, Levi thought he should return the favor. It was only fair.

Besides, any opportunity to soothe and caress his gorgeous little boyfriend was one that Levi was eager to take.

Back on the bed, a now-dressed Eren sat patiently as he waited for Levi to bring some pampering supplies.

He sniffled. The combination of his damp hair and the cool air of the apartment made him feel chilled. Luckily, Levi’s warm hands would take care of that issue promptly.

“Hey.” Levi’s deep voice brought him back into focus.

Eren turned to him and smiled sweetly. Bottles and lotions were neatly lined up on the mattress. “Hey.”

Levi picked up a bottle of oil and Eren’s comb. “Let’s do something about that hair.”

With expert fingers, Levi massaged chocolate locks with a golden hair oil, rubbing Eren’s scalp as he worked. _So soft…_ Levi mused to himself. This was supposed to be a treat for Eren, but he was enjoying himself as well.

And when Levi was done styling it with the comb, Eren’s hair ended up with a neat side part. His normally ruffled and carefree appearance was transformed into an innocent, good-boy look. Undeniably, he looked _very_ charming- if Levi could say so himself.

And now, Eren slipped his t shirt off, and then his pajama pants to lay face-down on the mattress.

Levi took in the view of Eren’s butt, covered by white-and-blue striped boxers. The corners of his lips twitched in a small smile. _Cute._ He kind of wanted to grab and squeeze it, but for now, he would hold off on that.

Levi Ackerman used to pride himself in his impressive self-control, but his young boyfriend took that right away from him. Not that that was a bad thing, necessarily.

So he got to work. Strong, weathered hands roamed over Eren’s back… and shoulders… and thighs and calves, rolling out the strain and stress. He was just grateful and a bit thrilled that he got to explore the hidden gem that was the smooth, unmarred gold of Eren’s body. Not to say he was deprived of this honor to begin with. Eren was one of the touchiest, clingiest people ever and had absolutely no issue with being felt or feeling. But to truly- and deeply- show that he aimed to please, and that comfort blurred the lines between physical and emotional… Levi was glad he could do something to please and comfort his little baby boy.

And, he was reveling in Eren’s loud, content sighs.

“What an exquisite thing you are…” Levi found himself murmuring out loud.

Eren was too lost in the clouds to reply right away, as Levi was digging his thumbs into the toned muscles of his back, and the thick scented lotion took him away to some exotic island in the middle of nowhere… but he appreciated how cherished he was.

“Such a beautiful boy… Turn over for me.”

Eren slowly rolled onto his back, eyes still closed. Levi applied some more lotion into his palm and began gently working his thumbs over Eren’s torso.

An indulgent smile spread on Eren’s face. “Yes. Rub my tummy, Levi.”

“Of course, doll.”

Eren’s smile stretched out even wider once Levi’s expert hands started rubbing that lovely lotion onto his stomach.

“…Hey, how did you feel about being called Daddy?”

Eren knew that Levi never met his birth father, and it occurred to him that he might’ve struck a negative chord while they were having sex. But this information was curiously vital for both himself, and Armin, since they’ve discussed daddy kinks.

Levi responded calmly and nonchalantly. “Well… I’m already “Papa” and “Hubby”, so I suppose Daddy isn’t too strange at this point.”

Eren giggled through his nose, and Levi chuckled as well.

This was good. Eren liked giving silly, albeit possessive nicknames to his man.

And likewise, Levi found it relieving that he could roleplay and be silly with Eren. It continues to be refreshing, especially after having to run a large company and play the serious CEO role.

This right here; yes, they had a good thing going on, these two.

-

And now that it was late afternoon, Levi squeezed his arms tighter around Eren.

“Oi,” he said quietly into Eren’s ear, “what would you like to do for date night?”

Eren scratched his nails over Levi’s hand lazily. “Let’s just chill and relax here again this week. I’m lazy today.”

Levi was kind of lazy now, too, what with their little playtime earlier. Sex with Eren might’ve been phenomenal, but he also couldn’t deny that it wore him out considerably. He sighed internally _. I really am getting old…_

“Sounds like a plan,” Levi said. They both redirected their attention to the movie on the screen, but the real focus at hand was this cuddle session.

“You’re so good to me, Levi. You always ask what I want to do,” Eren said. “You should tell me what you want, too!”

To have a rich boyfriend was difficult in some aspects for Eren, since the concept of buying things was obsolete. He gave massages and made coffee when he could… but he sometimes felt like he could do more. He just didn’t know what.

However, his excessive affection was more than enough for Levi.

Levi’s heart lifted at the kind words. “You’ve given me everything, Eren. My main pleasure is attending to your needs and wants.”

And it was true. Just by being in the picture, Eren has given him something to look forward to every day. Maybe all he needed this whole time was a sweet thing to spoil and hold and play with. Levi considered himself a man of simple tastes, as well.

“Alright,” Eren grinned. “But if there’s absolutely anything I can do for you, hubs, you let me know right away!”

“I will indeed let you know,” Levi replied gently. He squeezed his arms tighter around Eren’s waist and groaned. “I love you so very much, Eren. Truly.”

Eren laughed and threw his head back against Levi’s shoulder. He patted Levi’s hand sweetly. “I love you, too, Levi.”

\--

“Hey, look, it’s you,” Eren pointed at the screen.

In the movie, there was a rich businessman toting around a suitcase full of cash to a client, and he spoke loudly and obnoxiously into his phone as he walked through a building. Even indoors, he didn’t bother taking off his sunglasses.

Levi frowned a bit. “Am I that bitchy?”

Eren giggled. “No, not that bitchy. You’re not like that, don’t worry.”

“That’s good,” Levi said. “I was becoming concerned for a minute there.”

“But sometimes when I go to the company, I see people in the building who act like that.”

“They were probably guests,” Levi said. “I hope none of our employees act that way.”

 _“Our”. Not “my”_. The thought floated around in Eren’s head.

It was still so crazy Eren found himself in this situation. His boyfriend was a multi-millionaire CEO of a holdings company. It was for this reason that he was living a princely life. And as casual as it all was now, the idea still drew a smile from Eren.

“Levi, if I pass my financial lit class, do you think I would be good enough to work in Accounting?” He grinned impishly. Eren always found himself rambling and asking dumb questions. With Levi, he could say absolutely anything at all.

The joke was that Eren hated finances and had no desire at all to be an accountant. _There was no action!_

“You’re more than that,” Levi explained. “You’re my boyfriend. That position is more important to me than anything the company offers.”

“Aw. You always know what to say.”

“Hange and Moblit tell me you’ve come a long way, though.”

“They don’t let me slip up at all. They’ve tutored me so well that my classmates started asking me to help them study.”

Levi shook Eren in his arms a little. “That’s my boy. I want to reward you.”

“Mmm…” Eren pretended to think out loud. He pretty much had everything he ever wanted now, so gifting was becoming more difficult. “I think I want a yacht,” he said lazily.

Levi didn’t flinch at all. “A yacht, huh? Tell you what, you make the dean’s list this semester, and we’ll get you a yacht. How does that sound?” White lie. Levi would get him a yacht regardless of whether or not he made the list. He might as well incentivize Eren to work hard, even though he was an amazing worker already.

Eren’s eyes widened. He was kind of kidding about wanting a yacht, but since the offer was on the table, the idea was becoming more appealing each second. “Wow, no fooling?”

“No fooling.”

Eren laughed and turned his head to look at Levi. Mesmerizing green eyes locked into mysterious gray ones. “I will make you proud, hubby. You just watch.” And with a softer voice: “Keep your eyes only on me.”

“I will always keep my eyes on you, sweetheart.”

\--

The night was wearing on, and Eren was fast asleep in Levi’s arms. Levi didn’t mind it, though. He liked holding his treasure and getting caught up with TV shows.

He stroked Eren’s hair back and ruffled it to rouse him. “Eren… Eren, babe. Let’s get you to bed.”

“Mm.” Eren’s eyebrows furrowed and he tightened his arms around his neck. “Carry me.”

Levi sighed but removed the blanket from Eren and got a better grip on his thighs to lift him away.

He felt Eren’s legs tighten around his waist.

“What a lazy boy…” Levi chastised quietly.

“You know it,” Eren said without opening his eyes.

Levi gently lay Eren on the bed, and after three kisses on the forehead, Levi tucked the covers in tighter around him and went back to the living room to clean up a bit.

Eren was already back asleep.

And as he picked up the empty plates from the coffee table (they had spaghetti for dinner), it completely occurred to Levi that he forgot to tell Eren about tomorrow’s plans. He sighed as he washed the plates in the sink. Eren would understand, but he still hated leaving him out of the loop.

\--

Eren woke up on Sunday morning, quite refreshed.

He lazily sprawled out over the bed and found that Levi had plugged his phone into its charger while he was sleeping. _What a man!_

Eren texted Armin. _Did u get the package I sent you for ur bday?? I got it from a weird website so I wasn’t sure if it went thru_

Armin, of course he was awake already; that early bird: _Sure did! Thanks so much for the presents, Eren!! I love you!_

_Anything for my NUMBER ONE! I love you too Arm!_

There was also a message from Sasha, sent very late last night:

_Eren, you like animals right? Do you mind dogsitting Daisy tomorrow? I have an event to attend and literally everyone else is busy. What do you say? I’ll pay you, too._

_I’d love to, Sash! Just tell me the hours. And you don’t have to pay me. Id do it for free- friend priv_. Eren added the sunglasses emoji guy.

Sasha replied right away: _OOOH YOURE THE BEST!! She’s already potty trained so you don’t have to worry about that. Just make sure she doesn’t eat the furniture or shoes. Feed her at noon and 6. Ill leave the house unlocked. I LOVE YOU ERENNNNNN!!!!!!_ She plastered a wall of kissy face emojis.

Eren threw his phone aside and stretched deeply.

He figured Levi was hitting the gym or working in his office, but when he shuffled into the living room and saw a box of treats and a gift bag on the bar counter, it all clicked.

Eren climbed up on a stool to unwrap his gift.

The first was Levi’s signature message on the usual yellow notepad paper, written in his unique cursive:

_My love-_

_I’ll be away all day and most of the night on business. I’m sorry I forgot to tell you sooner. I love you dearly. I’ll try to call when I have a break to check up on you._

_-L_

Eren folded up the paper and set it aside. Levi’s written words echoed in his head. Eren didn’t mind at all that Levi had to leave at the last minute. With how long they’ve been together now, Eren knew that work had its demands. He’s gotten over his bratty and selfish phase where he expected Levi to be available one hundred percent of the time, especially with how rapidly the company as well Levi’s connections were growing.

Although… that fact that Levi felt guilt about leaving him alone was… kind of sweet, Eren thought. And their tradition of Levi leaving treats and a gift while he had to go on business very well made up for it.

 _Speaking of which…_ Eren mused to himself, an excited smile growing on his face, _let’s see what Levi bought._

Eren opened up the bag from a bakery, and found a collection of the cutest little cake pops. They were all decorated with holiday themes- some with sparkles that glittered like snow, several smiling faces that made a snowman family, penguins, and a few drizzled with caramel. They looked almost too good to eat.

And the gift. _Let’s see what Levi got._

Eren tore into the bag, and found… two things, actually; the first was-

Eren squealed.

…a drone! With a camera attached to it!! _Connie will be so jealous._

This will be especially useful considering how much he’ll be traveling with Levi soon.

He took it out of its packaging and turned on the remote. It took him a minute to get used to the controls, but Eren finally managed to get it into the air and hovering steadily. Almost half an hour passed as he fiddled it around with it, flying it as close to the high ceiling to just barely avoid crashing it.

Eren was so mesmerized by his drone that he forgot that he Levi got him something else. He tore into the bag and lifted out the second package. It was the Oculus Rift VR headset! He was telling Levi about this while they were washing dishes just a few nights ago.

 _…How thoughtful was Levi?_ And to consider how early he had to get up to go out and buy these things before Eren had a chance to wake up… _what a man…_

Eren smiled to no one in particular. All these expensive toys he had because he had a thoughtful husband… he was so happy.

And knowing Levi, he was probably in the middle of a meeting or speaking to an important client. Eren went to the couch and prepared to uphold his end of the tradition.

With a cake pop in his mouth, he sprawled out lazily on his back and took his pajama pants off. He yanked his boxers down, just a little, just to show off the absolute lowest point of his navel- so smooth and pure. And such a tease.

Next, Eren lifted the hem of his shirt to show off his torso. He didn’t have rugged, defined abs like Levi, but his were toned and youthful. And he loved it when Levi ran those calloused hands along his tummy… the idea turned him on, actually.

At any rate, Eren turned on the front-facing camera and aimed it at his set-up. He hallowed out his cheeks as the cake pop melted deliciously in his mouth, and he stared dangerously into the camera.

The caption for this one was ‘ _Come take care of me, Papa’_

His next picture would be a little more risqué.

Eren let his hand trail down into his boxers. He started thinking about how Levi handled him yesterday. The way he squeezed and caressed his thighs beneath his maid dress. _Ooh, fuck_. The way his hand finished him off so expertly and calmly, despite how much Eren was melting around him as he approached his orgasm.

Eren furrowed his brows and chewed his cake pop a little more depravedly. His jacked himself off a little faster.

_Fuck._

The way Levi’s smooth, rich voice uttered his name like a prayer. “ _Come here, Eren. Good boy.”_

Eren whined. His hand pumped up and down the shaft aggressively. “Shit…” he whimpered out loud this time.

 _“Eren, my sweet boy… look at you…”_ Levi’s admiring voice echoed in his head.

“Ah, L-Levi!” Eren stuttered, and squirmed as he came into his own hand. It wasn’t repetitive ropes like when Levi finished him off; this was a slow spilling. Eren swallowed and screwed his eyes shut as he rode out the memory.

When he finished and came back to his senses, Eren impatiently chewed at the cake pop stick in his mouth. He made a small mess where he was sitting. Luckily, the couch was leather and the cleanup would be easy, and most of it fell onto his leg, anyway.

He took his camera out again. He held his dick and snapped the mess. _‘Just thinking about you, hubs.’_

Eren cleaned up and turned onto his stomach. He pulled his boxers down the swell of his ass, and, with some reach, he took a long-reaching picture of his body.

 _‘My ass is waiting for you, Levi!!!!!!!’_ He included a bunch of moaning face and water droplet emojis before sending it to his man.

Yeah, Eren Jaeger had no shame.

\--

Around noon, Eren gathered his things and prepared to make his way over to Sasha’s house. He would be there for most of the day, so he figured he might as well bring his study materials and get some work done. With finals just around the corner, he couldn’t afford to waste time. Not to mention his very own yacht was on the line!

He drove over to the empty house, and he remembered Sasha said she left the door unlocked. When he entered, Daisy must’ve picked up his unfamiliar scent, because she ran over and yapped at him. The metal tag on her collar jingled with each movement.

Eren shut the door and smiled down at her. “Hey, girl. I’m Eren. I’m gonna be watching you while Sasha’s gone.”

He crouched down to her and held his hand out patiently, allowing her to sniff him to her liking. He could tell she opened up to him, because her tail started wagging and she nipped his fingers playfully.

“Ooh, you’re a biter, huh? Me, too,” he laughed to himself. “C’mon,” he patted the side of his thigh and made his way his way to the kitchen. “Let’s get you something to eat.”

Giving one more yap, she ran along after him.

Eren looked around and found a large bag of dog kibble on the counter. In it was a portion scoop, which he filled and poured into Daisy’s bowl sitting beside it.

Daisy sat and waited patiently at his feet, wagging her tail as she anticipated her meal.

Eren crouched down again and placed her bowl on the floor. “Here you go, babe.”

She immediately went to her bowl and wagged her tail furiously as she dug in. Eren sat down and crossed his legs to watch her crunch away.

“You’re real hungry, huh?” Eren asked. He stroked her back gently as she ate, and it occurred to him that she might be thirsty, too. He got up and rummaged around some cupboards for another dog bowl, which he filled with water and set down next to Daisy.

And it appeared Eren’s prediction was correct, because as soon as she had her fill of kibble, Daisy went over to the bowl of water and lapped at it gratefully. Eren watched with a motherly gaze. _Aw. What a cutie._ He truly did have a weak spot for puppies. And kittens, for that matter. He morosely remembered his little Mimi Michiko from a while ago. He hoped her new family was treating her well.

Now that she was fed and watered, Daisy trusted Eren more and she pulled the hem of his jeans with her teeth. Her tail was wagging again.

“All done?” Eren took the empty food bowl and threw out the remaining few morsels.

 _Okay, Daisy’s fed…_ Eren mused and ticked off a mental checklist. He went over to the family room couch and collapsed onto it, throwing his backpack aside. God, he really did need to study, but all of a sudden he felt so lazy.

Daisy trotted over with a thick, frayed rope in her mouth. She set it down at Eren’s feet and wagged her tail expectantly.

“You wanna play?” Eren grinned. He took off his jacket and sat on the floor to take the toy. He tossed it across the room. “Fetch!”

Daisy dashed over to the toy and brought it right back, yapping in pride.

“Good girl!” Eren smiled. He hovered the rope over her head in a circle and watched her eye it predatorily. She hopped up a bit to try to reach for it.

She jumped and tried to bite it out of the air, but Eren yanked it out of her reach.

But Daisy was persistent. With energy at her little feet, she gathered energy and jumped to successfully retrieve the rope.

When she was back on her feet, Eren scratched the back of her ears in praise. “Good girl, good girl!” he gushed. She dropped the toy from her mouth again, and she realized Eren’s scratches felt really good. She climbed into his lap to continue receiving this awesome treatment.

“You like this?” Eren asked. She lay her head on his lap and sighed softly.

Eren kept scratching behind her floppy ears, and she rolled over in complete trust. Eren rubbed her fuzzy tummy, and she was immobilized in happiness.

Eren laughed. “It feels good, I know. I wish I could get tummy rubs right now, too.”

With one hand, he texted Mikasa, and in the other, he slowly stroked Daisy’s belly. Her heavy meal as well as the warmth of Eren’s hand was probably making her sleepy.

Eren clicked his phone off. He picked Daisy up in his hands and kissed her head as he made his way back on the couch.

Even though he set Daisy down on the cushion so he could get a book out of his backpack, she found herself right back on his stomach as soon as he lay down.

As much as he wanted to give her more attention, Eren had to learn about mental illness diagnoses. With a highlighter at the ready between his teeth, and a puppy curling up to fall asleep on his chest, he began doing his reading.

\--

Eren felt that he was at a safe, comfortable spot in his psychology readings. Ideally, he would work on financial literacy next, but with Hange and Moblit’s tutoring help, he was leaps and bounds ahead of the rest of his class.

Now, he had to take notes about accomplice liability and voir dire for Criminal Law. But first, he had to have his own lunch.

He ordered a pizza. What the fuck else would he do, cook? No, he deserved to be lazy. Daisy was still snoozing away at the couch, amongst Eren’s many papers and books.

Eren gazed at her from afar. _She was so damn cute!_

-

When the pizza guy rang the doorbell, Daisy woke up from her nap excitedly and hopped off the couch to meet the stranger.

Daisy wouldn’t stop trying to nip at the delivery guy’s shoes and pants, so Eren picked her up in his arm while he paid for the food. Her tail wagged so hard that it was difficult to keep a good grip on her.

“Thanks,” the deliverer called out. Eren shut the door gratefully before setting Daisy down again. “You shouldn’t bite everyone you meet, babe.” She yapped once in indignation before running off again.

Eren set the pizza down on the kitchen table and began to dig in. He wondered how Levi was doing.

-

Half a pizza later, Eren’s phone buzzed. His eyes lit up when he saw the ID. It was Levi!

_Eren, I’m taking a break for lunch. I want to call you if you’re not busy._

Eren was thrilled. _Facetime me! I miss you,_ Eren replied.

Eren ran and brought back his tablet from the couch, and he propped it up on the table. Levi’s call came through.

He got to see Levi’s surroundings as well. Behind him were smooth mahogany furnishings and a freshly-made bed. He was at a hotel.

Levi himself looked… mildly frazzled, if Eren would have to say. Well, Levi always looked impeccable and polished, both in behavior and appearance, but Eren knew him well enough to notice a tinge of irritation in his eyes, and even the smallest tone changes in his voice. Even Levi’s shirt was unbuttoned about halfway down, as if he was trying to get some air after getting worked up. His tie was undone and draped around his neck.

“Levi!!” Eren grinned and waved.

“Hey, baby. Where are you right now?” Levi asked. He didn’t recognize the background on Eren’s end.

“I’m dogsitting Sasha’s puppy, Daisy. The little retriever I showed you on my phone.”

“Ah,” Levi nodded in understanding.

“By the way, I got your awesome gifts this morning! Thank you so so much!”

He saw Levi’s mouth curl on his screen. “You’re very, very welcome. And I got your collection of pictures.”

“Yeah?” Eren’s voice grew sultry and dark. “And how did you like ‘em?”

“How about you just wait until I come back home, and I’ll show exactly how much I liked them,” Levi said.

“Yeah, I know you will, Papa,” Eren moaned softly and inched closer to the screen. Vague dirty talking was such a turn-on. “What else will you do to me…?”

“I’m going to take that lovely little ass of yours and have my way with you until I hear those pretty sounds you make.”

Eren bit his lip to suppress his arousal and rubbed his arm up and down. And even through a screen, Levi’s sexy ass voice was doing nothing to stop him from getting riled up. _Shit…_

Eren’s hand subconsciously wandered lower and lower into his pants. He sighed quietly. “…What else, Levi? What else?”

“I want to feel up those juicy thighs you have, and taste your delicious skin until-“

Daisy growled loudly in the background, tearing Eren away from his fantasy. He whipped his head in her direction to find her trying to tear up the sole of a shoe with her teeth.

He pushed his chair back and brisked over to her. “No, babe, that’s not for eating!”

Eren gingerly pried her away from the abused shoe and hid the pair of shoes into a closet. He brought Daisy over with him back to the kitchen table.

Levi waited for Eren to diffuse the situation, only hearing some sounds from the puppy and Eren’s soothing words. He took a bite from his sandwich while he waited.

And when Eren reappeared on the screen, he was holding the fluffy puppy in his hands.

“This is Daisy!” Eren introduced. He held the little thing up to his face and smiled sweetly.

Levi rested his chin on his hand and smiled a little while he watched Eren. There was something _very_ fucking cute about Eren with a small puppy. That boy absolutely loved animals. Even the look on his face when he was around animals was different than any other than Levi has seen from him. And anything that made Eren happy was something Levi wanted to enable, so long as it was safe. _It kind of gave him an idea…_

Eren’s voice brought him back into focus. He saw the top of Daisy’s head peeking out from the bottom of his screen. “We can finish that later,” Eren winked, referring to their previous near-video sex. He stroked Daisy soothingly. “But how was your day so far, hubs? I can tell you’re kinda stressed.”

Levi wearily ran a hand through his hair. “I’ve had two meetings so far, and a consultation. I’m just a bit on edge, but I’ll be fine. Seeing you improved my mood.”

Eren sighed from the flattery. “Aww, Levi! You’re so sweet. What’s going on later on in the day?”

“I have to go listen to a proposal, attend some more meetings, and then dinner with a client.”

Eren frowned a little. “Sounds like such a long day… but don’t you worry, I know you’re gonna kick ass. You’re my amazing husband, after all. I have complete faith in you! I’m your biggest fan.”

“What a sweet thing you are, Eren.” Levi smiled fully, showing off his perfect teeth and chiseling out his already sculpted face. “I still can’t believe you’re mine. You’re my entire world.”

“I love you!” Eren replied. His heart, even after all this time, still fluttered from Levi’s words. “And I can’t wait for you to come back home.”

“I can’t wait to see you, either,” Levi said. He checked his watch and buttoned up his shirt all the way back up. “This is good-bye for now, my love. I need to finish my lunch and then get back to work.”

Eren waved at the screen. “Bye, love yaaa!” he drew out. “Kisses,” he stated. He puckered his lips and made some kissy sounds toward the camera.

Levi kissed his fingers several times and touched the camera before ending the call.

Eren put the cover back over his tablet and sighed dreamily. He really did miss that man. He could already feel those muscular arms wrapping around him later.

He was too busy daydreaming to realize that Daisy was chewing the hem of his shirt. “Daisy, bad!” He gently yanked his shirt from out of her mouth. “Let’s go get you your toy.”

\--

Eren was playing tug-of-war with Daisy as Sasha and her father arrived home.

“Hey, Eren!” Sasha waved. Daisy dropped the toy and ran into Sasha’s arms. Sasha picked her up and received wet licks to her cheeks. “How are you, girl? Did you have fun today?”

Sasha’s father greeted Eren and retreated away into the house.

She put down Daisy and came over to hug Eren. “You’re a lifesaver. Thank you so, so much. I can tell Daisy likes you. Did she give you too much trouble?”

“Not at all, she was perfect,” Eren assured. They looked over to the growling sound beside them and saw Daisy trying to eat the straps of Eren’s backpack.

“Daisy, no!” Sasha said firmly. “Bad girl!” she ran over and took Daisy into her arms, sighing deeply. “You spoke too soon. She was easy to potty train but I can’t get her to stop eating everything.”

“Apple doesn’t fall far from the tree,” Eren smirked.

It took Sasha a second to realize Eren just dissed her. When it hit her, her jaw dropped. “Eren, rude! I just… happen to like trying new foods! …And old foods,” she admitted guiltily.

Eren laughed and yanked Sasha’s ponytail playfully. “I’m _teasing_ , Sash’.” He shrugged on his jacket and gathered his backpack. “Let me know if you need me dog-sit for you again. I love Daisy.”

“I definitely will,” she smiled. “See you at the shop!”

\--

It was about 3 am when Levi finally arrived back to Trost Tower. With the long day he’s had, he found it fitting to spend the whole ride home aboard the company private jet to become quite drunk. The edge was mostly off at this point. And now, back home to his precious baby boy, he was doubly relieved.

He took a much a needed shower, letting the familiar luxurious jets pulsate over his tired body. After getting dressed, he peeked into Eren’s room to find him sleeping soundly next to Teddy, his life-sized plush bear. Even from the doorway, Eren’s snoring was very loud and clear.

Levi took notes from his little boyfriend and crawled into his own bed for some much needed rest. Erwin already knew of Levi’s endeavors today, and encouraged him to take Monday off to recharge. Not that a CEO needed to show up to the office in a timely manner, but Levi felt much better about Erwin holding down the fort in his absence. They both had an agreement that they both felt better if at least one of them were at the office to oversee things.

\--

The next morning, Eren hurried through his wake-up routine to find his husband.

Levi was standing while he tuned into the news. Even with the day he’s had yesterday, he still woke up early. _That sadist._

“Hubs!” Eren called and began running over.

Levi tossed the remote onto the couch and opened his arms in anticipation. “There he is.”

He caught an airborne Eren and spun him around a few times before taking him over to the couch.

Not a single greeting went by where they didn’t live out their cheesiness.

“How,” Levi pressed some kisses onto Eren’s face, “are you,” more smothering smooches, “my dear?”

“Good, now that you’re here,” Eren said truthfully. His smile grew when Levi’s arms tightened around him. He could never get tired of his touch. If anything, he craved it even more.

Eren sat up and straddled Levi to rub his nose along his. “I missed you, Papa,” he whispered softly.

“I missed you, too, Mama.”

Eren wrapped his arms suffocatingly tight over Levi’s neck and inhaled the familiar scent of musk and sandalwood. His man’s scent. _The scent of home._

A hand snaked up Eren’s shirt to rub his back soothingly. Some time passed with them sitting like this. “It was only one day, though.”

“Don’t ruin the moment, you jerk,” Eren laughed. He unwrapped his arms and held Levi’s face in his hands to stare at it mischievously. He went in for a tender, assuring kiss on the lips.

He felt Levi sigh through his nose, and they both shut their eyes. Eren slowly slid his lips off and ended the kiss. But he kept his forehead rested against Levi’s. “One day or one year without you- I’ll miss you, Levi. You know that.”

Levi held the back of Eren’s head as he listened, and he sifted through the chocolate locks at the base of Eren’s skull to relish the softness.

He let his actions speak louder than his words, taking Eren’s head back into his shoulder. He loved how Eren’s body seemed to melt against his, oh, so perfectly.

They were made for each other.


	61. Honey Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A love like Eren's and Levi's is sweeter and thicker than honey :3c
> 
> (PLEASE READ: I know how frustrating it can be to not know when the next update will arrive. Admittedly, my life has gotten a lot busier lately, but I haven't forgotten about this story. I want to manage my time better. So I've decided to upload every Sunday EST from here on out, unless stated otherwise. This will keep things consistent, and no one will be left hanging. 
> 
> And one more thing I wanted to say: It's frustrating when I get 500 or 1k+ views on a chapter and only like 5 or 8 people comment. Don't get me wrong, I do appreciate my regular commenters immensely, and I love seeing you all come back every chapter. But it lowkey hurts my feelings when I get little feedback on my work, in comparison to the number of views. It makes me feel like writing is useless. Please, if you read this work, leave a comment. It truly does make my day and inspires me to write better and update quicker. I know you probably hear this message from tons of fanfic authors but it's true. It doesn't need to be super lengthy, just tell me your thoughts. I want to interact with my readers and see what emotions my writing ignites.)
> 
> And without further ado...

Eren’s alarm rang out on Tuesday morning, so very fucking loud and annoying.

He stretched his arm out and, with an irritated sigh, poked around the screen to turn it off.

Levi opened his eyes slowly.

The chilly morning air, the warmth of the heavy comforter, as well as the body heat he collected and shared with Levi practically begged Eren to stay in bed. To think about the long day of classes and work made him extra grumpy.

He crawled back over to Levi, still trying to salvage the warmth he gave off. When he buried his face in between Levi’s pectorals, his crankiness was a bit soothed when he felt a comforting hand sift through his hair.

“Good morning, good morning,” Levi greeted quietly, and punctuated his words with a kiss on Eren’s head.

“Leviiiii…” Eren whined. His voice was still thick with the clutches of sleep. “I don’t wanna go to class…”

“I know, Eren. I know,” Levi consoled.

Eren sighed deeply and his grip around Levi’s torso tightened. It was hard to be crabby when Levi knew just how to touch him and exactly what to say.

Levi wrapped his arms tighter around Eren. Admittedly, he kind of wanted to stay in bed with his little treasure, too. No one else was a better partner for lazing time away.

“Fuck my life,” Eren mumbled. “I hate this.”

Levi couldn’t help but smile a bit, as he continued to ruffle Eren’s hair softly to rouse him awake. He knew better than anyone how much his little boyfriend hated mornings and waking up.

“You can do it, sweetheart. I know you’ll do wonderful things today.”

Eren managed to open his baggy eyes all the way and he propped his chin up on Levi’s chest. “Mmmm... you really think so?”

“I know so.”

“…You know what would make me get out of bed easier?” Eren asked, and he began tracing a flirty circle on Levi’s chest.

Levi hooked an arm around his head and gazed down at Eren. “What’s that?” he asked amusedly.

“For my husband to make that bomb ass French toast of his…” Eren said slowly.

Levi chuckled and stroked Eren’s bangs off his forehead. “I can definitely make that happen for you,” he said. “Shall we begin our day together, then?”

Eren stroked Levi’s hair back in the same way. “We sure shall,” he agreed, grammar be damned. His reply managed to cause a humored curl in the corners of Levi’s mouth.

And with the incentive of savory French toast and his man’s adoring words, Eren Jaeger the not-morning person was able to get up and start his day off right.

\--

At the coffee shop, Eren was minding his business for the most part, just trying to work through the afternoon hours where people were desperate for a caffeine fix.

The final wave of customers left with their frappuccinos, and Eren sighed deeply in relief. Frappuccinos were fucking annoying to make. And it seemed like everyone wanted them at this time of the day. _Frappy Hour…?_ Eren thought to himself.

At any rate, Eren washed his hands to get rid of the sticky syrup and whipped cream residue, and he glanced over at Jean, who was taking inventory of the pastry case. He was leaning over the glass display as he wrote on his clipboard.

Eren yanked out two paper towels to dry his hands. “What’s with the beard?” he asked Jean.

Jean looked up from his clipboard but didn’t say anything. His jawline now had dark brown, closely-trimmed scruff that was the same color as his undercut. It made him look a few years older, and just a bit more of a bad boy than he already looked. All he needed now was a lip or tongue piercing to complete the edgy style.

Jean looked at Eren wearily. “Fuck off, Jaeger,” he replied calmly. He returned to writing on his clipboard.

Eren went over and leaned on the display case as well, unbothered by the previous comment. “What made you decide to grow it out?”

“Marco told me liked it one morning. I figured I’d feel it out a bit more.”

Eren felt happy that Marco’s opinion meant so much to Jean. Marco always had good taste, and Eren couldn’t deny that the trim kind of worked on Jean. But he was not done being a little shit.

“Shave it off. You look fucking dumb,” he said.

“You look fucking dumb regardless,” Jean said. He was already so used to Eren’s mischief and button-pushing that the words didn’t sting at all.

But Eren laughed out loud. He patted and rubbed Jean’s back. “I’m _kidding_ , Jean-boy. It actually looks really good on you. You should keep it.”

Jean looked at Eren and a ghost of a smile twitched on his mouth. “Thanks for that, Eren.”

Eren smiled and went over to the register to handle the customer who just walked in. “Hi there, welcome to Trost Coffee!”

\--

Eren studied his notes and did some readings as he waited for Levi to get home. He was feeling quite stressed. Workload and exams were increasing in the lead up to finals. It was really time to buckle down.

After getting a good study in, Eren went into the living room and played around with his drone. A bit later, Levi finally arrived.

“Levi!” Eren called. His eyes stayed fixated on the drone and he made sure it was safely landed before running over to greet him.

Levi took him in by the waist and pressed a firm smooch on his cheek. “How are you, my sweet Eren?”

“Getting kind of stressed,” Eren admitted. He took Levi’s briefcase and set it neatly on the cabinet near the door.

“Want to tell me about it?” Levi asked. “What do you want for dinner?”

“Take me to Cheesecake?” Eren abbreviated.

“Cheesecake Factory it is, then.”

-

“…And I can’t understand how Armin can always keep up with his exams and homework without getting burnt out. I’m kinda jealous of him.”

“He probably has good time management skills,” Levi said. “And you have no reason to be jealous, darling. You’re doing just fine.”

Eren smiled while taking a sip of his drink. “I guess we’ll see how my finals turn out. I’ll probably be too busy studying to really let loose on Thanksgiving break.”

Levi cut into his steak and held out the fork for Eren to taste. “Focus on your most difficult classes for now. Even at work, I try to do the most tedious tasks first to get them out of the way. Perhaps you should go about your assignments that way?”

“Yeah, that’s a good idea,” Eren said after having swallowed his bite of steak. “Professors don’t really give a damn that I have a life and other classes to worry about than their own.”

“That’s true, sadly,” Levi said. “But you should persevere and work even harder now. You never were one to crumble under pressure. I have complete faith in you.”

“Thanks for always supporting me, hubs,” Eren said. “And for letting me rant to you.”

“I’m simply doing my job,” Levi said. “How is the coffee shop?”

“The colder it gets outside, the more people come in.”

“I could imagine.”

“And that includes the crazies.”

“The crazies?” Levi asked amusedly.

“The people who order half-caf, upside-down, extra hot, no foam, nonfat, soy, blah-blah-blah, blah-blah! Can they even taste the difference?”

Levi chuckled. “I suppose some people are very particular.”

“Particular, my ass!” Eren said. “There’s a difference in tweaking your drink a bit and just wanting to annoy your barista and sound all fancy. …Motherfuckers.” Eren bit into his bread angrily.

“Poor thing,” Levi consoled. “Some people really make you work for your money, huh?”

“You ain’t kiddin’.”

The waitress came around just as Eren was sopping up the remaining sauce on his plate with his bread. “Are we thinking dessert today?”

“Yup!” Eren’s mood made a 180, and he pointed out all the cakes he wanted to share with Levi to her.

“Excellent!” the waitress said. She picked up their empty plates. “I’ll take these out of the way for you.”

Eren leaned in on his elbows and scratched his nails over Levi’s hand gently. “I’m talking too much. Tell me about work, Levi.”

\--

Back at home, Eren was now a lot more energized after having dinner.

“Do you wanna play pool with me?” Eren asked.

“Sure, baby. Let me just shower and change.” Levi retreated into the hallway.

-

Levi won the game, of course.

Not that Eren was surprised. But, his competitive nature made him feel a little bitter.

He sat on the edge of the pool table as Levi hung up the cue sticks and collected the pool balls in the center with the triangle.

When Levi came around, Eren held his arms open. And, as usual, Levi wedged his way in between his legs, caressing his thighs on the sides.

“Good game, Mr. Jaeger.”

“I didn’t stand a chance, Mr. Ackerman.” Eren ran his fingers through silky, glossy black hair. “But god _damn_ , you looked so good playing,” he whispered.

Levi squeezed up and down Eren’s thighs. “You looked damn good, too.”

Eren smiled and pressed his lips to Levi’s, tasting and affirming. Levi returned the favor, and his fingers began to wander up the hem of Eren’s shirt. Rough hands met with smooth, untouched skin.

Eren clamped his legs around Levi’s waist to trap him in place. And Levi moved his hand further up Eren’s shirt up to his chest to feel his heartbeat.

Eren tore away, staring into Levi’s eyes. “Wanna get frisky?”

“Mm…” Levi groaned lowly. “How could I resist you?”

He pushed down on Eren’s chest gently to prompt him to lie down on the table. And now that Eren’s long legs were dangling off the edge of the smooth, polished wood of the table, and his crotch was out in the open, the lion that was Levi’s libido awakened from its lazy slumber and began stalking about.

Levi palmed at Eren’s crotch firmly, gauging its readiness and trying to light a fire in Eren’s tummy.

Not even a minute passed when Levi could begin to feel Eren’s dick hardening and standing up proudly. “There it is,” Levi mused. “Are you getting excited, Eren?”

Eren’s ears and face started flushing pink with arousal. “Mm-hm.”

Levi pulled down Eren’s pants and underwear just so, enough to reach in and take hold of Eren’s cock. Now in his hand, Levi leaned down and took it into his mouth.

He licked solid stripes upward, and took the sensitive head into his mouth as he pumped up and down the shaft. He looked beyond at Eren, who was beginning to get flustered and struggled to stay still.

“Oh, Levi…” he sighed. “Yes, yes…”

Levi moaned his approval, which sent vibrations through Eren’s length and elicited a small whine from Eren.

Levi pulled away, his hand continuing to work Eren up and down, up and down. Abruptly, he tucked Eren’s cock back into his underwear and pulled his pants back up.

Eren lifted his head off the table, looking at him with disappointment. “Why’d you stop?” he asked.

“Because,” Levi reached his hand out to take Eren’s, and sat him up, “I want to please you in a more comfortable spot.”

“You better,” Eren grumbled. He sat closer to the edge of the table and wrapped his arms and legs around to be picked up. “You can’t just leave me hanging like that. You got me all worked up and everything!”

“God forbid I leave my little prince hanging,” Levi said as he carried Eren away.

In the bedroom, Levi lay Eren down and went through the bedside drawer for lube.

But rather than waiting patiently, Eren was quick to the jump, and he tackled Levi to the mattress. _What could he say? Eren loved being on top._

Pinning Levi in place by holding down those bulging biceps to the bed, Eren went back in for another taste of Levi’s lips. He could feel Levi’s muscles flexing and twitching beneath his grasp.

“I want to sit on your face,” Eren spoke into the breath they shared. Once his intentions were made clear, Eren hurried to strip off his pants and underwear.

Now naked from the waist down, Eren crawled on his knees further up Levi’s body, and he hovered over Levi’s face carefully. He didn’t want to catch Levi off guard, so he pressed his hands up against the wall behind the bed as he waited.

Levi, eager to please, took his hands to Eren’s hips and lowered him down steadily.

Eren was a bit unsure for a moment. It was hard to communicate in this position. He considered getting back up, but suddenly he felt Levi’s grip on his hips tighten and a hot, writhing feeling sent electricity up his spine.

“Fuck!” Eren cried breathlessly.

This position was new for Levi, but as with most things, he was quick to adapt, assess the situation, and aim to please. He found a way to manage to breathe, and at that point, he was in control.

Eren bit his lip bashfully. His ass fit strangely well atop Levi’s shapely jawline (Eren knew this was bound to happen), and Levi’s tongue was working its magic, teasing around the rim of his entrance, breathing hot air against it, and dipping into it in pulsing rhythm.

This position was quickly climbing up the list of Eren’s favorites. As Levi’s tongue worked him open, Eren opened his mouth in breathless pleas, wanting to beg but not knowing what for.

“…Sh-shit, Levi. Yeah, just like that, just like that…” Eren whimpered and took the collar of his shirt into his mouth, to chew on it depravedly and suppress his moans. His eyes rolled to the ceiling, and even though he was technically already sitting, he could feel his knees start to tremble.

Levi drew one of his knees up, and he let out a loud, deep moan against Eren’s entrance.

Eren chewed on his shirt harder, causing teeth marks into the fabric, and his eyebrows furrowed in concentration and pleasure. He held his now aching red cock in his hand and began stroking himself up and down.

Precum dripped onto his hand, but none of that mattered because Levi was tongue-fucking him softly right now and the delicious wet heat had him on the edge of an orgasm.

“Mmmmm,” Eren moaned. He unconsciously started bouncing up and down Levi’s face, because he needed _more, more, more, more_ -

But of course Levi couldn’t have him coming that quickly. His hands squeezed Eren’s hips to lift him off.

Eren lifted a leg from beside Levi’s ear and sat beside him, a bit desperate for them to move on to the next activity to get him to orgasm.

Levi took a few proper deep breaths of fresh air before explaining the next instruction, but before he had the chance to say anything, he found that Eren was already peeling down his pants for him. And Levi couldn’t lie; the sight of Eren’s firm, bouncy ass sitting on his stomach was quite the visual.

Levi couldn’t see what was going on beyond Eren’s back, but when he felt a familiar pair of soft pink lips latch onto his cock and begin sliding up and down with no hesitation, he knew he was in for another one of Eren’s phenomenal blowjobs.

“Ugh, Eren,” Levi shut his eyes and gulped harshly. While he especially enjoyed the sight of Eren’s gorgeous green eyes staring at him while taking his cock down his throat, the mystery of Eren’s facial expressions was also vaguely arousing for Levi as well.

Levi figured he could make himself useful as well. He grasped Eren’s hips and dragged him closer to his face to finish off what he started.

Eren popped off Levi’s cock with a wet ‘pop’, and he looked behind his shoulder. _Oh, yeah. He knew what he was going on now_. He helped Levi out by getting back on his knees and crawling back closer to Levi’s face. Now, he could lay his own stomach flush against Levi’s, and he was face-to-face with Levi’s magnificent erect cock.

Now that they were in the proper position, Eren used two fingers to bring Levi’s cock back into his mouth. He wasted no time plunging it in and out of his throat with expert efficiency, and he closed his eyes and breathed through his nose.

He whined from deep within his chest when he felt Levi’s tongue begin to circle around his entrance in a lazy tease again, and soon enough Levi was working his tongue in and out at a steady pace.

Levi found it pleasantly hard to focus, as he could feel the tip of his length go unbelievably far down the hot depths of Eren’s wonderful throat. He just wanted to cuss out loud unashamedly, but this cooperative pleasure experience was a lovely challenge in and of itself.

And just like he felt Levi’s low growls against his ass, Eren also whined and moaned against Levi’s cock. He usually had no problem suppressing his gag reflex for blowjobs, but with how much muffled noise he was making, he couldn’t help but realize how fucking thick and girthy Levi was, especially being as hard as he was now.

Eren reached a hand over and began massaging Levi’s balls in his hands, rolling them in a soft, sensual pace. He continued swirling his tongue along the grooves and thick veins along Levi’s shaft, and all these factors had Levi releasing exceptionally appreciative groans from deep within his chest, which Eren could feel beneath him.

They were both reaching close. Eren was already leaking a bit of precum on Levi’s stomach; his cock was neglected but Eren knew that he would get the release he was craving soon. As usual, Eren’s skilled hands and mouth had Levi completely engaged in thick pleasure, and his orgasm was approaching at alarming pace.

Eren could feel Levi swelling in his hand, very subtly. He knew what to do- he kept his lips wrapped around just the head, and with both hands, he began vigorously stroking Levi up and down to get him to cum.

Levi separated from Eren’s entrance, and he focused on getting his orgasm to arrive. “Fuck!” Levi lay his head back on the pillow and began groaning uncontrollably as he felt himself spill copious amounts of cum into Eren’s mouth. All of which, of course, Eren swallowed every last drop of.

“Ughhh… Levi squeezed Eren hip as he came, sort of as a tactile way to tether himself back to reality as he saw stars behind his eyes.

Now that Levi had orgasmed, and Eren was on the edge waiting for a push, Levi knew it was up to him to bring Eren to his release.

His body felt heavy as he sat up, but Levi managed to get on his knees. When Eren crawled over, Levi lifted his torso off the mattress using all his strength, drawing a high-pitched “Ah!” from Eren as he was now upside-down in Levi’s arms.

There was a quick mess of legs in front of Levi’s face as he waited for Eren to fit around him. But once Eren’s legs were comfortably perched over Levi’s shoulders, Levi took the adorable curved cock that was desperately waiting for action in front of him and managed to get it into his mouth.

As sensitive as Eren was right now, he probably didn’t even penetration to get him off at this point. He lay little butterfly kisses along Levi’s shaft, which was right in front of him, and he whined a bit as he felt Levi hollow out his cheeks to suck him off to completion.

Blood rushed down to Eren’s head, and now he was woozy and feeling drunk as he unknowingly spilled pearly white pleasure into Levi’s mouth.

When he was all done, Levi lay him back down on the mattress. Eren’s body gave a few more micro-twitches as he climbed down from his slow orgasm.

And now, Levi could finally catch his own breath. He propped up a small mountain of pillows behind him and lay against it quietly. He watched Eren giggle breathlessly and roll around half-naked.

“You’re full of surprises, Levi,” Eren lay on his stomach, kicking his feet lazily and resting his chin on his hands.

“So are you, my dear.”

“I love getting freaky and frisky with you,” Eren said. He got up slowly and crawled over to Levi, and tucked himself into the crook of Levi’s arm.

Levi held him close and rested his head on that messy brown hair.

“I wonder what else I can make you do…?” Eren mumbled. He moved over to sit on Levi’s lap, and slowly, ever so slowly, he lifted Levi’s t shirt to reveal those finely sculpted abs and firm chest. Eren went in and placed appreciative kisses over Levi’s heart, and his mouth eventually found his nipple, which he wrapped his lips around tenderly and he began sucking softly.

Another small jolt of arousal ignited Levi’s body, even though he had an orgasm just minutes ago. He sighed softly and ran his hand through Eren’s hair.

Eren flicked his tongue rapidly, almost barely, against Levi’s nipple, and to the other one, he brushed his fingers against it teasingly. He looked up through his eyelashes with a daring, fiery gaze.

It was when Levi met his precious boy’s eyes that his heart truly squeezed, both in lust and love. “Oh, Eren…” he breathed lowly.

When Eren was done with his little tease, he lay one more wet kiss to Levi’s chest before pulling his shirt back down.

“Alright,” Levi smiled a bit and ruffled Eren’s hair. “Let’s go get cleaned up.”

As Levi began to get up and off the bed, Eren tackled his back from behind in a playful pounce. His arms wrapped around Levi’s neck. “I’m such a filthy boy, hubs! You need to clean me up extra good.” He attacked the side of Levi’s head with a flurry of kisses.

Levi couldn’t help but laugh and he continued his trip off the bed, although this time, with Eren dangling off him. “That’s right, baby, you’re my filthy little thing that I need to clean up extra good.”

\--

On Wednesday, Eren listened to the lecture with half a mind, and he daydreamed a bit while doodling in his notebook.

\--

After work, Eren went over to the company like he did every week. He waved to Petra and made his way over to the Accounting floor.

“Hi, everyone!” he called out.

All the employees waved or called back a greeting. Eren was definitely not a stranger to the company anymore. Even on the elevators and other floors, he was greeted by name by some of the employees. But in Accounting, most everybody knew him since he came over every Wednesday for tutoring, and because he sometimes came over to the company just to surprise Levi.

“How ya doin’, bud?” an employee called out from his desk.

“Doin’ great, Ashton!” Eren was starting to learn people’s names, as well.

Hange met him halfway and greeted him with a hug. “Ready to get to work, my young friend?”

They made their way to their usual table against the wall and Eren spread out his supplies. “I’m ready,” he nodded with determination.

-

“Spectacular job today, Eren!” Hange rubbed Eren’s back proudly. “I don’t think you even need my help anymore.”

“No, don’t push me out the nest yet,” Eren pleaded. “Finals are just around the corner. I need you now more than ever.”

“I think you already have your wings.” Hange laughed out loud. “But, I will always be available if you ever need me. You can keep coming back every week if it makes you feel more confident.”

Eren sighed in relief as he put his things away. “It does make me more confident. Thanks a bunch, Hange!”

He gathered his backpack and made his way across the floor back to the elevators. “Bye, guys!” he called loudly.

There was a chorus of “Bye, Eren!”s as the elevator doors slid shut. He pressed the button to the top floor to see if Levi was in his office.

He wasn’t. Must be in a meeting somewhere in the building.

 _Well, I’ll just see him at home,_ Eren thought. He went back into the elevators and made his way back to the lobby.

He waved once more at Petra and drove back home.

\--

Later that evening, Eren was curled up on the middle of the couch as he watched a movie. This was a good distraction from the shitstorm of assignments that were due soon.

Levi emerged from the hallway, freshly showered in an impeccable navy blue suit. He adjusted his watch and he came around the couch behind Eren.

“ _Spiderman_?” Levi asked, looking at the screen with Eren.

“Yeah.” Eren craned his neck up to look at Levi. “Come watch with me.”

“I’m sorry, sweetheart. I have to attend a meeting with a client.” He finished clasping his watch and he brought his hands down to the smooth slope beneath Eren’s chin, rubbing circles into it and then stroking Eren’s cheeks playfully.

Eren inhaled the intoxicating scent of Levi’s cologne, and he started to miss him even though he didn’t leave yet. He grasped onto Levi’s wrists. “Boo…” Eren stuck his tongue out in a tease.

“When I come back, we can watch something together,” Levi assured.

“Don’t leave me, Levi. I’m pregnant with your child.”

Levi chuckled, and Eren giggled, too. He leaned down and spoke into Eren’s bangs. “You’re not pregnant. But… we can keep trying,” he uttered dangerously in that chocolatey voice. He lay a final kiss on Eren’s head.

“Mama’s waiting for you to come back home, Papa!”

“Good-bye, my silly boy.” Levi ruffled Eren’s hair once more before collecting his wallet and keys and heading out the door.

Levi had some time to reflect on the quiet walk to out of the building and into his car. Truthfully, he already missed his darling Eren.

\--

On Thursday, Eren decided to meet Armin at the public library for a study session. They chose a secluded table further away from the busy computer section.

Around them were books, notes, flashcards, highlighters and pens, and empty snack wrappings. There were also a couple energy drinks that Eren downed, much to Armin’s dismay. “ _Those things are going to give you a stroke_ ,” he had warned.

Eren wanted Armin to quiz him on some concepts, and make sure he knew how to properly explain terms. _“If you can’t teach it to someone else, then you don’t know it well enough.”_ Hange’s advice echoed in his head, and he took it to heart.

It worked out wonderfully, because Armin was eager to learn about any and everything. Being a biology student himself, Eren’s criminology and psychology studies were a fascinating new world.

But, as much as they were being productive with their studying, they also couldn’t help but talk and share secrets and dissolve into uncontrollable giggle fits.

For the umpteenth time today, the librarian came around and shushed them.

“You boys are being too loud,” she scolded. “You’re disrupting the other visitors.” She looked at Armin. “Armin, you know better. You work here.”

“I know, I know, I’m sorry,” Armin apologized ashamedly. His face was still a bit red from laughing at something Eren said.

“I’m serious. Keep it down,” the librarian said. She turned on her heels and walked away.

Armin and Eren shared a momentary glance and dissolved in silent laughter.

“Okay, okay,” Armin said, wiping tears that collected in the corners of his eyes. He picked up some flashcards and tucked a lock of hair behind his ear. With a steady, serious breath: “Let’s get back into it.”

\--

That night, Eren was feeling much better about his studies having spent some time with Armin. And he was pumped full of caffeine.

After showering, he went through the pantry and found a bag of chips. Levi was sitting at one of the couches, immersed in his tablet.

Eren made his way over and curled up next to him. As he crunched and munched on his chips, he gazed at the tablet screen, which full of company matters and business that Levi was working on.

He took a chip and held it out in front of Levi’s mouth. “Hm?” Eren asked him, his mouth full.

Levi took the chip into his mouth and munched it while he thought about something. “Mm,” he answered.

They didn’t even need to talk to communicate half the time.

Eren rolled back up the bag of chips and placed the clip back over it, and he lay across Levi’s lap as he texted on his phone.

Levi was undisturbed and kept on with his work. Eren’s clinginess was second nature at this point.

-

Levi wrapped up his final notes and he shut his tablet with a sigh. As he rubbed the bridge of his nose wearily, he remembered Eren was lying across his lap.

He squeezed Eren’s butt playfully, which drew a giggle.

“Done working?” Eren looked behind his shoulder.

“Yes.”

“Now I can have you all to myself,” Eren smiled. He moved his hips from side to side in order to tempt Levi.

“Likewise,” Levi said. “One of my favorite things is being with you at the end of the day. And,” he squeezed Eren’s butt again, “this tight little ass you have.”

Eren laughed. “That ass?”

“This ass,” Levi confirmed. He smacked and jiggled it in his hand playfully, and a smile curved on his lips.

Eren clicked his phone off and got off the couch. Levi didn’t take his eyes off him for even a second.

Eren pushed his shoulders back against the couch, and spread his legs for more room. “I’ll dance for you, hubby.”

Too lazy to go turn on the stereo near the TV, Eren began twirling his hips in a circle, turning around to give Levi a full view of his butt. He backed up and began softly twerking against Levi’s chest.

“How was work today?” Eren asked casually.

“It was quite alright,” Levi responded just as casually. “I had to brief Marketing and give a presentation to the executives.”

To have a calm conversation in the middle of a lapdance was not at all strange to them.

“Mm.” Eren felt Levi’s hands on his hips, which only prompted him to grind on Levi’s lap. “What was the presentation about?”

“Just some analytics on profits. I got to hear their comments, which I’ll incorporate into my next report.”

“Are profits rising? Kinda dumb question.”

“Not a dumb question. As with any business, there will be times of profit loss and gain, and it’s all good as long as it’s linear.”

“Hey, I learned that in financial lit!” Eren said excitedly. He was now lazily grinding his ass front to back on Levi’s lap.

“Did you, now?” Levi asked gently, proud that Eren was making connections. “But to answer your question, profit is on the rise.

“That’s good…” Eren said, and he began thinking absentmindedly. “I’m ready for bed, are you?”

“I am very ready,” Levi agreed.

Eren stood up and stretched his arms to the ceiling. Levi used the chance to smack Eren’s ass one more time.

“Ooh!” Eren yelped a little. “Careful, Levi. Keep doing that and you’ll get me feelin’ some type of way.”

That was Eren-speak for “If you keep that up, I will have to have my way with you no matter how tired we both are”.

Levi smiled and stood up as well, scooping Eren off his feet to carry him bridal-style to the bedroom. “You know I lose self-control around you.”

“Mr. CEO is weak for a nice ass, huh?”

“He is,” Levi said. “Especially that belonging to a certain Mr. Eren Jaeger.”

-

Now on Levi’s bed after brushing, Levi sat with open arms, and Eren found his way into them.

Levi held him there in a firm, lasting hug. They both knew how to fool around and be frisky, but they also knew when to be tender.

Levi held the back of Eren’s head securely against his shoulder. “I love you so very much, Eren. Sweet dreams.”

Eren squeezed his arms around Levi and buried his nose in the crook of his neck. “I love you, too, Levi.” He separated the hug, and he placed an adorable peck on Levi’s cheek before they crawled under the covers for much needed rest.

\--

Very late on Friday night, Eren finally came back home after the Crime Forensics Club meeting. He had a blast and learned a lot, but it’s been a trying week and he couldn’t be more grateful for the weekend.

He quickly showered and brushed and got into his pajamas, and then he shuffled over to Levi’s room.

Levi was lying back against some pillows, arms curled behind his head as he watched TV.

Eren’s tired, weary look must’ve been obvious to Levi right away.

“You’re exhausted, aren’t you, baby boy?” he asked.

Eren nodded silently, and he climbed onto the bed.

Levi turned off the TV and pulled back the covers for Eren before patting his own chest twice. “Come here, Eren. Come to Papa.”

Eren lay his head on Levi’s chest gratefully, and he was pleasantly soothed when Levi pulled the covers up to his shoulders and began stroking his hair.

“Shh… shhh…” Levi soothed. Eren was dangerously close to the brink of sleep with all these therapeutic factors coming into play. His eyes were already shut, and he gripped Levi’s shirt beneath the blanket.

Levi began humming a lovely strange song that once again, Eren didn’t recognize. He hummed it low and deep, almost unheard, and Eren could feel the vibrations in his chest. He was just so glad to have a man like Levi to come home to after experiencing the hurricane of life.

A lot of things were uncertain, stressful, doubtful, and frightening…

But this here, this was constant. This was forever.


	62. Marriage and McDonald's

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren and Levi bond even more :3
> 
> (Thank you all so fucking much for the adorable comments last chapter. When I asked you for more feedback, I was so, so happy with the turnout. I was out in public when I read all of your mudda cute comments, and I'm not gonna lie, I got a little misty. You can probably tell by the nature of my writing that I'm a crier lol. We got 20+ comments last chapter, so let's try to get even more this time! I LOVE hearing what you have to say. The things you guys say warm even the saddest of hearts <3 You make a girl happy.
> 
> I definitely hear you guys on wanting conflict/drama/angst. I know it's unrealistic to keep things 100% fluffy all the time, so I'll incorporate something heartwrenching later on. It won't be in the immediate upcoming chapters, because I'm still following a plot in my head, but I haven't forgotten. I will do it. 
> 
> And for those missing our blond baby boys, don't worry, they'll be back soon! :3
> 
> Please leave me a comment after reading the chapter and tell me what you think!!! )

The sun hid in the horizon on sweet Saturday morning, just around dawn, and despite the biting temperatures, the sky was a soft, pure periwinkle.

Eren was still fast asleep; what a difficult week he’s had. On his list of favorite hobbies, sleeping in on Saturday was towards the top of the list.

But of course, like clockwork, Levi was already awake at the top of the hour. He couldn’t help it; his body wasn’t used to sleeping for any more than necessary.

He looked at Eren, who was breathing steadily into his chest. Levi’s heart warmed. Waking up at “the ass crack of dawn”, as Eren once put it, did have its privileges. He could get started on his morning routine at his own pace in the peace and quiet. Eren was a lovely distraction- touching and hugging and kissing and demanding some precious attention while getting ready. But, Levi did still value some alone time.

And, a bit strange as it was, Levi kind of enjoyed watching Eren sleep. It was soothing.

At any rate, he slowly slipped out of the bed, and he washed up and got into his workout clothes. He spent the next hour downstairs at the gym, where he lifted weights, boxed a bit, and did some cardio.

With deep sweat stains on his tank top and a shiny sheen on his skin an hour later, he unwrapped the bandages from his knuckles and exited the gym.

The receptionist at the welcome desk looked up from her desk and smiled at Levi. “Good workout, Mr. Ackerman?”

“Yes. How are you today, Stephanie?”

“I’m well. I’m just glad it’s Saturday.”

“Agreed.” They shared one more wave before Levi walked over to the other end of the lobby to check the mailboxes. He took the stack of letters and envelopes back up to the top floor.

Unsurprisingly, Eren was still deeply asleep. Levi took a shower and climbed back into bed, and he began going through his tablet quietly.

Eren stirred for a moment, and he opened his eyes slowly. Levi looked at him curiously.

Eren crawled over a bit and placed the edge of his pillow on Levi’s lap. He nuzzled his face into the pillow and promptly went back to sleep. No words were exchanged.

Levi occasionally stroked Eren’s soft hair absentmindedly, which only put Eren deeper into sleep, contrary to his belief.

Who knew how many more hours passed until either of them moved.

\--

Eren finally woke, still a bit groggy despite resting for a very long time.

And he was confused as he came to his senses and blinked a few times for the world to come into focus.

He realized a few things; he was on Levi’s lap, it was unbelievably warm and cozy under these blankets, and finally, he was fucking hungry.

He lifted his head and breathed in loudly.

Levi brushed back Eren’s tousled, bed-rocked bangs away from his eyes. “Good afternoon, my darling. Finally awake?”

Eren’s head collapsed back into the pillow, but he smiled. “I’m still super sleepy.”

Levi continued stroking Eren’s bangs off his face.

A wailing, gurgling sound regurgitated under the sheets.

Levi chuckled. “It sounds like someone is hungry.”

Eren turned over on his back and smiled sleepily. His fingers extended upwards to run along Levi’s chin. “Shall we feast at the Pancake House?” Inheriting the use of the word ‘shall’ was one of the many signs their mannerisms were rubbing off on each other.

Levi took Eren’s wandering hand and pressed little kisses on his fingertips. “But of course.”

\--

Eren was dragging his forkful of pancake along his plate to gather as much remaining syrup. “Levi, we should go on a road trip. Just you and me.”

“A road trip…?” Levi mused. “That sounds lovely. Where should we go?”

“We could travel across Rose and just wander around. Just enjoy the open road.”

“That sounds nice. Perhaps we can find some hidden treasures in the county.”

 “Let’s go at the beginning of Thanksgiving Break!”

“Sounds like a plan.”

“If it isn’t my favorite pair of customers,” a young waitress announced as she came around. She tucked her circular tray beneath her arm and tucked some long brunette strands behind her ear.

“Hey, Frieda!” Eren greeted. He shoveled the last bit of toast into his mouth.

“More coffee, Levi?” she smiled. Levi pushed forward his mug gratefully. “Do you boys have any plans for the holidays? I can’t believe it’s already that time of the year.”

Levi rested his elbows on the table and clasped his hands beneath his chin. “Eren’s thinking about a road trip.”

“A road trip?” Frieda’s eyes sparkled. “Where to?” The steam from the coffee she poured into Levi’s mug swirled between the three of them.

“We’re going across Rose,” Levi answered. “I’m actually not too familiar with the county besides Trost, so it will be an enlightening experience for me as well.”

“That’s right… you used to live in Sina, huh?” Frieda pondered. “If you’re exploring Rose, you two should definitely go check out Utgard Castle. It’s long-abandoned, but I hear the walls have strange writings on them, and the basement has some old war supplies. Isn’t that fascinating?”

“Strange writings?” Eren asked, his plate now empty but his stomach very full. “Like, hieroglyphics?”

“Like hieroglyphics,” Frieda nodded gently. “I’ve always wanted to go. I’m a bit of a history junkie,” she admitted.

Levi enjoyed history documentaries, which Erwin introduced him to a long time ago, and he’s been hooked ever since. Perhaps exploring Utgard Castle will be worthwhile.

“We’ll check it out, then,” Levi said.

Levi’s and Eren’s actual waitress for the day came around to collect their empty plates.

Frieda smiled at them. “That’s my cue. I’ll see you boys around later.”

“See ya,” Eren said. “And tell Historia to come back to the coffee shop sometime soon!”

“I will definitely tell my sister,” Frieda assured. She patted Levi’s shoulder soothingly before going off to take care of other customers.

“Are we ready for the bill?” the waitress asked Levi.

“Have you had enough to eat, Eren?” Levi asked him gently.

“Yesss…” Eren hissed in satisfaction. “That was amazing.”

Levi nodded at the waitress. “We’re ready.”

“Great.” She took out the black folder from her apron pocket. “Take your time.”

In truth, every time Levi and Eren came to this restaurant (which was often), the servers fought behind the scenes over who would be lucky enough to serve them. They found out this rich couple was known to give out fat fucking tips that was enough to make their salaries look like pennies.

Levi penned in the bill, and he squeezed Eren’s outstretched hand.

-

In the parking lot, Levi took Eren’s waist in closer as they walked towards the car.

\--

Back at home, Levi and Eren cuddled on the couch as they waited for the evening to come around so that date night may begin.

Levi’s phone rang. He looked at the caller ID before answering. “Hello, Petra.”

Eren tried to make out what Petra was saying from Levi’s lap.

“That sounds like a good time, but I’ll pass,” Levi told her. “I can’t imagine myself doing it.”

 _“Just try it out! Come on, Levi!”_ Eren heard Petra plead.

“Is this at the new gym you were telling me about over lunch? …Truly, Petra,” he sounded apologetic. “Thank you for inviting me, but don’t worry about me. You two go enjoy yourselves.”

 _“I will have you join us one day, mark my words,”_ he heard Petra say. Now Eren was beginning to get curious what Petra was trying to get Levi to do.

After the good-byes, Levi ended the call and placed his phone back on the table.

Eren looked up. “What did Petra want?”

“She wanted me to join her and Erwin at their yoga class.”

“That sounds different, why did you say no?”

“Yoga is not really my thing.” Levi said. Eren remembered the times they worked out together... and how utterly and hopelessly inflexible Levi was.

He giggled at the idea of Levi in a yoga class.

“I can’t imagine you there, either,” Eren laughed. “You would probably cuss out the instructor if they pushed you to touch your toes.”

“I probably would,” Levi admitted. “Personally, I think I’m doing Petra and Erwin a favor by not going.”

“Baby steps, hubs,” Eren assured. “We’ll get you to touch your toes one day.”

“A lofty goal,” Levi said, a tinge of regret in his voice.

They shared a laugh and returned their attention back to the TV.

\--

“Clothes…check. Toothbrush…check. Extra socks…check,” Eren thought out loud as he went through his travel bag.

Thanksgiving break was finally here; a whole week dedicated to nothing but kicking back and relaxing. Eren originally felt anxious that he should be using the break to study and prepare for finals, but he’s worked so hard lately and increased his confidence by studying with Armin that he felt that he could truly use this time to unwind and sharpen the saw.

And likewise, Levi said that their employees at Survey Corp. were given the week off for break. So he, too, could unwind as well.

“Pants on body,” Levi added to the list, palming Eren’s butt, which was only covered by boxers again now that Levi turned up the air conditioning.

“Pants on body,” Eren nodded. He went into his room and quickly changed, and then returned back to Levi’s.

“We’re ready to hit the road,” Eren smiled.

-

It was early evening when they began driving, the sky a murky, frosty orange. Eren turned on the radio on a low volume for background noise, and he reclined his chair back and put his feet up on the dashboard.

“If you ever get tired, just wake me up and I can take the wheel,” Eren told him.

“Understood.”

The first hour or so was mild conversation. Eren munched his candy as he listened, and Levi engaged him with questions as well.

The second hour was Eren singing along with the radio, and he was becoming a little stir-crazy as the car ride wore on.

The current song ended, and Eren looked at Levi. “If I ever get too annoying, just tell me. My mom says I give her headaches sometimes.”

Levi reached over and held Eren’s chin. “You’re not annoying. I like listening to you.” Although, he thought with an internal smile, he could totally imagine Carla saying that to her son.

“Thanks, hubs.”

Eren got a bit tired of singing, though, so he held the pair of headphones that were resting around his neck and wore them- opting to listen quietly instead. Levi might not have had the heart to tell Eren if or when his singing was annoying, but Eren did know when his future husband wanted some peace and quiet.

He let the music fill his ears as he gazed out the window. The sun has dipped into the horizon, and now the sky was approaching a deep navy blue. Because they were getting further away from the lively city and its abundance of lights, some stars could be seen twinkling faintly in the distance.

This was a good change of pace. Despite the high-class lifestyle, Eren’s and Levi’s daily routine was becoming a bit redundant. It was nice to just get away from it all, in the most humble way.

Three days were more than enough time for Levi to whisk Eren away and have some private time.

-

It was about 1 am when Levi pulled over to a rest stop. Eren was awake, but he was quietly watching a movie on his tablet.

When he felt the car stop, he paused and took off his headphones. “We’re taking a break?”

“Let’s stretch our legs out a bit.”

Eren hopped out the car and readjusted his beanie while waiting for Levi to join him. They made their way inside the building, and the cold night air bit at their cheeks.

Eren was actually kind of grateful that Levi pulled over. He had to use the bathroom, and frankly, he could use a snack that wasn’t candy.

The rest stop building had a small food court and a convenience store. Levi wanted some tea, but he also knew he had to be awake. He opted for some coffee, instead. Eren joined him and picked out chocolate milk and pretzels.

And even though the company had the week off, Levi checked his work contacts to make sure nobody had tried to reach him before the break began.

Eren was giggling at something on his phone, and when Levi wondered what was so funny, Eren showed him the “meme”. Levi knew what that was now. It was like an internet joke that becomes viral on social media. Eren taught him that a while ago. And he was secretly proud of himself that he was becoming more cultured with youth happenings.

Levi wasn’t smiling at the meme so much as Eren’s infectious laugh. It was just a sound that he never got tired of.

“Shall we head back outside?” Levi asked a bit later.

-

Eren pointed to the sky, which was now glittering with dozens of stars now that they were well out of city bounds.

“Levi, look!”

Levi looked up also, and the sight truly was something to behold. There were a couple of benches a few paces away from the parking lot, and Levi took Eren by the hand to lead him there.

“It’s quite the romantic sight, isn’t it? You can’t really get this in Trost.”

The moment they sat down, Eren nuzzled in closer to Levi, and the smile never left his face.

Levi wrapped an arm around him to hold him close, and his other hand was warmed by his half-finished coffee. It might’ve been cold out here, but this was a warm moment.

Eren looked up. “Kisses?”

“You don’t have to ask me twice,” Levi replied gently, and they shared a smile. He pressed his lips to Eren’s puckered ones three times. Even after the kisses, they held eye contact. “Mmm.” Levi grunted his approval. He patted Eren’s head lovingly.

And so they spent some time looking at the stars as Levi finished his coffee. Eren rested his head against the warmth of Levi’s coat and body heat.

If this was their journey, then the destination couldn’t get much sweeter.

\--

Back on the road, Levi drove for a few more hours before taking an exit and returning back to civilization to get a hotel room for a night. He could’ve just woken Eren up to take the wheel, and they could get to the castle sooner; but looking at Eren now, snoozing away in his seat with his tablet gripped tightly in his clutches, Levi just couldn’t find the heart to wake him up and tell him to drive. They both needed proper sleep.

Levi unbuckled his seatbelt and ran a hand through his hair. He reached over and stroked Eren’s cheek. “Eren… wake up, my dear.”

Eren woke up with a small hitch in his snoring, and he looked out the window. “Oh, a hotel.”

“I think we should get some sleep and get back on the road in the morning.”

“Okay,” Eren smiled. He unbuckled his seatbelt and went around to the trunk to carry their overnight bags.

As Levi checked into a room at the front desk, Eren rubbed his eyes and looked around absentmindedly. It was so strange to be in this unfamiliar city, with unfamiliar people and emotions. _Who lives here? What was life like here?_

Their room had a clean, cozy scent to it. They changed into their pajamas, and as Levi was going through his tablet, Eren belly-flopped on the bed. Suddenly, he wasn’t feeling that tired.

Actually, he was feeling kind of mischievous.

Levi was doing some research on the area, being as ever-prepared as he was. Eren slowly, slowly crawled up from behind, and jump-tackled Levi’s back.

“Attack!” Eren announced.

Levi was caught off-guard, but a smile curved on his lips anyway. Eren wrapped his arms tighter around his neck and littered a dozen unexpected kisses on his cheek.

Levi put his tablet down for his retaliation attack. Two can play at this game. He turned and clamped his arms around Eren and took him swiftly to the mattress.

On his way down, Eren squealed and giggled. He had to figure out an escape plan!

But Levi was ruthless. He buried his nose in the crook of Eren’s neck and laid a loud, groaning smooch. “Did you think you could get away with that?” Levi warned.

Eren tried to squirm out before the inevitable tickle attack, but he was just too late. Fingers dug into the crook of his neck, and he laughed uncontrollably. “No! Not there!”

“Not there?” Levi repeated. “Perhaps you should’ve thought about that before your surprise attack.”

“Please, Levi. Please! Please, I’m- HA!”

Eren managed to squirm out of Levi’s grasp in a moment of weakness, and he used every atom of his weight to drag Levi to the mattress with him.

“I’m cra-a-a-zy!” Eren said with a deranged, theatrical voice. His eyes sparkled with a competitive fire. Levi couldn’t help but laugh at his silly boyfriend.

They rolled around the bed as they wrestled for domination. Grunts and exhales ensued.

Levi managed to pin Eren down for a second. “I think I preferred you sleeping in the passenger seat,” he said lowly.

“And I think I preferred you… below me!”

Eren mustered up all his strength to take Levi down, and before he could move again, he sat on his chest.

“How do you have this much energy right now?” Levi asked. He intertwined their fingers together as he spoke. His hair was splayed out on the mattress.

“I will do anything to beat you at wrestling,” Eren admitted. “But to answer your question, I think I’m just a little restless from all that time in the car.”

That made a lot of sense to Levi. He remembered that Eren was much younger, and that his energy levels fluctuated a lot more. Now he felt a bit dumb for wondering why Eren wanted to play.

Levi nodded. His hands roamed up to stroke and squeeze Eren’s thighs. “I understand. It feels good to be back on solid ground now, huh?”

He patted Eren’s thighs twice, and Eren got off him without hesitation.

“Let me help you wind down.” Levi got under the covers and waited for Eren to climb into his lap.

Some time passed, and Eren was finally beginning to feel sleepy again. He closed his eyes and let the comforting presence of Levi’s body and therapeutic hands soothe him.

Levi spoke close to his ear. “Are you enjoying the road trip so far?”

Eren nodded. “Mm-hm. It’s so relaxing. Especially with you. I can’t wait until we get to the castle.”

“Agreed.” Levi took a deep breath and looked toward the ceiling. Driving for several hours had him worn out, too.

He felt Eren rub his chest to get his attention. “Can you hum that song for me?”

Levi tried to think of what Eren was talking about. “…Oh. The lullaby. I didn’t know you heard me before.”

“Whenever you hum it, I always go to sleep faster. What is it called?”

“It’s called ‘ _Fais do do_ ’. It’s in French.” Levi paused for a second. “My mother used to sing it to me, and once she passed, Kenny would do it on rare occasions. It used to help me sleep, too.”

Eren listened intently.

“I can definitely hum it for you, baby.” Levi said. Eren smiled and nuzzled in closer.

And he let the melody that reverberated from Levi’s chest lull him away.

\--

Now properly rested and fed, Levi and Eren were back on the road again.

They listened to a podcast, and Levi drove casually with one hand.

And just like every time they spent extended periods of time together, the conversation became rather bizarre to an outsider if they happened to be listening.

“Levi, have you ever been to a strip club?”

“I have. My first time was when Kenny took me on my 21st birthday.”

Eren laughed. That was just like something Uncle Kenny would do.

But when Eren didn’t add anything else, Levi became curious. “For a minute, I thought you were going to suggest that we go to one together.”

“Nah. You already know how I feel about another man making your coffee. I don’t want anyone twerking on my husband besides me.”

Levi chuckled. “A bit possessive now, are we?”

“I’m crazy about you, baby!” Eren said in that same lunatic voice from last night.

“I’m crazy about you, too,” Levi reached over and squeezed his thigh. Eren was so three-dimensional and animated, it was hard to have a dull moment with him around. And, if he were being honest with himself, he was possessive over Eren, too. He was just mature and private enough that he didn’t really show it.

Eren shook his foot in time with the music in the radio. The sky was a clear light blue, and puffy white scattered about in formation for a distant upcoming winter storm.

And after some more time: “…Levi, why is it called Black Friday?”

“In the 60s, public transportation drivers and police would call it Black Friday because of the fights and traffic that littered the streets the day after Thanksgiving. It was officially the start of the holiday season, which meant more spending. But over time, the name became positive. It started to become the day that most retailers and companies would turn a profit. In accounting terms, ‘in the red’ would mean negative amounts or income loss, because they would use red ink on records. So when these retailers would finally make their profit at the start of the holiday season, the profit gain, or positive amounts, would be shown in black ink on records. So, they would be ‘in the black’; hence, Black Friday.”

“Ohhh,” Eren breathed in understanding. “I didn’t know that! That’s so cool.”

“Isn’t it?”

“You’re so smart.”

“I think you’re smart, too, darling.” Of course, Levi would turn any compliment around to make it about Eren.

Eren grinned at the kind words, and went back to texting his friends. The service was a bit spotty out here, but he managed.

\--

“Here we are,” Levi stated.

They exited the car, and Eren took a slow, fulfilling breath. In this clearing, there was a thick forest in the distance. Utgard Castle, though crumbled in some places and definitely worn in and abused in some areas, still stood proud with an air of rich history.

Eren took Levi’s hand and he continued to take deep breaths.

“That clean air is delicious, huh?” Levi asked.

“So much better than Trost air,” Eren agreed.

They began making their way to the collapsed door of the building. “To be honest, this was difficult to find,” Levi said. “It was completely off the map. It was like they wanted to keep people away from it.”

“That’s mysterious!” Eren said mystically. “Let’s see what’s inside.”

Their footsteps echoed against the high ceiling. And the sun beams shone through the windows, showing all the floating dust particles. Levi had to hold back the urge to look for a broom and clean up a bit.

Against the walls, large crates were pushed aside neglectfully. Eren went over and gripped a cover, sliding it off with some effort. Dust puffed out which caused a small coughing fit. He waved his hand in front of his face to dissipate it.

With his emerald lookers wide in awe, he peered into the crate and pulled some items out. The first was a tan uniform jacket, and it had a patch with a pair of blue-and-white wings. Eren cocked his head to the side. He wondered who this belonged to. He’s never seen this design before. It was on the back and breast of the jacket, too. He took off his own coat and slipped on the strange uniform. Now he felt like a different person. The other item he found was a weird metal contraption, which looked like a canister or something. Eren knocked on it. It felt hollow.

He reached in took out what looked like an old, straight-edged sword. The handle had a little trigger on it, like a gun.

Eren swung the blade around and pretended to be a soldier of this strange time. “Levi, look what I found!”

Levi was a bit further away, inspecting the architecture of the brick walls. He turned to Eren’s voice and made his way over. Immediately, he had on a disapproving look. “Eren, I don’t want you wearing anything from here. It could have germs and disease. Who knows where that’s been?”

Eren frowned a bit and put back the sword, and then sadly took off the jacket. Levi was right, though. The jacket looked weathered and tattered, like someone has worn it through rough times. And it smelled very, very odd, he now noticed. He took it off and put it back into the crate.

Levi helped Eren back into his own coat, and he peered into the crate with Eren.

“Where do you think this junk is from?” Eren asked.

“I haven’t a clue,” Levi admitted. He sat on the edge of the crate with a small groan. “I’ve never seen that design before. Perhaps we should look into it when we get back home.”

“How long ago was this?”

“I’m wondering the same thing. This castle has no electricity-“ Levi pointed at a gas lantern in the crate- “and that blade suggests a time before arms. Not to mention the steel is fragile, almost disposable…”

Eren listened to Levi’s explanations as he went through the rest of the crate.

“…but the brick infrastructure of the walls is very sturdy. It’s as if the castle inhabitants were trying to keep out giants.”

Eren looked at Levi in awe.

“…But I could just be overthinking it,” Levi said anti-climactically. “Let’s go look around a bit more.”

They walked around the castle, and Eren pointed at areas of interest. When they reached the doors that led to a winding staircase to the basement, Eren let Levi walk ahead of him. _He was no wuss! He just… would’ve felt safer if Levi was protecting him._

As they descended down the staircase, there were no longer any windows to let in natural light. It became quite dim, and the ceiling dripped water in some cracks and corners.

The basement itself had more large crates of supplies. Moisture and thick dust saturated in the air, giving the space a musty smell. Amongst the clutter, Eren also pointed out some old syringes and ropes. This became less of a museum-style exploration, and more of an ever-growing mystery.

And if all the dirt and grime upstairs bothered Levi, the basement made him itch with the urge to clean.

“Levi, come over here, hubs!” Eren was facing a wall when he called out.

Levi walked over and touched Eren’s lower back to signal his arrival.

Eren was running his fingers along the wall. “These are the hieroglyphics that Frieda was telling us about!”

“They’re fascinating,” Levi agreed. The characters etched in a band all along the wall conveyed a message so complicated, it was probably like an ancient prayer than a message meant to be read by many. Levi tried to look for recurring characters, but it was like every single one was unique.

Eren took out his phone and snapped a few pictures. “I’ll show these to Armin later.”

Levi leaned in a bit closer and squinted his eyes slightly. Some of the characters looked like men. Large men. They looked a bit barbaric. _Hmm…_

“Figure something out?” Eren asked.

Levi stood back up straighter and shook his head. “Just trying to get a closer look.”

“I want to check out the towers,” Eren said. He took Levi’s hand and they made their way back to the ground floor.

And unlike the flight of stairs that led to the basement, Eren was eager to lead them up the winding flight to the roof.

When they reached the circular platform, Eren felt on top of the world. The wind whipped against his face in a random gust, and it was exhilarating from all the way up here. Perhaps this was how birds caught onto the wind and took flight. With arms outstretched, he could see how expansive that dense forest really was. Leading to the other tower was a long bridge. Though, the turret on the other side was destroyed.

“Whoa, is that a cannon!?” Eren ran up to it and circled around it with a thrilled expression. I wonder if it still works?”

“I think you would need some gunpowder.” Levi inspected it, as well.

Eren ran his hand along the smooth muzzle. “Do you think they fought a war here, Levi!?” he was becoming more and more ecstatic.

“That, I have no doubt of. It was probably a fort. The real question is, what were they fighting against?”

“This is so fucking cool…” Eren breathed. When he’s had his fill of the cannon, he took Levi’s hand again and they stood against the brick lining along the bridge. They looked out into the clearing, so very historical and secret in this slice of the world.

Levi stepped back a few paces to the other side of the bridge. He took out his phone and snapped a picture of Eren looking ahead into the world. The photo was the perfect match for his flighty boyfriend’s aesthetic.

\--

The drive back to Trost was yet another bonding experience. Eren and Levi stumbled upon gospel music while Eren was trying to find a good station, and they unexpectantly loved it.

Eren munched on chips and gazed at the sky lazily. Living in a big city had more pros than cons, but to look at the world beyond, with its infinite trees and the open sky, especially with the one you love… well, it was heavenly.

\--

The night sky glittered with hundreds of stars that filled Levi with a sense of content, and it was too bad Eren was sleeping that he couldn’t see it.

But they’ve been on the road for more than half the day now, and they were only a couple hours away from home.

Levi took an exit and found a McDonald’s.

“Eren… Eren…” he coaxed.

Eren woke up and looked at him with furrowed brows. “Hm?”

“Time for dinner.”

“’m not hungry,” Eren mumbled.

“You have to eat something, my dear. Come on.”

Eren sat up and yawned, and unbuckled his seatbelt sleepily. When he exited the car, he yawned again and stretched his arms towards the sky.

In most situations, Levi wouldn’t opt for fast food, but Eren did want the authentic road trip experience.

Inside the restaurant, Eren picked out a spot and slouched lazily on the table. He was still trying to find the will to snap out of his grogginess. It was fine, though; Levi already knew exactly what he liked.

Levi ordered his usual fast food selection, and also ordered Eren’s two meals. Yes, Eren usually ate two meals’ worth in one sitting. And Eren might’ve told him that he was not hungry, but Levi knew better.

The TV in the overhead was on a local news channel. Well, not-so-local, since they weren’t back in Trost just yet.

Levi brought the trays over to the table, and Eren lifted his head from his arms. He didn’t look too impressed with the food, but he took a small handful of fries into his mouth, and immediately sat up straighter.

It wasn’t long before Eren was working through his food at an incredible pace. Levi sipped his drink amusedly. He knew his boy very well; those fries worked his appetite right up.

And, it wasn’t long before Eren was back to his animated self again, telling Levi about the most complicated order he’s ever gotten at the coffee shop. Levi listened with that same gentle, admiring look he always had on whenever Eren spun his tales.

But, Eren wasn’t selfish. Just like he talked and chatted about things, as soon as he realized he was rambling, he turned the conversation around and asked Levi about things. He sipped his drink with wide emerald eyes that clung onto every word. Levi was very calm and collected, and such an engaging speaker. Though, in most public and professional situations, he was a man of few words.

The conversation slowed down, and Eren picked at the last few remaining fries on the tray. “God… I can’t wait ‘til we’re married for real. Like, on paper.”

“I can’t wait, either.”

“Then,” Eren had on a flirty, charming smile as he took Levi’s hand across the table, “you should wife me up already.”

“You do realize that even if we become officially married on paper, nothing will change between us, right, baby? I still love you more than words can describe.”

“I know…” Eren sighed dreamily. “But, I just want to make it official. I want the whole world to know that you’re my husband.” He rubbed his thumb over Levi’s hand. “Can I ask what’s holding you back?”

Normally, conversations about marriage while in the dating phase was awkward and tense in most relationships, but Eren has brought it up with Levi so many times that it was just another thing. And they were both proud of their ability to talk about anything openly and without hesitation.

“We don’t keep secrets,” Levi reminded himself. “Truthfully, I think you’re still young, and that you deserve to live your early twenties as a free man. I’m not going anywhere, darling. But I don’t want to trap you at such a young age. Marriage can be a bit intimidating at your stage of life.”

Eren has always wondered why Levi was holding back from popping the question, and he first suspected it would be trivial reasons. But… Levi’s explanation was, frankly, very mature and reasonable. Eren was flabbergasted and at a loss for words.

Because he was going to prove to Levi just how wrong he was.

“Leviiii…” Eren laughed a bit breathlessly. “You’re not trapping me. I’m one hundred percent ready to commit to you. Fuck my age. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. You already know how much I love you. You’re my king, after all. I’m not intimidated by the idea at all.”

“I know, but-“ Levi began his rebuttal.

“No ‘but’s,” Eren shook his head. “If being a free man means that I can’t officially be married to you, then _fuck_ , Levi, I don’t want to be a free man.”

 Levi’s heart warmed that Eren was so damn eager to commit. They already acted like they were married, so what the fuck was a ceremony and a few papers? Still, he thought about how it would look like to others. A businessman of his standing and position getting married to a cute little college student before their first anniversary even happened would start rumors, especially on Eren’s end. He didn’t want to make Eren’s life more difficult by taking such a huge step. Most, if not all of Survey Corp. knew who Eren was and his relationship to Levi, so his life wouldn’t be much affected. But people around Eren’s age talked, and Levi wanted to protect him from any negative criticism if he could help it.

Levi told Eren all this. And Eren was starting to become more understanding.

“I get it,” Eren nodded agreeably. “I know you’re just trying to be cautious. And I appreciate that. I’m sorry for pressuring you. I know I can be overbearing sometimes.”

“You’re not overbearing, and you’re not pressuring me,” Levi assured softly. “I know exactly how you feel and think. But we don’t keep secrets, you and me, so I just wanted to make sure everything was on the table. I love you more than life itself, so when we get married- which I promise you, Eren babe, _will_ happen one day- it will be nothing more than a ceremony and a few papers. I want you to know, ring or not, you’re always my beloved baby boy. And my adorable little husband.”

That discussion seemed to satisfy Eren. They shared a slow smile that melted into infatuated gazes, which had diners across the room wondering what exactly was going on between those two.

Eren never let go of Levi’s hand throughout the entire conversation. “No better place than McDonald’s to talk about marriage, huh?”

Levi dissolved into those musical, rich, low chuckles of his that ignited happy, drunk butterflies in Eren’s heart.

When Levi went back to his usual stoic demeanor- though, a ghost of smile still curved at the corners of his mouth- he raised Eren’s hand up to his lips to kiss his knuckles. “I really couldn’t agree more.”

\--

In the car, the quiet atmosphere in closed doors made Eren feel extra safe and affectionate.

He wanted to cuddle, but Levi said it was too cold to sit outside, and he didn’t want to risk Eren catching a cold, especially before Thanksgiving. As vigilant and cautious as ever.

But, he did work out an arrangement. He pressed a button to push his own seat as far away from the wheel as possible, and then he reclined the back so that he was lying instead of sitting. There was enough space now that Eren could fit himself comfortably on Levi’s lap.

Levi waited for Eren to get himself situated.  Finally, Eren wrapped his arms around Levi’s neck and sighed in content.

“Well… it’s not the most luxurious thing I can do for you,” Levi began.

“Shh,” Eren silenced him with a kiss. “It’s perfect.”

Eren was always a man of simple tastes. Cuddling in the car wasn’t bad at all.

The heating of the car filled their full hearts and bellies with a toasty warmth. “Hopefully no one walks by,” Eren said. “From the outside, it kinda looks like we’re fucking.”

“It does, doesn’t it? That would be quite the story to tell.”

Eren grinded his hips a little bit, keeping his forehead pressed against Levi’s. “I don’t mind, though. Let them see.”

Eren stopped grinding and held Levi’s head still with a firm, assuring grip. “Ooh, I love you so much,” he whispered. “Thank you so much for joining me on this road trip. I love exploring the world with you.”

“Anything for you, doll. I mean that. I aim to please.”

Eren smiled and rubbed his nose along Levi’s slowly. “And I can’t wait until we go to Paris. You should teach me some French before we go so I’m not completely clueless. Starting by telling me what that song from yesterday means.”

“I will certainly teach you. But only if you teach me some German.”

“I’m not fluent, I only know some words and phrases. But I’ll teach you what I know.”

“Sounds like a plan. Have you been to Germany before?”

“Yup. My mom took me once. But it was during Oktoberfest and seven-year-old me managed to get drunk as hell, so my mom never took me back there after that.” Eren frowned cartoonishly.

Levi chuckled. Eren caused mischief all around the world, it seemed.

“Oh, what will I do with you, Eren Jaeger?”

“Anything you want, hubby,” Eren purred. He pressed his lips to Levi’s and stroked his glossy black hair back.

“That’s not what I meant, you silly boy,” Levi murmured against his lips. “Although, if we’re being honest, I’m a bit eager to get back home so that I can have my way with you.”

“Mmm…” Eren listened to the proposed idea with an increasingly interested smile. “I like the sound of that. You want to get up in these guts? Rearrange these internal organs?”

Levi laughed out loud and his chest shook under Eren’s weight. “Who is teaching you these things, Eren?”

“That’s for me to know… and you to find out,” Eren said. He trailed a finger along Levi’s jawline, all the way to his lips, where Levi took it into his mouth and sucked on it gently.

Eren bit his lip to stifle a smile, and when he took his finger back out, he smothered Levi’s lips in flurry of smooches.

And under these many twinkling stars and the sweet privacy of Levi’s car, surely, these two could make even the McDonald’s parking lot disgustingly romantic.


	63. Thanksgiving Pt. 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi and Eren get back from their road trip, and they spend the holidays at the Jaeger house.
> 
> (This chapter was a bit long, so I decided to split it into two parts to make sure I had something out on time this week. The next installment will have a lot more going on, so this chapter is a bit filler/exposition. You could even hold off on reading this one for now so that you can read the whole scene next chapter. It might be more coherent that way.
> 
> Please leave a comment and tell me your thoughts!)

“Yes, Levi…. yes, yes, yesyesyesyes…. Yussss….. right there, right there, right there, right there, ooh, _fuck_!”

“Right… there?”

“Yes, Daddy, I want you. I want you!”

“I want you, too.”

The next couple moments were empty on dialogue, as Levi pinned Eren’s hips down and truly drove his pace a mile a minute into Eren’s pliable body. His own orgasm was stumbling in, too, and he was ready to fulfill his word.

Eren’s body recoiled on the couch, his legs spread way open and his face turned away shyly as he felt himself climbing close. And all he wanted now was a familiar, expert hold on his aching cock to just jack the fucking soul out of him so he could put this to bed.

And his wish was granted. Levi’s strong hand took Eren’s cock firmly and he squeezed it, then proceeded to stroke him up quickly. It wasn’t long before spurt after spurt of pearly white spilled onto Levi’s hand, in rhythm with the pace of his pounding into Eren’s ass.

Eren whined loudly and squirmed around while he rode it out, and soon enough, a warm heat filled his entrance, too. Levi gripped his legs and ducked his head slightly as he came.

Levi gave a few more slow-down thrusts, and finally he pulled out. Eren lay there, wrecked and satisfied at the same time, panting a bit in post-orgasm ecstasy.

Levi walked over and retrieved some tissues to clean up a bit. He wiped up his hands and Eren’s stomach.

“What time is it?” Eren asked softly. He wrapped a hand around his softening cock and stroked it up absentmindedly.

“It is three in the morning.” Levi said. He leaned down and picked up an awaiting Eren by the arms. “So it’s off to bed with you, because we have a big day tomorrow. Or, today, rather.”

“Yes, sir,” Eren said sleepily. He wrapped his arms tight around Levi’s neck they made their way to the bathrooms for a quick shower, naked and intimately pressed together.

They got back home from the road trip a mere couple hours ago, and pent-up energy and restlessness from the long car ride prompted a quickie on the couch upon their arrival. But now that it was Thanksgiving Day, and they were spending it at Eren’s parents’ house, Levi had to make sure they were both well-rested for the event.

Now showered and dressed in their coziest pajamas, they climbed into bed gratefully. It was so plushy and warm after being away from it for a few days. Eren wrapped his arms around Levi’s torso and they slipped into a much-needed slumber.

\--

It was noon when they finally woke. Eren reached up and pressed some smooches under Levi’s chin.

“Hey, Papa.”

Levi shifted his legs around, not surprised to find Eren’s long legs intertwined in his. They basically slept hugging, and they woke up that way, too.

“Hey yourself, Mama.” He took a deep breath and let his eyes shut again.

And he felt Eren’s tender fingers stroke his face softly. “You’re probably not used to sleeping in for this long, huh?”

“Mm.” Although, slipping into a short coma after the fatigue of the road trip was therapeutic, and very much appreciated.

Eren stared at Levi’s face for a bit longer, and he smiled sweetly when Levi took his waist beneath the blankets and pressed their bodies flush together. He loved how his belly felt against Levi’s rugged abdomen, and the way Levi buried his nose in the crook of his neck possessively. “Alright. I should be responsible and start getting us out of bed, but I’m feeling like a log,” Levi grumbled in his thick morning voice.

“You sleep for as long as you need, hubby. I’ll stay with you.”

“On any other day, I would take you up on that offer,” Levi said. “But we really shouldn’t keep your parents waiting.”

“We can cuddle over there, too. I’m feeling so fucking lazy,” Eren sighed.

“Isn’t laziness a part of this holiday, after all?”

“You’re right.” Eren regretfully pulled away from the warmth of Levi’s body and rolled off the bed. It was a good thing he was starving, because they would be in for an amazing feast tonight.

Levi watched Eren walk away into the bathroom. From rolling on the bed, his pants had ridden down slightly, showing off his lower back dimples and a peeking of his butt crack. Not that he cared to fix it when he stood, but Levi chuckled quietly at the sight.

\--

And now that Eren and Levi finally trudged through their initial struggle out of bed and were now at the familiar big house with the blue shutters, the day was finally taking off.

Carla ushered them in excitedly, and after smothering Eren in kisses, she took Levi in for his hug and kissed his cheek firmly. If he wasn’t feeling it before, Levi was definitely part of the family now.

“How are you, my dear? I’m so glad you could make it.” Carla helped Levi out of his coat.

“I’m doing very well. And you?”

“I get to have all my favorite men home for the holidays. How do you think I’m feeling?” She had that same mischievous, charming smile like Eren’s as she rubbed his shoulder comfortingly. “Please tell me you’re not working this week,” she asked with a concerned look.

“No. We gave the employees the week off.”

“Oh, good,” Carla sighed. “Eren tells me how hard you work. I don’t want you exhausting yourself.”

“I feel guilty and restless when I take a few days off, between you and me.”

Carla ushered him into a seat at the kitchen table and got to work making coffee. She nodded in understanding. “Grisha tells me he feels that way, too. Hard workers deserve a nice home-cooked meal to relax to today.”

Eren was rummaging through the freezer for treats, which earned him a warning pull at the cheek from his mother. “No snacks, mister. I’m making a big dinner.”

“C’mon, Ma. No harm in just one. I need to get the system going,” he said, patting his stomach. He had on a growing grin.

“Just one, and I’m serious,” Carla said. “Have you called Armin and Mikasa?”

Eren nodded with his popsicle halfway into his mouth. When he pulled it out, he spoke again. “Mikasa said she’ll try to come later, and Armin’s on his way.”

“I told him to bring his boyfriend, too,” Carla said, and she placed a mug of coffee in front of Levi. “He’s your Co-CEO, right, Levi?”

Levi nodded. “He is. As well as my best friend.”

“How adorable. What a small world,” Carla mused. “Best friends dating best friends.”

They all never really thought about it. But it was a lovely coincidence that it all worked out this way.

Eren was poking his head around a few rooms and returned to the kitchen with a small frown. “Where’s Pop?”

Regret spread on Carla’s face. “He’s been at the hospital today. But he promises he’ll make it later.”

“Hospitals never sleep,” Eren said, and Carla nodded agreeably. They were both quite used to this situation. Eren was proud of his father for taking his job very seriously, and taking holiday shifts to allow other doctors to spend time with their families. But he really did miss his workaholic father and eagerly awaited his arrival tonight.

Carla fixed Eren his mug of coffee as well, with sugar and hazelnut creamer.

“Thanks, Mommy.”

She ran a soothing thumb over his cheek in reply.

Levi allowed his own drink to soothe him and warm up his body. This would be probably his first true Thanksgiving family meal. Growing up, Kenny didn’t cook much, so on Thanksgiving Day they would just go to a nice restaurant that was offering a themed meal. And in more recent years, Erwin would invite him over every year and cook him a literal five-course meal, and they shared drinks and talked. Levi enjoyed both of these, but he had to admit, thirty-five seemed a bit old to have never experienced a proper family Thanksgiving. And he was excited to share it with his best friend and boyfriend’s family, both. And he should probably get used to it, too, because in the future, Eren’s family would be his in-laws, if everything went according to plan.

Carla continued to prep for the meal, humming as she lined up ingredients and reviewed recipes. Eren sipped his coffee next to Levi, and they talked about their road trip.

And after a while, the front door bell rang.

“That must be them!” Eren said. He followed his mother to the door.

Carla opened the door, and with open arms, she took Armin into a hug.

“Armin, I’ve missed you so much, sweetie!”

“Hey, mom! I’ve missed you, too.”

Now, it wasn’t strange at all that Armin referred to Eren’s mother as his own. Growing up, he’s spent so much time in this very house with this family that Eren’s mother practically raised him, too. The Jaegers were definitely the kind to take people in with open arms.

Armin stayed in the hug, and allowed Carla to run her hand through his hair over and over. He definitely missed this motherly touch.

And once their embrace was done, Eren yanked Armin further into the house.

“Mrs. Jaeger, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” Erwin held out his hand.

Carla’s eyes lit up and she took his hand. “Oh, my.” It was so large and warm. He held and shook her hand gently. Like Levi, this man was _very_ handsome and well-mannered. Where does her son keep finding these wonderful men? Carla was happily married, but she had to admit that being around such alluring presences made her feel flattered. It took her back to her tavern waitressing days. “It’s nice to meet you, too, Erwin. Call me Carla, dear. Welcome, welcome!” She helped him out of his jacket. In his other hand, he had a paper bag with some ingredients, and he followed Carla to the kitchen.

Erwin and Levi exchanged their greetings and warm holiday wishes right away, and Erwin sat down for some tea to get comfortable and settled. He took out a nice bottle of wine from his bag and presented it to Carla as a sort of housewarming gift.

“Oh, wow!” she took it and read the label. “Thank you very much! We will all share this tonight.”

Once Erwin had his tea, Levi went over to the living room and lounged on the couch with his tablet to get out of the way. Erwin offered, well, _insisted_ on helping Carla cook Thanksgiving dinner, and frankly, she was ecstatic for the help.

“I bought two turkeys in case I messed one up!” Carla admitted.

Erwin laughed. “Hopefully we’ll only need to use one. Let’s try to get this into the oven as soon as possible. Slow-roasted is the best way to go.”

He was humble as ever, but Erwin cooked like a professional chef, and the whole house would be in for a treat if his hand was involved.

He rolled his sleeves up and got to work slaving away in the kitchen with Carla. She used the time to get to know him better. Armin was like a son in her eyes, and she was curious to see who he had taken an interest in.

\--

Eren and Armin played in the game room, and once again, Armin beat him at table tennis.

And Eren was becoming increasingly more bitter.

“I hate you. Let’s play one more time.”

Armin bounced the ball on the paddle, his eyes fixated on it to see how long he could keep his streak going. He was not bothered at all by Eren’s attitude. In fact, he was quite proud of himself. “Whether we play one more time or ten more times, I do believe I’m going to destroy you.”

“Double or nothing.”

Armin giggled. “Double of nothing, _is_ nothing, Eren, we’ve been over this! And we’re not even betting anything.”

Eren swung the paddle in some practice swings. “I’m really feeling it this time. Please.”

Armin sighed. “Fine. But don’t be a sore loser when the inevitable happens.”

“I’m not a sore loser!”

Armin looked at him with an expression of _“really?”_

“…Fine. I won’t be a sore loser.”

-

“Fuck!” Eren groaned. “Why can’t I beat you?”

“You can’t be number one at everything,” Armin said. “And you promised you wouldn’t be a sore loser.”

Eren pouted but stayed quiet as he put the paddles back into the pouches at the side of the table. “Let’s go watch a movie. I’m lazy anyway.”

“I’m in the mood for a movie, too.”

“Let’s go get snacks first. We might have to be stealthy, though, ‘cuz Ma’s got the kitchen on lockdown. She wants us to save our appetites.”

“Let’s be stealthy, then,” Armin smiled in determination. This was quite the throwback; growing up here they’d always sneak into the kitchen before dinner for treats.

They made their way over to the kitchen quietly, and Erwin’s and Carla’s backs were turned as they were working on stuffing. They seemed to be immersed in discussing the recipe.

Eren silently shuffled to pantry, which was closer rather than further from the hallway, and he pursed his lips as he reached in grabbed a bag of chips and some fruit snacks. He handed them to Armin, who strategically took the goods to the theater room. Eren went over to the fridge, which caught Carla’s attention.

“Just getting drinks, Ma,” he said. “Carry on.” He took out a can of Sprite for Armin, and a root beer for himself.

Carla seemed suspicious, but she wiped her hands on a rag anyway. “I’m a bit busy here, but go ask Levi if he wants something to drink, too.”

“You got it!” Eren grinned.

Eren went to the living room, where Levi was quietly doing things on his tablet. He wrapped his arms around his neck from behind and pecked a kiss on the side of his head.

“Hey, hubs. Do you want something to drink? More coffee?”

Levi looked up and reached for his empty mug on the coffee table. “Please.”

Eren went to the kitchen and brewed another fresh cup. He glanced at the oven, where a large turkey sat baking in a pan.

He brought the mug back over to Levi. “Here you go.”

“Thank you very much, baby.”

Eren massaged his shoulders quickly before returning to Armin.

“She didn’t suspect a thing,” he grinned. They settled into the remote-controlled recliners and looked for something to watch. They clinked cans before taking a sip.

-

“…And Eren thinks I don’t notice when he takes snacks from the pantry,” Carla told Erwin.

“Sometimes, ignorance is bliss,” Erwin agreed with a chuckle.

They began the prep for mashed potatoes, and Erwin went over to check the turkey in the oven. He basted it with some of the juice pooling in the pan.

-

Mikasa walked up to the front door during the early evening, and she rang the doorbell. It was getting quite cold these days, and the wind nipped at her cheeks. She drew her red scarf over her mouth and waited patiently, and then she heard footsteps approaching.

The door opened and Carla pulled her in. “Mikasa, my darling girl, I’m so glad you could make it. I’ve missed you way too much.”

Carla always did feel like Mikasa was the daughter she never had. And her calm, polite personality was such a relief alongside raising wild and mischievous Eren.

Mikasa’s heart warmed and she hugged Carla back tight. “I’ve missed you, too, mom.” She held out the box in her hand. “I stopped by a bakery and brought some fresh gingerbread cookies.”

“Ooh, my favorite.” Carla stroked Mikasa’s short locks and took her into the house. “I think the boys are watching a movie, I haven’t heard from them in a while.”

Mikasa smiled at her. “I’ll find them.” When they passed the living room, she saw a familiar black undercut at the couch, and she went over to greet him.

“Hi, Levi.” She patted and rubbed his shoulder in greeting.

Levi looked up. “Mikasa. It’s been a long time. How have you been?”

“I’ve been busy, but I’m well. How’re things at work? Have you been working on a case recently?”

“No. After the M.P. case, things have slowed down for a while. It’ll be nice to gather ourselves before the next one. How are your fights and training?”

“They’ve been good. Actually, a federation reached out to me asking if I want to sign on with them. The contract has an amazing pay, but… I don’t know.” All of a sudden, Mikasa looked troubled. Levi beckoned his hand to the couch to seat her.

“But?” Levi prompted gently.

“But it would require tons of traveling, and I’d rarely ever be home. It’s just overwhelming how much my life would change. And I feel like I hardly ever get to see Eren and Armin anymore as it is.”

Levi nodded slowly. “Let me tell you what I think. You’re already traveling around the area to teach and fight, right? Well, now is your opportunity to expand your connections. Mikasa, this opportunity might not present itself again. The contract they’re offering you is for two years, right?”

“Yeah… how did you know?”

Once upon a time, Levi was given offers to become a professional boxer. It was just as his career at Survey Corp. was picking up, and, well… it was clear now which path he took. As compromise, Kenny insisted that Levi join local fights and made sure he kept up with his training. “I know a thing or two about that world. I really think you should take the contract. Do it while you’re still young and in peak physical form. You can always come back to town and settle down or go back to school later, but an offer like this is one in a hundred. You’re already always out and about. At least now, you’ll get to see the world. You’ll adjust to it over time. And hey,” he said lowly, “it’s only two years. You have your whole life ahead of you.”

Mikasa, who usually looked serious and in-control, now had on a vulnerable but inspired expression as she listened.

“As for seeing Eren and Armin, I believe you’ll figure out ways to stay in the loop. When I’m on business trips for example, I call Eren when I’m on my lunch breaks to find out about his day. Then sometimes before bed, we’ll Facetime and talk. No one misses a thing. And you can always come back and visit them when you have an off-week. The federation will most likely cover your travel expenses, so go out and explore the world. I’m confident Eren and Armin will want you to take the opportunity, too.”

Mikasa fiddled with the frayed ends of her scarf, and she seemed hopeful while she thought.

“That’s my advice,” Levi said finally. “This is a great opportunity for you, Mikasa. I really see you getting your name out there. I have faith in you.”

An enlightened smile curved on Mikasa’s face. “…Thank you, Levi. You know just what to say. I think that’s just what I needed to hear. And you know, besides the publicity and getting on planes all the time, I’d pretty much be doing the same thing I’m doing now. I’ll go tell Eren and Armin,” she nodded once confidently.

Before she got up, she scooted over and took Levi in for a firm, appreciative hug. He patted her back gently.

When Mikasa left, Levi sat back and sighed. Well, if his age brought anything to the table, it was experience. And he was always glad to help out. Mikasa reminded him of Eren in that they had basically already made up their minds about things, but they wanted to hear their decisions from a different voice to feel confident about it.

Erwin was like that, too.

\--

The door to the home theater opened, letting the sounds from the kitchen flood into the soundproofed room.

A pair of green eyes and a pair of blues whipped in that direction, looking very much like deer in headlights with chips halfway into their mouths.

But Eren and Armin relaxed when they saw who had walked in. “Mikasa!” they called simultaneously. They abandoned their seats for a second and rushed over to get their hugs in.

“I’ve missed you both,” Mikasa breathed. Their group hug was tight and assuring. When they went back to the seats, Eren chugged down what was left his drink.

“Why did you guys look so guilty when I came in?” Mikasa asked.

“Ma said we’re not supposed to be spoiling dinner with snacks,” Eren explained. “So these Cheetos are contraband.” He held out the bag for her.

“Ah,” she nodded, and she reached into the bag for a small handful. “…So, I have something to tell you guys.”

Once again, two pairs of eyes turned to her expectantly.

\--

“I think she’s ready, Carla.”

Erwin pulled out the turkey from the oven and placed it on the range. He took off his oven mitts, and Carla came over to inhale the aroma.

“It looks gorgeous, Erwin. I think everyone will love it.”

“Shall we set the table?” He waited for her to show where the plates and silverware were.

“I can help,” Levi said. He had walked into the kitchen after overhearing their conversation.

“I’ll go call the kids,” Carla said. She retreated into the hallway.

Levi and Erwin finished setting the large table in the dining room, of course knowing the exact position of each utensil from all their experience with fine dining.

It was as they carried over the various pots and trays of foods that the front door and someone walked in.

Grisha sighed deeply upon entering the aromatic warmth of the house and he took off his shoes and jacket.

Levi and Erwin went over to greet him.

Now that introductions were out of the way, the more profound conversations could begin. “Erwin, is it? The pleasure is mine. And I hope everything has been comfortable here so far. I’m looking forward to sitting down with you.”

“Daaad!” Eren ran up to his father and they met with a solid hug. Armin and Mikasa were only a pace behind.

Grisha opened his arms wider- Eren still latched onto his neck- and Armin and Mikasa joined the gathering.

“Now all three of my children are here,” Grisha said softly. He gave each a hair ruffle, as if they were still little kids.

Carla looked at the scene with an admiring expression. But, she quickly snapped out of it. “Let’s all sit while the food is still fresh!”

Eren made sure all the guests were seated first, just like his mother taught him.

Carla kissed Grisha softly and whispered into his ear. “Happy Thanksgiving, Mr. Jaeger.”

“And likewise, Mrs. Jaeger,” he whispered back. Eren walked right up to them and took both their hands to lead them. “C’mon, lovebirds,” he said impatiently.

Now everyone was seated patiently at the table, waiting for Carla’s go ahead to begin to dig in.

Eren was damn near drooling and vibrating in his seat.


	64. Thanksgiving Pt. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Happy Sunday!
> 
> Part 2/2. I hope you’re prepared for some mushy-gushy, tooth-rotting fluff this chapter :3c
> 
> (Next chapter will be a WinMin one for those of you interested! I’ve missed our blond baby boys quite a bit. 
> 
> PLEASE PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT AFTER READING AND TELL ME YOUR THOUGHTS!! <3 )

“Before we begin, we always start out by going around the table and saying at least one thing we’re thankful for,” Carla explained, more to Levi and Erwin, since this was their first Thanksgiving with this family. “We’ll start with Eren. Eren, sweetie?”

“I’m thankful for the food,” Eren said quickly, rushing through his words so that the feast may begin already.

Armin and Mikasa rolled their eyes. Eren said that every year. What a lazy copout.

Going counterclockwise around the table, it was Grisha who was sitting next to Eren. “I’m thankful that I was able to leave the hospital tonight to spend time with my favorite people. And I’m very thankful that I get to see my son.”

Eren looked at him with a flattered smile, and then leaned over to hug his father’s arm sweetly.

After Grisha sat Mikasa. “I’m thankful that I’m getting new opportunities with my fighting, and that I could get some time off to see Eren and Armin.”

Next to Mikasa, Armin: “I’m thankful that I survived O-Chem this year, and that I got to visit Africa. I’m also thankful that Eren and I got to spend so much time together lately.”

Now that everyone so far mentioned that they were thankful for him, Eren felt a bit like an asshole for giving such a lazy response. “Wait, I changed my mind,” he spoke up, “I’m really thankful that I could spend time with every each one of you. And I’m especially thankful for the love of my life, Levi.”

Levi, who was on Eren’s other side, smiled at him gently, and reached over to stroke his cheek softly.

A soft chorus of ‘aww’s melted throughout the table. Carla’s being the loudest.

“Erwin, dear?” Carla prompted him after Eren’s interruption. He sat next to Armin, so it was his turn.

“I’m thankful that I was able to meet my beloved Armin this year. And I’m also thankful for the company’s amazing growth lately. It’s only going up from here.”

Levi raised his glass in agreement. All the other “adults” raised their glasses, too.

Next to Erwin was Carla herself. “I’m thankful for many things,” she started. “But I don’t hesitate at all to say that I’m most thankful for what we have here,” she beckoned to the whole table. “Look at how much our little family has grown! I love you all.”

Carla’s words struck a lovely little chord in everyone’s hearts.

Mikasa had on an especially sweet smile. Growing up, her birth family situation was messy and unstable. To have Eren’s parents take her in early on and essentially raise her alongside Eren, that’s what she was especially grateful for. And now that Levi and Erwin were in the picture, too, she felt like she really did have this big family she always wanted.

And after Carla sat the only person left to have a turn; Levi. Everyone looked at him expectantly and intently. He was a man of few words- usually not speaking much unless spoken to- so it would be interesting to hear what he had to say.

“I’m thankful that I met the love of _my_ life, Eren. And I’m also thankful for how well everything is falling into place at the company, and for my new family- all of you here.”

Eren’s gushing, admiring gaze at Levi didn’t waver for even a second. He wanted to tackle Levi to the floor and smother him in kisses, but that wouldn’t be the most appropriate thing right now. It would have to wait until later, but Eren wanted to show Levi _exactly_ how thankful he was for him.

“How sweet,” Carla sighed dreamily, and she looked around. “Alright, l’m sure everyone here is eager to start eating, especially Eren.” Eren bounced his legs up and down excitedly beneath the table, not denying the previous statement.

She took the foil off the turkey, and everyone took a second to admire it. It was roasted to a golden brown, practically glistening under the kitchen lights. And it smelled _phenomenal_. Carla shared a proud smile with Erwin that it came out so wonderfully. They didn’t have to use Carla’s backup turkey, after all.

And it wasn’t long before the foils were off all the pots and this loving family began the feast.

\--

Second, third- and in Eren’s case, fourth- helpings were served. There was plenty of food to go around, and even still leftover.

While everyone talked lazily at the table, feeling like sloths after having a week’s worth of food in one sitting, Carla took one for the team and got up to start packing up the leftovers.

She retrieved the fancy bottle of wine that Erwin brought with him, and she got a corkscrew to pop the top off. Everyone watched her as she twisted it open.

After a moment, the cork came off with a _pop!_ The foam fizzled out, which Carla aimed over the sink. “Cheers!”

“Cheers,” everyone replied.

“That was a very efficient opening, Carla,” Erwin said. “You’ll need to give me some tips and tricks.”

“Why, of course! I used to do this for work, after all. I’ll show you my secret method later.”

She came around with the bottle and filled champagne flutes around the table, starting with Grisha. Next she filled Erwin’s, and then came around to fill Levi’s. Maybe it was all the food that didn’t have her in her right mind, but she accidentally filled the glass that Eren had outstretched.

“Thank you, Mother,” he said politely. His grin was growing with each passing second until Carla realized.

“Oh, you!” She immediately took the glass out of Eren’s hand and pinched his cheek hard in punishment. Everyone at the table laughed.

“Ow! Damn, so close!” Eren rubbed his cheek and sighed.

“Four more months,” Carla said firmly. “I can get you some dessert if you want that, sweetie?”

“Yes, please,” Eren hung his head off the back of his chair and rubbed his stomach up his shirt lazily.

She fixed him, Mikasa, and Armin a bowl of ice cream in lieu of the wine. Even stuffed to the brim, they eagerly polished off their bowls.

Levi finished his glass of wine, and honestly, all he wanted to do now was rest. Eren caught on early. As soon as he finished his ice cream, he excused himself to whisk Levi away.

“Thank you very much for the amazing meal, Ma and Erwin,” he said politely.

Carla stroked the same cheek she pinched earlier. “Oh. You’re very welcome, honey bunches.”

“You’re welcome, Eren,” Erwin said.

Eren took Levi’s hand and led him upstairs to his bedroom.

With a secure click of the lock, Eren took Levi over the bed, where they climbed on lazily and lay against the pillows.

“Levi, I think I ate too much.”

“Is that so, ‘honey bunches’?” Levi looked at him amusedly, using the nickname that his mother used on him.

Eren giggled and kicked Levi’s leg playfully.

It was usually Levi who held Eren close and was on the giving end of pampering, but seeing how Levi was right now, it was Eren who took it upon himself to give his man some lovin’.

“Come here, hubby.” Eren patted his thighs twice, much like Levi would usually do for him. With his legs crossed, Eren waited patiently for Levi to make his way over.

“Yesss…” Eren groaned softly. He began running his fingers through Levi’s soft locks. “Come to Mama.”

“How did you like the meal?” Levi asked. He was already melting under Eren’s tender touch.

“I’m pregnant with a food baby. Does that answer your question?”

Levi chuckled. “I quite enjoyed it, too. We need to cook more often at home. Erwin had a hand in it, so I’m not surprised it was wonderful.”

“Yeah. I think I’m all set in the food department for another month or so. Those mashed potatoes had me feelin’ some type of way.”

“Me, too.”

-

It was silent for a long time as they worked through their digestion and fatigue.

“Levi, what was your first job?”

“I used to bag groceries at a small supermarket. I was a few years younger than you. Maybe 15 or 16.”

Eren giggled. “It’s so hard to imagine you bagging groceries! Did you like your job?”

“I did. It was pretty good work for its time. And I liked to think I was good at it, too.”

“I’m not surprised you had good work ethic even back then,” Eren said.

“I didn’t always have it. Kenny actually made me get the job to straighten me out and teach me responsibility. I was still a brat.”

“Ohhh. What happened next?”

“I was fired.”

“Oh, my God! Why, what happened? I thought you were good at the job?”

“I jumped over the counter and fought a rude customer.”

Eren laughed hysterically. Of fucking course. His hubby really did used to be a thug. And Eren’s laugh was so infectious that Levi chuckled at the memory, too.

“Noooo, Levi!” Eren said. “Do you remember what the customer said to you?”

“If I do recall, he called me a ‘short-fry punk’ and said that I wouldn’t go anywhere in life.”

“That’s horrible… how did Uncle Kenny react? Did he get mad at you for fighting?”

“Not at all. Actually, he got quite the laugh out of it. It was he who taught me that it was okay to fight if my pride was on the line. Looking back at it now, that probably wasn’t the best advice.”

“Not gonna lie, there are times at the coffee shop where I feel like jumping over the counter and fighting.”

“Please don’t be like me, baby. As I grew older, I realized that sometimes you need to hold your tongue and let things go.”

“Mm,” Eren nodded. “Yeah, he said you wouldn’t go anywhere, but look where you are now. That showed him.”

“It sure did,” Levi agreed. “Success is always the best revenge. Let your actions speak louder than your words.”

“So wise…” Eren moved his hands down to caress Levi’s face. “I love learning about you. And what’s going on in here.” He tapped Levi’s temples lightly.

“Likewise, Eren. I love hearing about you.”

“And honestly, your stories from when you were a kid are so fucking funny. You wouldn’t think it all happened by the same person I know now.”

“I get that a lot.”

Eren continued playing with Levi’s hair, running his fingers across his scalp, and scratching his undercut. Levi’s eyes were starting to drift close.

Eren patted his cheek, and Levi opened his eyes again. “Let’s get under the warm covers,” Eren whispered.

It was a minute to shift around slowly and get beneath the blankets. Eren loved that Levi wrapped his strong arms around his waist and used his tummy as a pillow.

Eren grinned. _Yes, make me yours_. He settled back against the pillows and rubbed Levi’s hard triceps up and down to soothe him asleep.

It really wasn’t long before Levi was snoozing. A huge dinner and some wine put this man out like a light.

Eren was going through his phone as he continued working through the laborious task of digesting.

He got a text from Armin:

_Are you guys having sex up there?_

Eren giggled. No, if they were to have sex right now, the movement would cause Eren to be sick to the stomach. And although he got rid of gag reflex a long time ago, even the idea of Levi’s spectacular cock down his throat made him feel a bit queasy right now.

 _Nope_ , Eren replied. _Just cuddlin_. He included the angel emoji and a blue heart.

Armin read Eren’s message and sighed. He wished he could cuddle with Erwin right now, but Grisha was speaking with him over wine to get to know him more. He selfishly wished they could hurry up with the conversation so he could laze the night away with his man.

But spending time with Mikasa was good, too. It’s been a long, long time since the two of them could just sit down alone together and talk.

\--

A whole movie with Mikasa on the living room couch later, Armin heard the conversation between Erwin and Grisha come to a close. He took Mikasa with him to the kitchen.

“Hey, Dad. I’m gonna take Erwin, now,” Armin said sympathetically.

“As you wish,” Grisha beckoned. “You’re a great man, Erwin. I’m looking forward to the next time we get to talk. But I do believe Armin wants a turn with you.”

Erwin shook his hand once more before getting up. Armin took him straight to the guest bedroom.

Now, Mikasa was left alone, as her friends have gone away to have some quality time with their boyfriends.

“I’ll help you clean the kitchen, Mom,” Mikasa told Carla.

“Oh, sweetie, you don’t have to. You can go and relax.”

“No, I want to.” Mikasa smiled. “I’ll enjoy the distraction.”

Carla scooted over to make room at the sink. “I wanted some quality time with my sweet girl, anyway.”

\--

Eren and Levi took a food coma nap together, and by the time they breathed awake, it was about 11 pm.

Eren stroked Levi’s hair soothingly. “Mm. That was a good nap.”

Levi loved the way Eren’s touch felt. It warmed his soul and made him feel so _wonderfully_ vulnerable. “I couldn’t agree more, honey bunches.”

Eren tried to frown, but his smile fought through anyway. “Are you gonna hold that against me forever?”

“There’s nothing wrong with that nickname. It’s growing on me. My precious little honey bunches.”

“Fuck you,” Eren giggled. But he wrapped his legs around Levi’s body possessively, anyway. And as a bit embarrassing as Levi using his mother’s nickname on him was, he couldn’t lie- any kind word that came out of Levi’s mouth dripped with heavy love that made his heart and tummy flutter with those tiny butterflies.

And Eren was eager to return that love, especially tonight.

“…You’re such a good man… did you know that?” Eren murmured, and he kept scratching his nails over Levi’s undercut. “I love you sooo much. So much. Never forget you’re my one and only yummy husband. My yumz.”

Levi lifted his head from Eren’s tummy. “So I can’t call you ‘honey bunches’, but you can call me ‘yumz’?”

Eren held onto to Levi’s arms. “You can call me whatever you want, yumz. But I personally think ‘honey bunches’ is a lot cheesier than ‘yumz’. And we all know you’re cheesier than me.”

“I’m going to have to disagree with you on that one, honey bunches. Everyone knows you’re the cheesy one in this relationship.”

Eren looked at Levi for a long second. “I want to kiss you so hard right now.”

“Further proving my point,” Levi said. He moved around some and yanked a squealing, giggling Eren into the covers to grant his wish. With a quick yank of the blankets over their heads, Levi made quick work of his little honey bunches’ request.

No one could see them right now, what with the locked door and them being beneath the privacy in the covers… but hopefully no one caught wind of the flurry of floating cartoon red hearts escaping the covers above them.

And contrary to what each of them liked to think, they were equally cheesy, those two.

\--

Armin and Erwin fell asleep, too. That seemed to be the common theme in this house right now.

Erwin slept on his stomach, and Armin slept pressed against the shadow of his broad back, his arm and leg draped over Erwin’s body sloppily.

\--

“You’re so fucking cheesy,” Eren mumbled against Levi’s lips.

“Say that one more time, and you’re in for it.”

“Chhhhhheesy,” Eren pronounced. He felt Levi’s fingers dig into his ribs in punishment.

“You’ve done it now, honey bunches.”

“AH! Levi, please! Fuckssakes! Pleeeease!” he begged.

“You’re not off the hook yet,” Levi said sadistically. It wasn’t often that Levi decided to punish Eren for his smart mouth, but neither of them were willing to admit that they were cheesier than the other.

When Levi’s attack was finally done, Eren panted harshly and his body was sensitive and abused. Levi’s tickles were _ruthless_. But Eren never went down without a fight. And apparently, neither did Levi.

It made quite the interesting dynamic.

“Why won’t my husband just admit that he’s wrong…?” Eren asked sadly.

“Maybe he has a stubborn little husband that just doesn’t know when to quit.”

Eren smashed his lips into Levi’s, holding the back of his head to get another chance to feel that undercut.

He was delighted to feel that Levi let out a little groan and took his waist to press them closer.

Eren went back in over and over, tasting each specific spot on Levi’s lips. “Mama always goes down swingin’.”

“I’ve noticed.” Levi went back in for another round of smooches. And when he wanted to get even closer, he climbed up a bit to hover over Eren’s body to trap him in place. Hands wandered to find Eren’s, and when he raised and pinned them over Eren’s head, their fingers clasped together. Levi went back in for some more tastings of those pretty pink lips.

Eren was feeling “some type of way”- as he would put it- that he was totally out of control in this position. And there was something about Levi’s bulky, sinful body inches away from him. So close, yet so far.

It wasn’t enough for Levi, though. He let go of Eren’s hands to hold his face firmly while he continued kissing him.

Now that his hands were free, Eren raised them up to take Levi’s back and pull him down to his level. Levi was heavy, but Eren loved that weight on him. He wrapped his legs around him again.

Their chests were pressed flush together, and their noses touched when they were this close. Eren rubbed their noses together, like Eskimos would greet each other. Another one of his signature moves.

“I have so much love to give you,” Eren whispered in all seriousness. He rolled them over so that he was on top of Levi instead.

And it was getting really hot and stuffy under these covers, so Eren yanked them off.

They both took a deep breath of cool air. Eren unmounted Levi. “That was fun. But I’m serious about what I said.” He lay next to Levi and held his face still so that he could lay a slow, innocent kiss on his cheek. And he did it again. And then one more time.

Next, he led a hand up Levi’s shirt to rub his stomach soothingly, just like Levi would do for him. Eren took notes, too.

Levi didn’t say anything for now, letting his content sighs do the talking.

Eren propped himself on an elbow to really get a good view of his husband’s wonderful face while getting Mama’s special treatment.

\--

Armin and Erwin were still sleeping soundly in the guest room together.

\--

The kitchen was spotless now, thanks to Mikasa’s help, and now she was having tea with Carla and Grisha.

She told them all about the two-year MMA contract, and- just like Levi, Eren, and Armin- they thought it would be a wonderful opportunity for her, and that she should take it while she was still young.

Mikasa had already made up her mind about it after her conversation with Levi, but to have her whole big family behind her in support just made her feel doubly confident that she should go through with it. She would call the federation as soon as Thanksgiving Break ended to let them know her decision.

“We’ll miss you terribly,” Carla said as she rubbed Mikasa’s hand gently. “But you know our doors are always open for you when you come back in town, sweetie. And I’ll expect you to call home to us often to keep us updated on things. I’m so excited for you.”

Grisha nodded solemnly in agreement before taking a sip of his tea.

“All of my kids are doing such wonderful things now,” Carla said emotionally. “I’m so proud of you three.” She looked about ready to cry.

“Don’t cry, Mom,” Mikasa assured. “I’m just glad to have your blessings for this. I was hesitant at first but I really do want to work hard and make you proud.”

“You’ll make us proud no matter what you do,” Carla smiled and took Mikasa in for a hug. She lay a motherly kiss on her short hair before letting go.

\--

Much like the way lions court and flirt, Eren stalked about Levi’s body, rubbing his face in the crooks of his neck and chin and chest. He didn’t do anything too stimulating, because he wanted to save uncensored playtime for when they were back in the apartment.

But Eren did enjoy leaving his print and mark nonetheless.

“Mm,” Levi grunted when he felt Eren’s lips latch onto his neck to leave a hickey. 

Eren slid his lips off with a kiss when he was done, and he stared at his handiwork proudly. “I would say I like marking you up to get you in trouble at work, but I forgot CEOs don’t get fired like that.”

“It would raise eyebrows with clients and employees, though.”

Eren giggled and grinned mischievously. “That makes me feel a lot better.”

“You’re determined to get me in trouble, huh, baby?”

“Yeah. People will be like, “Who has the honor to give hickeys to Mr. Ackerman? I wonder who could be so _lucky_?” His name is Eren Jaeger, bitches.”

Levi laughed at Eren’s little narrative. “Well, most people at the company know who you are, so I think they would figure out the origin of my hickeys.”

“Maybe I should give you a hickey necklace.” Eren drew a line across Levi’s throat. “We would raise more eyebrows that way.”

“No one is a better expert in raising eyebrows than you, after all.”

“That’s right,” Eren nodded confidently. “But I’ll spare you the hickey necklace for now, since you’re going back to work on Monday.”

“Thank you, dear.”

“See, I’m not completely heartless.” Eren grinned again as he felt up Levi’s pecs in his hands.

“Not completely, no,” Levi curled his arms behind his head. It was pretty interesting to realize that Eren was the only one in the world who was allowed to touch him this way. And Eren knew it, and he took full fucking advantage of it.

\--

Armin and Erwin finally woke. Well, it was Erwin who woke first, and he ran some fingers through Armin’s long blond hair to rouse him, too.

It was midnight now. But at the Jaeger house, the night was still young.

Armin got up and climbed into his lap.

“Good nap?” Erwin spoke into Armin’s hair.

“Mm-hm.” Armin rubbed his eyes to shake the sleep out of his system. When he yawned and stretched a bit, he smiled. “Let’s go watch a movie.”

They made their way back to the living room, where Mikasa sat beneath a blanket watching one of her guilty-pleasure reality TV shows.

“Oh, hey,” Armin said. “We can just go to the theater if you’re using this TV.”

Mikasa looked at him. “Are you going to watch a movie? Stay here. This episode is just finishing up. I’ll watch with you.”

“Sounds like a plan!” Armin smiled. “In fact, I’ll text Eren and tell him to bring Levi down here, too. It’ll be like family movie night.”

“Did I hear family movie night?” Carla called from the kitchen. “I’ll make hot cocoa!”

Eren’s phone buzzed. Armin:

_Hey we’re all gonna watch a movie together downstairs. Mom’s making cocoa. Bring Levi and join us!_

Eren grinned and kissed Levi’s cheek again. “Hey, there’s gonna be family movie night downstairs. Let’s go.”

-

When Levi and Eren came downstairs hand-in-hand, the whole entourage was scattered around the couch. Erwin was sitting on one end of the couch with his legs crossed, and in his lap sat Armin. They fit together very well. Sitting against the couch on the floor was Mikasa. Carla made a quick trip to the linen closet to bring an abundance of blankets for everyone.

Levi took a seat on the other end of the couch with a small groan, and Eren curled up beside him as he waited for the cocoa to come around.

It was unfortunate that Grisha couldn’t join them for the movie, but he had a 5 am shift at the hospital, so he had to get his sleep.

Now that every couple had their blanket to share, Carla brought around mugs of hot cocoa for each person. She also included mini marshmallows, just like she knew Eren liked. Everyone else enjoyed them, too.

And finally, Carla passed around the box of gingerbread cookies that Mikasa brought with her. Since she was sitting alone on the floor, Carla sat beside her and held her close so that they could share a blanket. Mikasa no longer felt left out. In fact, with her having to travel for her fights soon, she was grateful to have some close mommy-daughter bonding time.

With the lights dimmed and the play button pressed, family movie night commenced.

\--

Even well after the movie was over, everyone stayed seated around the couch and nibbled gingerbread cookies while talking. Carla even made more cocoa for the kids, but Levi and Erwin opted for less sugary tea.

When it was all said and done, it was about 4 am. It was a good thing none of them had to go to work.

Although, speaking of work, Grisha had woken up and came downstairs for some breakfast before his hospital shift.

“Good morning, Pops!” Eren called loudly.

“Eren. Not so loud,” Grisha said quietly and he shuffled in with his pajamas. It seemed being not-morning people ran in the family. “Good morning.” He rubbed at his morning stubble and sighed.

He overlooked the couch scene. “It seems I’ve missed another family movie night. Or should I say, morning?”

Carla rubbed his shoulder sympathetically. “I’ll make you a nice, hot breakfast.”

They all shared their good mornings with Grisha, and they talked about the movie they watched.

“Sounds like a good time,” Grisha smiled. “I’ll try to catch the next one.”

\--

After his breakfast and newspaper, Grisha went back upstairs to dress for work, and he began preparing for his good-byes.

Everyone figured if he was leaving, they might as well go, too, but Carla insisted on them staying for pancakes before finally departing.

At any rate, everyone took their turns saying good-bye to Grisha. Eren made sure to hold out until the very end. Because when it was his turn, he threw his arms around his father’s neck and held tight.

Grisha rubbed Eren’s back firmly. “Make sure you study hard for final exams. And don’t eat junk.”

“And keep up with my health,” Eren finished for him. “Don’t worry, Dad, I got it. I love you, kick ass at the hospital.”

“Language, son,” Grisha said, though his tone was not authoritative and he didn’t flinch. It was more for fatherly formalities. “And I love you, too, Eren. Very, very much.”

He held the back of Eren’s head close to his chest, because no matter how old Eren got, he would still be his little boy.

Levi watched their embrace from afar. Eren was so affectionate with all the people in his life. It was absolutely adorable.

When they finally separated, Grisha stroked Eren’s cheek and ruffled his hair before stepping out.

Eren made his way back to the living room. He already missed his father dearly, but at least he had pancakes with the rest of his family to look forward to.

\--

Back at Trost Tower, Eren’s and Levi’s sleep schedules were fantastically flip-flopped from their late nap last night and having stayed up for the movie. So even though it was 7 am and they already had breakfast, they sat around and their schedule felt a bit awkward.

Today was Black Friday, and Levi asked Eren in the car if he was interested in going shopping. However, Eren, who had received everything he’s ever wanted and more recently, and having the means to get them if he didn’t have them already, didn’t really feel the need to go shopping today. No, he was more interested in “chilling and relaxing” today. And Levi himself never really liked participating in the rush and crowds of Black Friday, so he was more than okay just staying home, too. Eren was more interested in Cyber Monday, anyway.

Levi was sitting on the couch and he sipped some strong black tea while he watched the news. Eren changed into his pajamas and slumped into his big recliner. The news bore him, but he tuned in with half a mind while asking Armin what his plans were for today.

Levi finished his tea with a content sigh. He looked at Eren, who was curled up very cutely in his blanket. He patted his thighs. “Come here, honey bunches.”

Eren looked up at the cheesy nickname with a grin, and he fumbled out of his blanket to make his way over.

Before sitting down, he stood wedged in between Levi’s legs. Levi lifted his shirt for him and held his waist while he went in and placed kiss after kiss on Eren’s tummy.

Eren placed his hands on Levi’s shoulders for support, and he bit his lip to stifle his breathy giggles.

Levi’s lips made contact with soft, tender sounds. Eren made a point to cuddle and caress him yesterday, so he would make it a point to return the favor. He hoped Eren was in the mood to be smothered in attention today.

When he was done, Levi adjusted Eren’s shirt back down and pulled him onto his lap.

Eren gazed at Levi’s throat and touched it tenderly. “Oh, yeah, she’s comin’ in quite nicely.” The wet hickey he planted yesterday was now blooming into a deep red. By tomorrow morning, it would be a lovely royal purple.

Eren wrapped his arms around Levi’s neck and squeezed dangerously hard, that any other person might not have been able to handle it. But Levi was very used to it. And he also returned the hug with crushing strength, which Eren was also used to.

“I love you, Levi,” Eren said softly. “I loved the time we spent at my parents’ house. And I can’t wait to be lazy with you today.”

“I have a little treat for you today. I have plans to pamper and hold you for as long as I deem fit. I need to get my fill of you before the break ends, after all.”

Eren grinned and shut his eyes dreamily. “I like the sound of that, yumz.”


	65. Mini Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Happy Sunday!
> 
> A WinMin chapter. Let's see what our blond baby boys have been up to.
> 
> (Not going to lie, we were a little dry on feedback last chapter. Please, I'm desperate- if you read my work, leave a comment or some feedback. I spend a LOT of time on these chapters and all I'm asking in return is a comment. If 1000 of you are reading this and I only get like 10 comments, I feel a little cheated. Please put yourselves in my shoes.)

Erwin waited and picked up a bit around the apartment on Saturday, waiting for Armin to arrive.

They had a great time at the Jaegers’ during Thanksgiving, and Erwin enjoyed spoiling Armin with Black Friday shopping. But with the eventful past two days, he couldn’t lie; to stay home and relax before getting back into the rush of work life on Monday felt great. 

Erwin was organizing a shelf in the library- which happened to be Armin’s favorite room in the apartment. With how busy he’s been at the company, he hasn’t had much time to do some leisurely reading. He should get back into that.

In the distance, he could hear the front door of the apartment open, and then a shuffling of feet. “Erwin, I’m here!”

Erwin smiled and went out to the living room to greet his little boyfriend.

Armin lifted his messenger bag from around his body and took off his shoes. Even bundled up in his heavy jacket and mittens, his cheeks were still bitten pink from the cold wind of the outdoors, and his button nose was red and runny.

Erwin’s heart softened, and he immediately opened his arms for a hug. Armin bundled up against his chest, sighing in relief when a pair of strong arms held him close.

“Poor thing. It must be freezing out there.” He held the back of Armin’s head still and ruffled that hair to warm him up a bit.

“Yup!” Armin said, cheery as ever. “The bus was kind of late, so I had to stand outside for like, half an hour. But I’m here now.”

Erwin was very concerned now. He helped Armin out of his jacket, and took him over to the couch, immediately wrapping him up with a blanket. “I’ll make some tea to warm you up.”

“Oh, tea sounds great,” Armin said. He tightened the blanket around himself and sniffled.

-

Armin accepted the mug of tea gratefully. Even in the toasty warmth of the apartment, it was as if the dangerous chill from the outside couldn’t leave his system.

Erwin sat beside him and held him close while watching him drink. “I’m not sure how I feel about you taking the bus in these conditions. I’m worried.”

Armin closed his eyes and sighed. _Oh yes, this tea was just what he needed_. “I’m fine, Erwin, really.”

Erwin knew that Armin didn’t drive a car, nor had a driver’s license. But he never actually figured out why that was.

“Is it that you don’t have a car, pumpkin? I can buy you one,” Erwin offered. “Just pick one out.”

Armin shook his head. “It’s not that I can’t get a car. I just don’t drive. I can’t. I… won’t.”

“Is there a reason?” Erwin wrapped an arm around his shoulders and rubbed up and down for even more warmth.

Armin looked down, as if revisiting a difficult memory. “Well, you know how my parents passed away when I was really young?”

Erwin nodded and listened closely.

“They died in a horrible car crash. The idea of driving makes me really anxious. I don’t want to put myself in that same position. I don’t want to be responsible for someone else’s life on the road. I know it’s very immature of me to swear off driving at my age, but I’m still terrified.”

It wasn’t an issue Armin hadn’t learned to live with, though. He’s pretty much become the expert on public transportation, and some of the taxi drivers in the area got to know him and his schedule personally. And he didn’t need to worry about gas money.

And Eren and Mikasa knew his reason for not driving, so they were always eager to drive him places, too. They didn’t question or bring it up since they found out.

Erwin understood now. But his worry hasn’t diminished, and he was still determined to solve the issue. “I’m sorry to hear that, dear. Thank you for telling me. And that’s not an immature reason,” he assured. “You shouldn’t harbor that guilt alone.”

Armin leaned against his body and took another sip. He knew this conversation would come up eventually, so it felt good to have it off his chest, finally.

Erwin thought for a minute. And he had a fantastic idea.

“Will you at least let me hire you a chauffeur? It would make me feel better than you standing outside in these conditions.”

Armin smiled and met Erwin’s eyes. “A chauffeur, huh? That sounds… quite nice, actually. I won’t have to worry about the bus being late anymore. And I won’t need to wake up so early.”

Erwin visibly relaxed. “Oh, good,” he sighed. “I’m glad we could find a solution. I feel much, much better.”

He felt Armin headbutt his arm softly. “Erwin! Stop worrying so much!”

“I can’t help it,” Erwin chuckled. “I can’t have you standing out in the cold if I can help it.”

Armin took another satisfying gulp of tea, and he smiled a bit. Erwin was such a good man. He was grateful to have such a protective and attentive boyfriend watching over him.

\--

When Sunday morning came around, Erwin sat at the kitchen table, and he sipped tea while reading the newspaper.

Armin was curled up on the couch reading a novel.

There was a firm knock on the apartment door before it swung open. Lily walked in and shivered. The draft that billowed in after her was a literal chilling reminder how cold it was going to get these next couple of days.

Erwin turned his head smiled warmly. “Good morning, Lily. Come on in.”

Lily took off her shoes and smiled back brightly. Over her ears were fluffy earmuffs with teddy bear faces. She rubbed her hands together for warmth and made her way over to Erwin. She looked over his shoulder at the newspaper he was reading while rubbing his shoulders. “How are you today, Mr. Smith? Did you have a good Thanksgiving?”

“I had an excellent Thanksgiving. Armin and I spent it with his best friend’s family.”

“No old men’s night in with Mr. Ackerman this year?” she teased.

“Levi was there, too,” he laughed. “Actually, Eren- Armin’s friend- is Levi’s boyfriend. You’ll probably get to meet him soon.”

“Aww, what an adorable coincidence,” Lily said.

Erwin noticed she was still wearing her fluffy earmuffs. “The pot on the stove is still fresh if you want some tea before you begin.”

“Oh, yes, please,” she groaned and made her way over.

Armin, who was so immersed in his book that he hardly noticed Lily walk in, looked up from the chapter he just completed and sat up. “Oh, hey, Lily!”

Lily turned her head, and her ponytail swished from the movement. “Oh, good morning, sweetie! I didn’t even notice you there. How have you been?”

Armin shut his book and walked over to her. “I’ve been well.” But suddenly, he was concerned. “Erwin, you didn’t give her the week off for the holidays?” he asked him sternly.

Lily laughed, but Erwin jumped into the explanation before she could. “I did, but she strongly insisted on coming anyway.”

“It’s true, I forced myself here,” Lily said. “I could use the income, especially for the holiday season. Thank you for your concern, though.”

Armin took down a pair of mugs from the cupboard for tea.

And it was funny like this. Even though Erwin was very used to people being overly polite and stiff around him in work situations, it felt good to have these young people in his life who didn’t feel the need to be formal or intimidated by him.

He sipped his tea and got back to his newspaper with a small smile while Armin and Lily caught up.

\--

It sucked that Erwin had to go back to work on Monday, and it sucked even more so that Armin had to go to class.

Erwin had already found a good chauffeur for him, but today they’d be filling out contracts and paperwork, so Armin would meet him tomorrow. It was amazing how quickly things could get done if you had money.

-

Erwin walked into the Survey Corp building, ready to start the week off strong. He hoped all the employees were feeling refreshed after having a week off.

At the secretary desk, Petra was already hard at work, jotting things into her planner, and making notes of things to accomplish. As usual, she clicked her pen against her lip while she thought.

“Good morning, Petra, how was your Thanksgiving?”

She stopped clicking and smiled sweetly. “Oh, it was great, Erwin. I spent it with my parents.”

“That sounds lovely. Did you participate in Black Friday?”

“I sure did! Hange and I caught tons of sales. The mall was absolutely barbaric.”

Erwin laughed. “Tell me about it. I couldn’t remain in that environment with my sanity for longer than two hours.”

“It’s so festive, though. I love this time of the year. I’m already planning my Christmas gift shopping from now.”

“You were always one to hit the ground running, Petra.”

“I do so agree,” a deep, familiar voice approached them. Levi tucked his leather briefcase under his arm, and he took off his stylish black leather gloves.

“Did you participate in Black Friday shopping, Levi?” Petra asked. She sat back against her chair took a sip of her iced coffee while listening.

“God, no,” Levi said with a disgusted expression. Erwin and Petra laughed. “You both know I hate that frivolity. If Eren wanted to go, I would’ve sucked it up for his sake, but I was secretly relieved when he wanted to opt out of it.”

“When a good sale is going on, nobody knows how to act,” Petra noted.

“Precisely, and I don’t want to be on the ass end of it when people lose their common sense.” The way Levi spoke was classy and crude at the same time, that man.

“At the very least, we’re back on smooth waters at work,” Erwin assured.

“That’s right. Seeing the Black Friday mayhem on the news only encourages me to run a tight ship here,” Levi said.

Petra giggled and took another sip of her drink. “And speaking of running a tight ship, I’ve sent both your schedules to your emails. If you find out that PR needs more time closing things off after the briefing, just let me know and I’ll adjust the scheduling blocks.”

“Thank you very much,” Erwin said. Levi walked alongside him to the elevators, where they discussed splitting the briefing workload.

“Give me the progress reports of yours, and I’ll give mine,” Levi said.

“I’ve also sent my upcoming presentation notes to your email for you to review and comment on,” Erwin said.

They reached the top floor, and before parting ways, Erwin clapped Levi’s back assuringly. “Here’s to a good week.”

“Likewise, Mr. Smith,” Levi said with an inkling of a smile at his lips, and promptly shut the door of his office behind him.

Standing in front of the huge window at the rear of his office, Erwin fished out his phone and found a message from Armin, among others:

 _Have a great day at work, handsome!!_ He included some kissy faces for good measure.

Erwin smiled at his phone and then looked at the city beyond. It was getting colder each day. The city seemed grayer and bleaker, and the sky was a biting white with no sign of the sun.

And it still bothered him that Armin was probably waiting for his bus to go to class right now, but starting tomorrow that would change. If he had any choice in the matter, Armin would only receive the finest.

Which reminded him: after he was done here at the office, he was going to meet with the chauffeur himself to get the paperwork done. It would also be his chance to see if he was trustworthy enough for his little one, too.

After drafting some reports and reviewing Levi’s comments for his report, he gathered materials and made his way to Marketing.

\--

Armin looked at the exam that his professor just passed back to the class with an appalled, horrified look on his face.

  1. An 89 percent. _What was this, amateur hour!?_



“Excellent work, Mr. Arlert. Top mark in the class, as usual,” his professor told him.

Armin looked between him and the paper in his hands in disbelief. _How could he have let himself get so sloppy?_

He almost didn’t even want to share his misfortune with Eren or Mikasa. Eren would probably say: “ _SHIT, ARMIN! I WOULD SUCK TEN DICKS FOR AN 89!!!”_

Mikasa would say something more rational, like: “ _A B+ is amazing, Armin. Don’t beat yourself up. Just look at the mistakes you made and use it to do better next time._ ”

Armin took Mikasa’s hypothetical advice instead of Eren’s and ran with it. He flipped through his exam and sighed irritably. He made silly, amateur mistakes in his calculations.

The rest of the class actually had reason to be horrified with their scores. The professor explained that half had actually failed it, and most others hovered around solid C’s. Armin’s score probably brought the curve up.

But it was true; Armin was a bit hard on himself. He took academics very seriously, and was a firm believer that only hard work and studying will land him his dream job.

He’s been hovering around low 90s every exam so far, and he’d be damned if he let this class be the one thing that ruined his perfect GPA.

They took this exam right before the break. Maybe he was so eager to relax and let loose that he’s been slacking off in his studying.

Well, at any rate, this was a lesson learned, if nothing else. He would tell Erwin about this tonight.

\--

“An 89 is phenomenal, pumpkin,” Erwin said over the phone. “Don’t let this discourage you.”

“I just can’t seem to get any better in this class. I feel like I’ve hit a plateau.”

“Organic Chemistry is known to be a very difficult subject,” Erwin explained, “so you’re really doing just fine. Just study even harder for the next one. Be more meticulous.”

“I’m gonna sharpen up my study routine. I have to focus in now. We have one more exam and then the final.”

“I have complete and utter faith in you. And, if there’s anything I can do to make it easier for you, I expect that you’ll let me know.”

“I will,” Armin said. He did feel a bit better after talking to Erwin. And he figured he did need to give himself more credit. It _was_ a difficult course. And compared to the rest of his class, he really wasn’t doing bad at all. He would just use this as a steppingstone to improve. “Thanks for hearing me out. Good night, I love you.”

“Oh, any time, dear. Good night, I love you, too.”

Armin ended the call, and now that he’s had his dinner, he would study hard for the rest of the evening.

\--

The next day after class and work, Erwin invited the chauffeur he hired over to the apartment.

Armin sat around rigidly.

“Why are you so nervous, Armin?”

“I don’t know… what if we don’t get along?”

Erwin came over and ruffled his hair. “I put him through an extensive background check and interviewed him personally. He’s the best of the best. Trust me.”

The man arrived right on time, which was a good sign. Erwin shook his hand warmly, and Armin stepped up a bit shyly.

“Armin, this is Thomas. Thomas, this is my young boyfriend, Armin.”

Thomas smiled and shook his hand, as well. He had dark, chin-length hair, a goatee, and a serious expression. “It’s very nice to meet you, sir. I’m looking forward to getting to know you.”

“It’s nice to meet you, too.” Armin tucked a lock of hair behind his ear. “And you don’t have to call me ‘sir’. We can be casual.” No matter how much time passed having known Erwin, and how many fancy events he went to where people knew who he was, he still felt very weird about being called ‘sir’.

Erwin took a hand to Thomas’s back and ushered him forward. “This will be a good time for Armin to dig a little deeper. I didn’t want to speak on your behalf, so unlike me, he doesn’t know much about you.”

“Understood. I’m an open book.”

\--

Over dinner, Armin got to pry and ask away about his new chauffeur. In the end, he had nothing to be nervous about. Thomas, though very serious and grounded, was also trustworthy and demonstrated initiative and urgency.

Erwin politely helped him into his jacket when he was prepared to depart.

“I’ll be always be just a phone call away if you need to be driven, young sir,” he told Armin.

Armin crossed his arms, though his small smile explained his thoughts.

Thomas shook his head. “Sorry. Armin,” he corrected. “I’ve worked with other high-profile clients in the past, so the formalities are second nature. Forgive me.”

“No need to apologize, I just want you to understand that you can relax around me.” Now that his jacket was on, Thomas shared one more handshake with Erwin. Armin shook, and waved, too. “Bye, Thomas, see you tomorrow!”

“Good-bye, Armin. I will be here bright and early.”

Erwin shut the door behind him, and he looked at Armin expectantly. “See, not too bad, right?”

Armin took his hand flirtily. “Not bad at all. Thank for getting me my very own chauffeur. I really don’t deserve half the things you do for me.”

Erwin reached down and scooped Armin off his feet suddenly. Armin’s head hung off and he dissolved into giggles. “Nonsense. You deserve the world.”

“Do you know what else I deserve…?”

“And what may that be?”

“World-famous homemade cookies…” Armin said, and he traced his finger into the ‘V’ of Erwin’s button-up.

“On one condition,” Erwin played along.

“And what, pray tell, may that be, Mr. Smith?” Armin’s smile was ever-widening, and he wrapped his arms around Erwin’s neck as they moved towards the kitchen.

“I request but a single kiss from my little pumpkin.”

Armin could feel himself blushing, but it wasn’t from embarrassment. No, they were beyond that stage. This was from flattery and adoration.

“I can do way more than that,” Armin pouted. “But for now—“Armin took the back of Erwin’s head and angled it down to reach up and place a firm peck on the lips.

“Mm,” Erwin hummed. “You’ve turned me into a humble fool, did you know that?” He placed Armin back down on his feet.

“Oh, I know,” Armin said confidently. “Everyone knows world-famous homemade cookies are worth at least three kisses.” He took Erwin’s waist and, with puckered lips and tippy-toes, waited for Erwin to come down to his level.

And Erwin did. Two pairs of eyes shut and two pairs of lips melted into the connection. Even after Armin’s kisses, they stayed within breathing space.

“Thank you for all that you do for me, Erwin. In all seriousness,” Armin whispered.

Erwin held Armin’s cheeks to touch their foreheads together. “It’s my pleasure. I would do anything for you.”

And although he was the one who requested them, Armin gathered all the ingredients and helped make the cookie batter. The batter was sticky and tough, so after getting tired from a few stirs, he handed the bowl to Erwin to finish mixing.

There was an expensive mixer sitting on the counter, but Erwin insisted that stirring it by hand gave it a “magic touch”. Armin agreed.

The batter was now properly mixed and scooped into even portions on the lined pan. Erwin slid it into the preheated oven and sighed contently.

Armin was licking the spoon happily.

“What would you like to do now?” Erwin asked.

Armin hopped off the counter. “Let’s watch them bake.”

Erwin was about to ask him to clarify, but Armin took his hand and sat them on the floor.

Right in front of heat radiating from the stove, it was warm and cozy despite sitting on the hard floor. Erwin reached over and took Armin by the shoulders to hold him close.

And, he rested his own head on top of that soft blond bob.

Yes, Erwin has become a humble fool, indeed.

\--

Armin sat on the library floor, so immersed in his work that he didn’t even notice Erwin’s arrival.

“Darling, there’s a desk right there,” Erwin said wearily.

Armin looked up from where he was surrounded by books, papers, and writing utensils. “I work better on the floor. How was the event?”

Erwin came over and sat on the nearby plush chair. Armin got up and immediately found himself in his lap. “It went wonderfully. In hindsight, I probably shouldn’t have went to the office today. Now I’m quite worn out.”

“Aw. I can tell,” Armin said. He stroked Erwin’s cheek with his thumb. “But what you did was very well worth it. You’re such an honorable man.”

“Thank you for the flattery, but I really believe I’m just doing the bare minimum to help the cause.”

Armin smiled at him. Erwin organized a very large and extravagant dinner for returning troops. Since they had just arrived from their tour, they missed the chance to have Thanksgiving dinner with their families. Erwin completely funded a “belated Thanksgiving” for them, and expected nothing in return.

“Did you hear cool stories from the troops?”

Erwin smiled. “Absolutely. Such brave men and women. And such inspiring stories from the battlefield.”

Armin nuzzled in closer, momentarily forgetting his studying. “Tell me some of them.”

“One soldier told me…”

\--

Armin was both disappointed and ecstatic that he didn’t have class today. One the one hand, he had a whole day to dedicate to studying and getting ahead. On the other, he could use the valuable class time to ask questions and review under the professor’s supervision.

After brushing and washing and running his fingers through his unkempt hair in lieu of properly combing, he found Erwin with his usual cup and newspaper at the kitchen table. Actually, he was just getting up and going through his briefcase.

“Good morning, dear,” he smiled. He adjusted his watch and placed his tablet into his case before clasping it shut.

“Good morning,” Armin replied slowly. A charming, deceptively cute smile grew on his face. This boy was up to no good. And when his hand rubbed the lapels of Erwin’s suit up and down, drinking in the feel of the strong chest underneath, it was becoming more and more obvious what his intentions were.

Well, maybe it wasn’t that obvious to Erwin.

“What’s going on at work today? I really like this tie of yours,” Armin said. He grabbed the royal purple staple and inched his grip up to the knot until any slight movement would have Erwin in his control.

“The first thing I’m doing today is a meeting with some analytic consultants-“ Erwin began.

But Armin yanked his tie ever so slightly downward, and their lips smashed together, much to Erwin’s surprise.

He was about to begin his protest, but Armin wrapped the tie around his fist for even more control, and now that Erwin was awkwardly hunched over to Armin’s height, he was completely defenseless.

Armin sucked hard at his lips, and when he finished his tasting, he sighed dreamily and giggled.

With tie still wrapped firmly in his hand, Armin dragged a fumbling Erwin to the bedroom to get what he bargained for.

Needless to say, Erwin was _very_ late to his meeting that day.

\--

Armin was a complicated young man with fluctuating emotions.

After spending the last five hours studying for exam tomorrow, he had a mini panic and decided to calm himself by watching TV.

Erwin walked into the door, looking relieved after a long but productive day of work. He went over to the couch and joined a silent Armin.

“ _Animal Planet_?” Erwin took Armin and gave him some much-needed smooches on the head.

“I watch it whenever I’m stressed,” Armin admitted sadly. He collapsed onto Erwin’s body, about ready to cry from his overwhelming feelings. Although, the scent of the iconic cologne that clung to Erwin did wonders for soothing his nerves.

“There, there,” Erwin patted and stroked his head soothingly. “Hey…”

It could’ve been Erwin’s touch or the damn Arctic bunnies on TV that broke the dam, but Armin felt the tears flow down his face and onto Erwin’s expensive clothes and his back shook as he started crying.

“Hey, come here,” Erwin repeated quietly, “let me comfort you.”

Armin lifted his teary face and sat up straight on Erwin’s lap. Erwin wiped his tears away with the back of his hand.

“Don’t cry, pumpkin. Everything will work out.”

“I studied so hard, but what if it’s not enough?” Armin sniffled.

“It will be enough,” Erwin said. “But you also have to believe in yourself. Intelligence is mainly attributed to mindset.”

As Erwin dried off the rest of his face, Armin calmed down quite a bit. Erwin was right yet again. He needed to study hard and believe that everything will fall into place. All the time he was spending worrying unnecessarily could be used to let information marinate or used to mentally sharpen the saw.

“Is that making sense?” Erwin asked quietly.

Armin nodded and went in for a hug. “Thanks for the insight. I get overwhelmed sometimes. It’s pathetic.”

“Don’t be ashamed that you’re feeling normal human emotions. You just need to be more sure of yourself. Where’s the Armin that will fight til the bitter end to prove me wrong in an argument? The Armin that had no qualms about making me late for my meeting the other day?”

Armin giggled against his shoulder.

Erwin laughed, too, and he stroked the back of Armin’s head. “Channel that confidence I know you have. And I really do believe you’ll succeed your exam with flying colors. I haven’t the slightest doubt.”

Armin lay the side of his face against Erwin’s shoulder and he smiled. He was feeling so much better after Erwin’s pep talk.

“And you’ve probably burned yourself out studying all evening, knowing you. So, I will cook you a nice dinner, and then let you get back to it.”

“Ooh, can I help?” Armin climbed off Erwin’s lap to allow him to get up.

“Absolutely not. I only want you to worry about exerting energy into your studies.”

Armin curled back up and got back into watching _Animal Planet_. Old plan: Worry about potentially getting a lackluster score on his upcoming exam. New plan: Give his brain a rest by watching Arctic bunnies hop around in the snow, and let Erwin cook up some magic for him.

Everything will work out.

\--

Armin came back home from his exam feeling confident, happy, and prepared for the outcome. And he owed it to Erwin for setting him up for success.

“Bye, Thomas, thank you!” Armin waved into the window of black Mercedes. Thomas waved back curtly and waited until Armin was well within the complex before driving off.

In the apartment, Erwin was lying back on the large recliner with a glass of wine in his hand. His eyes were closed, but he looked content.

“Armin, my dear, come over here,” he beckoned. Armin took off his bag and jacket and shoes, and found his way into his lap.

“How was the exam?” Erwin asked hopefully.

“I think it went really well,” Armin grinned. “You were right, I needed to stay calm and focused- eyes on the prize. I’m really confident.”

“That’s the way,” Erwin beamed. He saw Armin eye his wine curiously. It was a pale pink and sparkled slightly. “Want a sip?”

“You’re supposed to be the responsible one,” Armin giggled. But he took Erwin’s hand and puppeteered the glass to tip the liquid into his lips. Erwin kept his grip to control the glass and make sure Armin didn’t have too much.

Erwin brought the glass back down after Armin had a sip. He gauged the reaction.

Armin smacked his lips to register the taste. “Hm. Fruity.”

Erwin laughed. “Your palate is probably not used to it. The alcohol loses its potency if you cook it with food. Is this the first time you’ve had a drink?”

“Uhh, no. I know a particularly eager underage drinker named Eren Jaeger that was adamant on introducing me to it a while ago.”

Erwin finished the rest of the small glass and stirred to get them off the chair. “Mm. Dance with me.”

“You’re such a cheesy sap,” Armin said. But he waited for Erwin, who didn’t deny the previous comment, to load some music on the dock, and take his waist with strong hands.

The music Erwin liked was older, but it was timeless and catchy.

As the first few chords played, Armin snaked his arms around Erwin’s neck in a loose hug, and they rocked side to side slightly. He looked up and rested his chin on Erwin’s chest.

_If you ever_

_Change your mind_

_About leaving, leaving me behind_

_Baby, bring it to me_

_Bring your sweet lovin’_

_Bring it on home to me_

_Yeah (yeah)_

_Yeah (yeah)_

_Yeah (yeah)_

As Sam Cooke’s voice bellowed soulful lyrics, Armin stepped onto Erwin’s feet to make himself taller, and he closed his eyes to let him get lost in the music.

_You know I'll always be your slave_

_'Till I'm buried, buried in my grave_

_Oh, honey bring it to me_

_Bring your sweet loving_

_Bring it on home to me_

_Yeah (yeah)…_

The song came to a close, but they stayed in each other’s arms rocking back and forth.

Armin finally stepped off Erwin’s feet. With one more gentle stroke to his face, Erwin excused himself to get some go get some work done.

Now alone and in need of a pleasant distraction that wasn’t about his classes, Armin figured he could thank Erwin for being such a good man by cooking dinner.

\--

Armin had to stir his sauce, but he also needed to begin his salad. He reached on his tippy-toes to a high cupboard and reached for the colander nesting in some glass bowls.

He couldn’t see a thing. He used his fingertips to scope out for what he needed. _Ugh, it was in the very back of the shelf_. _Why were the shelves in this kitchen so damn high?!_

Erwin wandered in to see where that wonderful aroma was coming from. From a distance, he could see Armin reaching into the back of a high cupboard, and dangling dangerously on the edge of the shelf was a stack of glass bowls; right above that innocent blond boy’s head.

Erwin’s heart stopped and he quietly ran over to push the edging glass bowls into the safety of the shelf. Instinctively, he scooped Armin a few inches off the ground and placed him aside.

“My word!” Erwin willed his adrenaline-fueled heart to be still. Armin looked at him curiously, wondering what happened.

“Those bowls towards the front of the shelf were about to fall on you,” Erwin said. “You probably couldn’t see it. Thank God I was here just in time.”

“Oh. Sorry,” Armin said sheepishly. He rubbed his arm guiltily. He went in to stir his bubbling sauce, and he watched Erwin safely bring the stack back down.

“I needed this one and this one,” Armin picked two bowls out of the selection.

Erwin held his face still and leaned down to speak into his hair. “It’s okay to ask for help,” he said lowly. “Hm?”

“I know,” Armin said. “I just wanted to surprise you.”

“No surprise is worth the risk of your safety, okay, pumpkin?” He went to a far low cabinet and opened it up. “The step stool is in here.”

“Thanks,” Armin grinned.

Erwin was still climbing down from his adrenaline rush as Armin pushed him out of the kitchen to complete his surprise.

_That boy. So fiercely independent, that it could possibly hurt him one day._

\--

They were at a Winter Gala event. Suit and tie. Sparkling chandeliers. Hors d’ouvres. Laughs and cheers.

But Armin was not laughing nor cheering.

From where he sat beside Eren- who was too busy gorging on the amazing food offered to notice that he was upset- Armin could see Erwin in the distance, flocked by women.

Now, he’s seen Erwin like this many times. He was a natural lady killer and seemed to attract attention wherever they went together.

But this time around, it was as if Erwin was playing into it. Giving that smile that should only be reserved for him, returning subtle touches, looking just a bit too interested in what those women were telling him.

Armin glared at Eren, who was stuffing himself with sweet potatoes and chicken. He never had to worry about being jealous. Levi, who could also be seen in the distance sitting by himself at a table, was tracing the rim of his glass with his finger stoically while looking out into the crowd. He, too, was devilishly handsome like Erwin; but he gave off an intimidating, almost stand-off aura about him. The people who approached him never stayed for petty small talk, because Levi was not that type of man.

Levi had never given Eren a reason to be jealous. _So why was Erwin doing it to him?_

He felt childish and immature for feeling possessive while Erwin was entertaining those women. Which only fueled his anger even more.

“Fuck meee,” Eren groaned happily when his server came around with seconds, and he went back into his plate for another heaping forkful.

Erwin finally excused himself from his circle of conversation and made his way over to them. Apparently, his leave spurred an onslaught of broken hearts, because those women tried hold his arm and called him some creative pet names to get him to stay with them.

Armin’s arms remained crossed, still feeling bitter.

“How are you, dear?” Erwin asked.

Armin said nothing as he got up from his seat and walked away.

Eren finally noticed him, too, and he and Erwin shared a look of “ _Do you know what happened?”_

At any rate, Erwin followed briskly behind, and after some chasing, they ended up in an art gallery hall with a few couches.

Erwin managed to get Armin to stop for a second. He sat at a couch and tried to look Armin in the eyes. Even as he sat, and Armin stood, their faces were on a close level.

“Armin? What happened?” He held Armin’s waist.

“Figure it out.”

Erwin sighed. “I can’t understand what’s wrong if you don’t tell me, dear,” he said patiently.

Armin finally looked at him, but his arms remained crossed. “I don’t like the way those women talk to you and touch you. You’re just a little too comfortable with them.”

 _Oh_. Erwin took him into his lap. “Is that it? Armin, you have nothing to be worried about. That was all just for show. My heart belongs to you. You know that.”

“Well, I don’t feel it. You’re mine, and you don’t seem to let others know that you’re taken. Why are you so friendly with those ladies?”

“If you must know the truth, some of them are wives to some very influential potential business partners in the area. As manipulative as it sounds, it would behoove the company to get on their good side for future purposes. I know that’s not the answer you wanted to hear, but I will definitely stop what I’m doing if it’s making you uncomfortable.”

As Armin listened more and more, he became less upset. “All for show, huh?” A ghost of a smile broke through his pout. “Are you saying Mr. Smith, CEO is a con artist of sorts?”

“Of sorts,” Erwin agreed sadly. “Now I’m feeling regretful that I even put you in this situation. I will change my behavior immediately from here on out. My heart belongs to you, and I want my actions to reflect that. I’m sorry for what I did.”

Armin felt better now. He patted Erwin’s cheek. “It’s okay; I accept your apology. You’re allowed to entertain them… just don’t be so… _good_ at it.” Armin was a bit suspicious that his man was just a little too good at flirting, but he also understood that toying with other people’s emotions and putting on a nice guy act during parties were an unspoken part of the job of a man in his position.

They met each others’ eyes with knowing smiles. Erwin knew exactly what Armin meant, and Armin has made his feelings towards the situation perfectly clear.

And now, Armin was feeling especially grateful for dating an older man. The maturity level in this relationship was very different from his past ones, and he could _definitely_ get used to it.

“All good then, pumpkin?” Erwin asked.

“All good, handsome,” Armin replied. He held Erwin’s face and went in for a quick kiss.

And hand-in-hand, they made their way back to the dining hall. There were a few people watching their exchange from the other end of the hall, but neither of them could give a damn.

\--

Today was the day Erwin would finally get to meet Armin’s grandfather. It was a momentous occasion.

As they rolled up to the house in the suburbs, Armin was so thrilled that he gripped Erwin’s hand as soon as they exited the car and yanked him into the house.

Armin’s grandfather was sitting in very well-worn rocking chair in the living room, expecting their arrival.

Armin held Erwin’s forearm and walked him up proudly. “Grandpa… this is Erwin Smith!” And with a small squeal: “My boyfriend!”

Armin’s grandfather stood up from his chair with some effort, wincing in the process. Concern etched in Erwin’s face and he reached a supportive hand out. “You don’t need to get up for me, Mr. Arlert.”

“No, you’re the man who’s making my grandson happy, and you’re the man who’s paid my hospital bill, and you’ve probably done a great many other things that you don’t expect credit for. I will gladly stand up for you.”

Erwin beamed from the flattery, and he held and shook Mr. Arlert’s hand warmly.

“I’m sorry that it’s taken us this long to meet, Erwin. Truly.”

“Likewise.” Erwin really didn’t want him to stand unnecessarily, so he ushered for them to both sit.

“I’ll make tea!” Armin said excitedly, and he ruffled Erwin’s hair playfully before skipping off into the kitchen.

Erwin smiled and fixed his hair quickly before beginning to speak to Mr. Arlert.

\--

“You’re just as Armin described to me,” Mr. Arlert said. He turned his cup in his hands. “I’m very pleased with the man my grandson has chosen. Your reputation preceded you.”

Erwin beamed once more. “All such flattering words. I’m only glad to live up to the expectation.”

And he liked Armin’s grandfather, too. He was definitely experienced and had wisdom to share. He had that same eloquent yet direct way of speaking, just like Armin. Or perhaps, vice versa.

And since Armin’s parents were no longer in the picture, he was especially thankful to meet the only family he had left.

Erwin had very clearly expressed his intention of moving Armin with him when he was ready. He’s clearly expressed a lot of things; he wanted to be extremely transparent with Armin’s grandfather.

Luckily, Armin was in the other room to give them privacy, so Erwin could be as uncensored and clear about his opinions without being biased.

“But there was one more thing I wanted to say,” Mr. Arlert said sternly.

Erwin listened expectantly.

“Armin is awfully independent, as I’m sure you’ve noticed,” he began. “But try not to forget he’s still a kid. He likes to think that he knows everything, but he’s not the most open to advice or criticism. What I’m saying is…” Mr. Arlert tried to find the words, “…don’t let him grow up too fast. Let him know that it’s okay to act his age. He struggles with that sometimes- ever since his parents; as you know.”

Mr. Erwin nodded solemnly. “I completely understand. And duly noted. I have found that being absolutely clear in our communication allows me to understand what he’s thinking. It’s been working quite well, if I do say so myself.

Mr. Arlert closed his eyes gently and hummed. “And that’s my piece. He’s an excellent judge of character, that young man. So the fact that he brought you home to me speaks for itself.”

Erwin went over to Armin’s bedroom to let him know they were finished speaking.

Armin got up quickly and flew to his side. “Did you like him? Did he like you? What did you talk about? Did it go well?”

“Yes; I believe so; many things; and absolutely,” Erwin answered all the questions with a calm, expert smile. He was very used to Armin’s rapid-fire questions.

Armin sighed in relief. “Oh, that makes me so happy,” he said.

“I don’t see why it wouldn’t go well,” Erwin told him, and walked them back out. “I’m not sure why you were so worried.”

“Sometimes my excitement turns into worry. It’s strange,” Armin giggled. “You’re important to me- that’s why I wanted it to go well.”

“You’re the most adorable thing,” Erwin leaned down and they touched noses quickly.

Now all reunited with Armin’s grandfather, they could have a less interrogative, more casual discussion.

“Armin, I need to tell you something,” Mr. Arlert finally said, a gentle smile gracing his wrinkled face.

“What is it, Grandpa?” Armin’s ocean blue eyes swam with curiosity.

“I want you to go live with Erwin. This man is perfect for you, and very clearly cares about you.”

Armin was a little dumbfounded. Happiness washed over him, then relief, then worry. “But what about you? What if something happens to you?”

His grandfather shook his head. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll be just fine; I can handle myself. I want you to start thinking about your own happiness. That, in turn, would make _me_ happy.”

Erwin didn’t want to interrupt, but internally he was jumping for joy that his plan was coming to fruition.

“Are you sure, Grandpa? What if you have a medical emergency or something?”

“I can always call you,” he assured.

“And you can also call me,” Erwin told Mr. Arlert, to further quell Armin’s worry.

“But- but-“ Armin searched for more reasons to worry about his grandfather, the only family he’s known for most of his life.

“No more ‘but’s, Armin,” Mr. Arlert said sternly. “I want this. I will be just fine. If anything happens where I need help, I will call you or Erwin. And you can always visit any time you like. Okay?”

Armin smiled bashfully, and he held Erwin’s hand for comfort. He seemed at ease now. “Okay.”

Mr. Arlert sat back against his seat and looked content. “You have my blessing,” he told Erwin.

Armin and Erwin shared a loving, fluttery smile.

Erwin exchanged phone numbers with Mr. Arlert right away to lay Armin’s worry to rest once for all.

“My grandson has fallen in love,” Mr. Arlert smiled. “Now, I can finally die in peace.”

It might’ve been his old age or withering health, but that comment struck a bad chord with Armin, and he looked exasperated. “Grandpa!”

Mr. Arlert and Erwin laughed. Everything’s worked out, despite Armin having his emotions played with just now. Tonight was absolutely perfect.

\--

When it was time for Armin and Erwin to go home, Armin reminded his grandfather to be careful with his health, and encouraged him to call if even the smallest thing happened.

“I’ll be _fine_ ,” Mr. Arlert assured for about the tenth time now. “Now you have to promise me to stop worrying and be happy.”

“I will,” Armin said. And he leaned down to kiss him on the forehead sweetly. “Bye, Grandpa! I love you!”

“I love you, too. Go be happy with Erwin!”

-

On the porch, Armin laughed and he watched his breath steam up and dissipate in the cold late November air.

As they walked back to the car to drive home, the home they now officially shared, Erwin squeezed Armin’s hand in his. “I must admit, I was a bit nervous when he said he had to tell you something before giving his blessing for you to finally move in.”

“Aw. My bigshot CEO boyfriend was nervous? You knew this was bound to happen eventually.”

“My excitement turns into worry,” Erwin grinned and repeated Armin’s words from earlier. “It’s strange.”

Armin giggled and headbutted his arm. “We think just alike, you and me.”

“But of course. You’re my mini me, after all.”

They entered the car, and when the doors shut, the space was cozy and warm and mute. Armin looked at Erwin. “What should we do when we get to our apartment?” _Our apartment. That had a nice little ring to it._

Erwin reached over to touch his chin. “Oh, I have a few ideas with you, pumpkin.”

“Do tell, Mr. Smith.”

“Let’s just say they’re activities that perhaps aren’t the most appropriate to discuss while your grandfather is within earshot.”

“I like the sound of that!” Armin said, cheery and innocent as ever.

 


	66. Puppy Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Happy Sunday! (and New Year :3 )
> 
> Just a short, fluffy chapter today because I didn't have much time to write this week. Sink your teeth into it. Let it give you diabetes.

Eren Jaeger had it all. Supportive parents who rooted for him every step of the way; a best friend that he could be as silly and uncensored with and still be loved unconditionally; and a doting boyfriend who loved to smother and spoil him in attention and gifts. Oh, and who just so happened to run a small business empire to share with him.

Yeah, Eren had nothing to complain about. Everything was falling into place. And every time an inkling of guilt bubbled up in his system that he was able to have a life like this, he brushed it away unapologetically. With the way the last few years and relationships he’s had have shaped up, he totally deserved this now. This was the universe’s way tending his past emotional wounds, and Eren returned the favor by loving everyone back harder.

\--

“Levi, let’s get a Christmas tree! It’s December now!” Eren smiled at him with that charming, “can’t-say-no” expression.

Levi, who was not one to follow tradition too often, mainly because his upbringing with Kenny was hardly traditional, didn’t immediately jump at the idea. “A Christmas tree? What’s the point in having it around all month?”

Eren rolled his eyes, but he rubbed Levi’s chest soothingly. “It’s called being _festive,_ Levi. It’s a reminder for holiday season. And how fun would it be to decorate it together!?” Eren’s eyes lit up. “Plus we need a place to put our presents! Doesn’t that sound fun?” he squealed.

Back when Eren lived at home, the Jaegers always made a point to find a nice tree, and they spent adequate time decorating it. Now that Eren lived with Levi, he was determined to carry on the tradition.

And frankly, with Eren’s irresistible eyes sparkling and staring into his soul in hopes of a “yes”, Levi found a smile curling at his lips. “Sure, baby. We can get a tree and decorate it together.”

Eren’s smile broke into a grin and he threw his arms around Levi’s neck gratefully. “Ooh, yes, yes, yes! It’ll look great, trust me!”

“I have no doubt it will,” Levi spoke into Eren’s hair. What with his own eye for style, and Eren’s carefree touch and playful taste, the idea was becoming more and more appealing.

-

At Trost Coffee, excitement was stirring up, too.

Starting out as a harmless little game between Eren and Jean, they made their own signature drinks and wrote them on the folding sign for customers to try out. The bet was: whomever’s drink had more buyers by the end of the week would receive $100.

However, Sasha saw the sign and immediately wanted in. She was the queen of winning bets, after all. Soon after, all the baristas in the store had made their own signature drink, and customers were coming in from far and wide to try out their concoctions. The game would go on til the end of the month.

Eren’s drink was dubbed the “Slutty Monday”, and despite its crude name, it was a sophisticated craft of the shop’s house blend coffee, with a small splash of hazelnut and a whole milk steamed topper.

Jean named his drink the “Business Sense”, its longer name being “Business in the Front, Party in the Back”, and it was the shop’s dark roast with one pump of mocha, as well as mulling spice and chocolate curls.

Marco’s drink was called the “Sweetheart Special”, and it was latte with vanilla syrup overload, and one splash of pumpkin sauce, topped with whipped cream. A sweet drink from a sweet guy.

Bertholdt’s drink was called “Tall, Dark, and Handsome”, and it was a delicious chai tea latte with white chocolate and cinnamon. He predicted the drink would be very popular with the older ladies.

And finally, Sasha took no prisoners with her drink, and she named it “Everything but the Kitchen Sink”- abbreviated “The Sink”. It was a cappuccino with one pump of every holiday flavor, and topped with caramel drizzle. All the other baristas told her the flavors would clash, but she insisted it was only for the most complex palates.

And now that the competition was underway, the store was busier than ever.

Eren was falling a bit behind on his tally today, having just sold two of Jean’s drink. A few policemen came into the shop looking for their afternoon fix while doing their route.

“Howzit, Eren!”

Eren smiled at his regulars. “You gentlemen need to try my Slutty Monday. It’s perfect for the working man- no games and all commitment.” Hilariously contradictory the name.

“Sure, we’ll try it, bud.” They took out their wallets.

“Did you have a patrol today?” Eren asked them as he counted and rung up their totals.

“Yep. Then a domestic abuse incident call.”

Eren looked up with wide eyes. “Oh, no...”

But the cop waved down his worry. “We got there just in time to diffuse the situation. A young lady. Her jackass boyfriend got just a little too drunk. Always happens this time of year.”

“That doesn’t give them an excuse,” Eren said. He couldn’t help but feel a little angry. “Everyone should feel safe in their homes.”

“You’re right,” one of the cops nodded knowingly. “But sometimes people aren’t the best judges of character and they end up with idiots. By the time it becomes abusive, they feel like they’re too far in to leave.”

Eren was quiet for a moment. He could relate way too much on that one. Ugly memories from the past flashed before him.

“We still wanna take you on that ride-along, Eren. You can see for yourself what happens on the job. We want you to join the force someday.” The cop grinned warmly.

Eren laughed. Most of his regulars knew he was studying Criminal Justice, and law enforcers were already offering him experience and advice. “After final exams. I gotta buckle down now.”

“You better make top mark, bud. The force only takes the brightest!” the cops laughed heartily, and Eren loved that everyone was rooting for him.

“I have three Sluts,” Jean called out loud at the hand-off plane.

“See ya, gentlemen,” Eren waved. The cops went to get their drinks.

Eren picked up a piece of chalk and added three tallies under his drink’s name.

\--

And because anything could get done in record time if you had enough money, Eren came home a large tree standing in the corner, sitting plainly, but showing tons of potential.

“Is this the size you were hoping for?” Levi asked, fixing the fluffy white skirt beneath the tree.

Eren nodded and envisioned all the ideas in his head. “It’s perfect. Now we need to do is decorate it and start adding presents.”

They went to a few stores to get lights and decorations. First the basics- rainbow string lights and twinkling white ones. Then the fun part- the ornaments.

Eren just picked out whatever tickled his fancy; anything that seemed to catch his eye. But then, he saw an adorable little ornament shaped like a briefcase, and it was bursting too full of cash to be able to shut properly. Eren giggled.

“Come here and look at this, hubs!” he called.

Levi came over with their rapidly-filling cart and looked.

“This totally reminds me of you,” Eren said, and held out the ornament for Levi to see.

Levi turned it around with his fingertips and that secret smile of his was ever-growing. “I love it. And I love you,” he said.

Eren beamed and put the suitcase ornament in the cart. “I’ll try to look for more decorations that remind me of you. We could make it like a puzzle. The ornaments could symbolize things about us, and the other has to figure it out.” Eren was going to make a fine detective one day, anyway.

“That sounds a plan. I won’t disappoint.”

And when Eren realized they didn’t have a fireplace in the apartment to hang up their stockings, they also purchased a cozy space heater instead.

It was when Eren was picking out the perfect star to put on top of the tree that Levi found an ornament on his own.

It was a little ceramic coffee mug, and on it read: _Don’t talk to me until I’ve had my coffee!_

Levi chuckled to himself. If this ornament didn’t fit Eren to a T, he didn’t know what did.

“Eren, babe. I found one for you.”

Eren came over with two stars that he was still deciding between and took a look. “Damn right!” he laughed.

Levi put the ornament in the cart and looked between the two stars in Eren’s hands. “I like that one better.”

Eren nodded. “I was leaning towards this one, too. Plus, it lights up.” He placed it into the cramped cart. “Alright. I think we’re good. We can put it all up later.”

They went to the checkout line. As the cashier scanned their items, she paused on the suitcase ornament stuffed with cash. “Cute,” she stated.

“Isn’t it?” Eren said. It was even cuter to him because he knew what it actually symbolizes.

Eren took the keys from Levi and waited in the passenger seat to warm up while Levi put all the things away in the trunk. He basked in the cozy heat and looked out into the bitter night beyond the windshield.

When Levi sat in the driver’s seat and shut the door behind him, he sighed softly.

“It’s freezing out there, huh?” Eren asked.

“I’m surprised there isn’t any snow yet.” Levi changed the gear and began driving.

“I can warm you up at home,” Eren purred lowly.

Levi didn’t take his eyes off the road, but he reached a hand out to squeeze Eren’s thigh. “I like the sound of that, Mr. Jaeger.”

\--

At home, they tried so hard to decorate, but Eren was too frisky and Levi was feeling too much fatigue from work to put himself into it.

The result was Eren sitting cross-legged on the floor, and Levi had tied him tightly with the rainbow string lights as a playful punishment.

But Levi wasn’t completely heartless. He used the chance to taste those sweet lips to his liking.

“I didn’t know you were into bondage. That’s so hot.” Eren didn’t even mind being tied up, if he was being honest, too.

Levi held Eren’s face still with one hand to the cheek, and he went back in for another taste. “There’s just something about you all tied up like this that just gets to me,” he whispered.

The lights twinkling on Eren’s body illuminated the space between them with a fun, cheerful show of colors.

And it was so fucking romantic, Eren thought.

Levi ended his current flurry of kisses to look into Eren’s eyes. They sparkled with flecks of the color from the twinkling lights.

“You have the most gorgeous eyes I’ve ever seen,” Levi told him.

Eren hung his and laughed breathlessly. “Levi, don’t be embarrassing..!”

Levi took Eren’s chin and lifted his face back up. Eren’s face had an adorable little blush that was pretty common when they first started dating, but not so much now. He kind of missed it.

“Well, I speak the truth,” Levi stated, and he pressed one more firm kiss into Eren’s lips. “What would you like for dinner?”

“Pizza. Veggie, please.”

“You got it.”

As Levi dialed the pizza place and began talking, Eren used the chance to kick him, since his legs were the only part of him that was unrestrained.

Levi held his ankles to keep them still, but Eren pulled them away to kick some more.

“Alright, thanks.” Levi ended the call and looked at Eren. “Feeling mischievous, are we?” He rubbed Eren’s calves up and down.

“Mm, kinda. Gotta keep my husband on his toes,” Eren said nonchalantly, but his smile was widening by the second.

Two can play at this. Levi stood up, and, with a socked foot, pushed Eren’s chest to lay him on his back.

And now Eren was wondering where this was headed.

Levi began trailing his foot around Eren’s chest, into the crooks of his neck, too.

But then he brought his foot down to Eren’s tummy, and just a bit lower to his crotch.

Eren smiled, but it was an expression of challenge.

Levi spread Eren’s legs apart with his foot. And now he had access to one of his favorite sights- Eren with his long legs wide open, staring at him, restricted from movement, and completely under his control.

“I’m going to have to get you back for distracting me, darling,” Levi said lowly, and his voice dripped with a dangerous, deceptively kind tone.

“Do your worst,” Eren said smugly.

Levi began rubbing his foot against the front of Eren’s sweatpants, not too quickly, but just gauging for now.

Eren sighed contently. _Mmm._  

Then Levi increased his pace, rubbing right along Eren’s growing print. He always admired how responsive Eren’s body was, but right now, he wouldn’t use that knowledge to reward him.

“Faster…” Eren bit his lip.

And just because he asked, Levi actually went slower. He heard a sigh of frustration beneath him.

Levi considered just leaving Eren like this and walking away right now, but he wanted to milk some more fun out of him.

He stepped firmly on Eren’s crotch, impressed by how hard Eren’s become just by the little stimulation. _Always, always ready and able, his boy._

Levi was kind of in the mood for dominating the ever-loving shit out of Eren, but frankly he was exhausted tonight, so this would have to do.

So when he applied different levels of pressure on Eren’s print to further rile him up, he was caught a little off guard when Eren started bucking his hips up into his foot, squirming around since his arms were out of service.

A smile curved at the corners of Levi’s mouth. Eren was the type of person who, if denied something at first attempt, would work to get it himself the second time around.

Levi rewarded him for being so persistent by going back to rubbing his print, although this time, firm and quick.

Eren squirmed a bit more and released a few harsh exhales. “Shit…”

“You can get off with just my foot, huh, Eren?”

“Mm-hm…”

Levi chuckled and continued moving the flat of his foot against the now-moistening dick in those light sweats. “Maybe I should just stop.”

“Please don’t stop,” Eren pleaded. “I’m… almost… it feels good.”

“But this was supposed to be punishment, my dear.”

Eren’s face and ears were now flushed red with arousal, and he was back to involuntarily bucking his hips for more friction.

Levi sighed. He really had to find it in him to say no and stop spoiling Eren in all aspects.

 _But look at him,_ Levi’s conscious told him, _fucking your foot like his life depended on it. Is that adorable or what?_

Levi kept up his pace, and not much long after, it was pretty evident that Eren was drawing close.

“Mhm, mhm, ooh, oh… _fuck_ , ugh!”

Levi watched silently.

Eren was there, and his pleasure hitched and plateaued. Levi rubbed a bit more, but softly this time, just to ease him back into it.

Eren took a deep breath and shivered a little in ecstasy. “Ohh, yes. That was new for me.”

Levi sat back down on the floor to sit Eren back up. And this time, he untied the string lights from around his body. “What in the world will I do with you, Eren Jaeger?”

The second Eren was freed from his confines, he tackled Levi to the floor and pinned him into place. “You’re so cute, trying to punish me. Too bad I’m a freak and I love everything you do to me.” Eren laughed maniacally.

“You haven’t seen anything yet. I took pity on you just now. I can be ruthless. Just you wait.”

There was a knock on the front door, and Eren unmounted Levi to help him up.

“Yayy, pizza…” Eren said in a monotone. He took Levi’s wallet from the bar while Levi went to go lay on the couch like an old man.

Eren opened the door with a bright grin and inhaled the wonderful scent of pizza. “Hey, Brad!”

“Hey, kiddo. How’re you doing tonight?”

Eren paid for the food, but before their regular delivery guy left, he pulled out two 100-dollar bills from Levi’s wallet and handed it over. “Your tip,” Eren nodded encouragingly.

Brad didn’t even reach for the money this time. Most customers only gave him a single dollar for tip or five if he was lucky. Every time he delivered to Eren, however, he got twenties, then forties. But breaking hundreds was just too much.

“Eren, no, I can’t,” he said firmly. “You’re giving me enough to start funding my retirement.”

Eren waved him down and held the money out more convincingly. “It’s not a problem, really. Plenty more where that came from. You deserve it. For… the holidays,” Eren smiled.

Brad sighed. There were rich people… and then there was Eren. It made his heart happy that there were still generous people in the world, but he still felt a tinge of guilt.

“For the holidays,” Brad repeated hesitantly, and took the money. “Please no more amounts like this in the future. I’m starting to feel like I’m taking advantage of you.”

Levi listened to their exchange from the couch and chuckled a little. He knew about Eren’s activity giving out huge tips. They’ve discussed it before. Levi knew it was Eren’s way of adapting to this new lifestyle, and he was proud of his young boyfriend for using money for good. And he didn’t mind at all that he was using his wallet. They shared everything they could, and Levi trusted Eren so much that he felt safe with his wallet in Eren’s hands.

“You’re not!” Eren told Brad. “I’m forcing you to take it. It actually makes me happy doing it. Bye, now!” he waved.

Brad waved back. “Bye, kiddo, and thank you.”

Eren shut the door and brought the pizza over to the kitchen. Using manners, he brought down plates from the cabinet as well as water for Levi and soda for himself from the fridge.

He placed the food down near the glass wall and went to the couch to rouse an exhausted Levi. “Time for dinner, hubby.” He took Levi’s hands and helped him up to his feet.

“Did you have a long day at work?” Eren asked, concerned. He took Levi’s hand and they walked together. “I should’ve asked how you were feeling before we left. We could’ve saved buying decorations for later.”

Levi squeezed Eren’s hand assuringly. “No, baby, no need to worry. Work was a bit stressful, that’s all. We’re discussing renovations at the office, but it’s not a quick process. I have a lot to think about.”

“Renovations?” Eren inquired.

They sat on the floor against the glass wall, which Levi seemed kind of dubious about. But they both knew the floors were clean enough that you could practically eat off it, thanks to Levi’s meticulous cleaning, so it wasn’t too bad. Eren just wanted to switch it up.

He munched on his slice while listening to Levi tell him about the plans, which only he and Erwin were supposed to know for now, but Eren and Armin were often the first to know of any new Survey Corp. happenings due to their relationships with the CEOs. With how much the company was expanding its connections, they were looking to up security measures at the headquarters.

“And I’m going to be sitting down with some lawyers tomorrow,” Levi continued.

“Oh, no, did something happen?”

Levi stroked Eren’s thigh to quell his worries. “Not at all. Erwin and I just need to go through the fine print of some contracts. Everything’s fine.”

“Hmm.” Eren nodded slowly when Levi was finished recounting his day. He loved being in the loop.

But suddenly, he noticed something in the corner of his eye beyond the glass wall. He tapped Levi’s shoulder in quick repetition. “Levi, look! It’s snowing!” he gushed.

Outside, powdery white snowflakes sprinkled over the city, falling faster and thicker each minute. Eren has never seen snow fall from this level of elevation, and he was excited to see what the city would look like in the morning.

“Isn’t it magical? It’s our first snow together!” Eren said.

“It is, isn’t it?” Levi said amusedly. It was also his first snow in this apartment, because he moved in during early summer, right before he met Eren. He took Eren’s hand and pressed it against his mouth quietly as they both looked out the window together.

\--

In bed, Eren wanted to stick to his word from earlier and warm Levi up. His heart or his body- Levi wasn’t quite sure. With his little plaything, perhaps both would be accurate.

There was a hand up his shirt and one rubbing his jawline comfortingly. Eren pressed his body right against Levi’s and stared into his eyes while murmuring sweet nothings.

“You did such a good job today, Papa Bear. I love me a man that works hard to put food on the table.”

Levi smiled at him. “’Papa Bear’?”

Eren pecked a quick kiss on his nose in confirmation. “Yeah. It’s kinda growing on me… my Papa Bear.”

“Then I suppose you’re my Mama Bear.”

Eren giggled. “You’re also my perfect Huggaboo…”

“Now you’re just _trying_ to be cheesy,” Levi laughed.

Eren climbed atop Levi’s body to get even closer. “But I _like_ being cheesy with you, hubby bubby,” he purred sweetly.

“Your nicknames are entirely too excessive, sweet cheeks.”

“Is that so, stud muffin?”

“It is so, my little peach.”

“Mmm… Mr. Right,” Eren thought out loud when inspiration struck.

Levi stroked Eren’s face with the side of his index finger. “Puddin’.”

\--

“Dreamboat.”

“Lovebug.”

“Hot stuff. No, wait, I already call you that,” Eren said. “How ‘bout… Big Daddy?”

Their faces were a hair’s width apart, two shapely noses touching and rubbing along one another. And after every horrifyingly cheesy pet name, they punctuated it with the smallest of kisses. They might’ve left the honeymoon phase of their relationship since they were getting serious, but these two were still acting like lovesick puppies.

“Big Daddy,” Levi nodded his approval. Eren always did have a penchant for choosing nicknames that inflated his ego like a balloon. “I like that one, babydoll.”

“I like babydoll, too. Sounds so gangster and thug. Like ‘50s inner city Chicago.”

“Like those dramas you love to watch on TV.”

“Uh-huh!”

“Well… listen, my darling Eren. As much as I love you with all my heart, I think it’s time for me to turn in. I have a long day tomorrow.”

“Papa Bear needs to sleep,” Eren confirmed. He rolled off Levi, but was caught off guard when a pair of arms clamped around him from behind and his nape was attacked with biting kisses.

He squealed loudly. “Leviiii!”

“Okay, I’m done,” Levi said and he went over to turn off the bedside light. Under the covers, he opened his arms up expectantly.

“I don’t wanna be little spoon today,” Eren pouted, and he was hesitant to slide in closer.

“Why ever not?” _Eren usually loved being little spoon._

“You’re gonna bite my neck.”

Levi chuckled. “I will not.”

“…Okay,” Eren grinned. He backed up against Levi’s chest, so hard and firm.

And Levi couldn’t lie, the nape of Eren’s neck was just begging to bitten, but he did make a promise. It would have to wait for another time.

“Good night, Eren babe,” Levi said lowly, brushing his lips against Eren’s nape in a fleeting kiss.

“Good night, Papa Bear. I love you so much.”

They were both knocked out cold within minutes.


	67. Dreamzzz

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Happy Sunday! :3
> 
> Another feel-good chapter leading up to the distant angst. Enjoy two baby boys being in love...

Eren woke up in the middle of the night to take a piss. Well, at least he _thought_ it was the middle of the night. When he checked his phone, it was 45 minutes before his alarm was supposed to go off anyway.

He groaned irritably. His father had taught him about sleep cycles, and that one was supposed to last 90 minutes. If he were to go back to sleep now, he would wake up in the deepest part of his rest, which would in turn cause him to wake up unrested and even crankier than he was now.

All this science was going through his head as he brushed his teeth and washed his face. He might as well start his day now.

Eren went back to the bedroom to slip on his robe and become swaddled in warmth against the cool apartment air conditioning. Levi was not in bed. Of course that man would wake up early as fuck to get some work done.

Eren shuffled quietly into Levi’s study, and he smiled softly at the sight of that familiar black undercut. The light from the laptop screen and nearby lamp cast the room in a soft, fluorescent glow.

He approached the big, plush chair from behind and rubbed Levi’s strong shoulders to get his attention. “G’morning, hubby.”

Levi looked up from where he was scribbling notes and diagrams onto a notepad. He immediately turned his chair and opened his arms up awaiting a certain bright-eyed boy. “Good morning, love. You’re up early.”

Eren curled up in his lap and rested his head upon Levi’s. “Eh. I was already in the bathroom so I figured I might as well jump start the day.”

“That’s the way.” Levi took a sip of what smelled like strong tea.

Eren stared at the screen while tightening his grip around Levi shoulders. Both of them had long days ahead. “Levi, it’s like, literally, four in the fucking morning,” he said softly. “You need to sleep.” He punctuated each word with a firm pat on the chest.

“I’ve gotten enough sleep,” Levi insisted. “I’m refreshed and alert.”

“You’re a _masochist_ , is what you are,” Eren giggled.

“Is this coming from the young man that enjoys being spanked?”

They shared a look, mischievous emerald eyes locking into brooding gray ones. And both pairs of lips curled knowingly.

“That’s a totally different context, and you know it,” Eren told him.

“But you’re not denying it.” Levi took a sip of tea.

“I just want to make sure my sweet husband gets enough rest, is all,” Eren said. “My being spanked is more recreational. You, on the other hand, need your sleep to get through your day. Do you want me to tell you the benefits of sleep at different amounts?”

Levi reclined in his chair and picked up his tea again. He already knew that sleep was important, but hearing Eren talk medical was always adorable and informative.

“Educate me, babe.”

Eren smiled at him. “So at 20-30 minutes, called Stage 2 ‘cause it’s when you actually physically fall asleep, several things are improved- alertness, concentration, and mood…”

\--

“…And caffeine is such a funny drug! Because unlike what a lot of people think, it kicks in 20 minutes after ingested, not right away. So, if you’re taking a nap, you should drink coffee _before_ tucking in. Isn’t that weird?”

Levi was hanging onto every word- the presentation he was working on earlier had long been forgotten- as he loved listening Eren speak about any and everything. He could make even sleep cycles sound fascinating and exciting.

“Very weird,” Levi agreed. “I’ve learned quite a bit from you.”

“I hope so,” Eren said. “Maybe now I can convince you to stay in bed with me longer.”

“I have absolutely no problem staying in bed with you,” Levi confessed lowly. His hands traveled up those plump thighs and settled to grip Eren’s lovely hips. “Actually, if I didn’t have work to attend to, I would have you in my arms all morning.”

“You’re so romantic,” Eren whispered his approval in his ear. “Good answer.”

“Does that satisfy Doctor Eren: Sleep Specialist?”

“It does. But speaking of satisfaction, I never got my good morning kiss yet.” Eren puckered his lips expectantly.

And Levi was more than happy to oblige. He leaned forward and captured those pretty pink lips, which still tasted minty.

The morning was quiet; the room was quiet. The world hushed for a minute to watch them kiss.

Their lips slid off with a smooching sound. Eren kept his eyes shut and he bit his bottom lip at the memory.

“Good morning, Mr. Jaeger.” Levi reminded him. He spoke just centimeters away from Eren’s mouth, their breaths mixing,

Eren didn’t know if Levi realized how sexy and yummy he was being half the time, but he was still glad to have this man all to himself. While he waited for his flattered tummy butterflies to settle down, he ran a flirty thumb along Levi’s jawline.

Levi spoke again. “Actually, I do believe you deserve to be satisfied in other aspects, too.”

Eren was going to ask what he meant by that, but it seemed actions spoke louder than words.

He watched Levi move aside the papers and mug on his desk, as well as shut his laptop to move it aside, too. His hands gripped his hips again, and he was hoisted onto the smooth surface of the desk.

“Up you go,” Levi grunted while he lifted. He loved the way Eren’s thighs and butt bounced a bit on impact.

Levi rolled his chair closer to trap Eren there, and he spread those long legs in front of him.

“What are you planning, Mr. Ackerman?”

“Mmm…” Levi’s response was unhurried. “I want to have a proper tasting of my puddin’ before work today.”

Strong, calloused hands edged along the waistband of Eren’s boxers teasingly. But before he yanked them down, he eyed the front of Eren’s crotch and began palming at it firmly. He wanted to admire once more how quickly that excited tent would pitch.

And it really wasn’t a minute. Eren’s dick grew under Levi’s touch, and Levi began rubbing the clothed shaft up and down.

He loved how Eren was staring down at his handiwork silently, allowing his body to react as it did. To assist, he lifted the hem of his shirt a bit so that Levi could have more room to work.

 _I think he’s ready_. Levi used a hooked index finger and his thumb to pull down Eren’s underwear, and that curved dick peeked out.

After stroking it up and down a few times, thumbing off the beads of precum forming at the slit, Levi held the base of the shaft and took the head into his mouth.

Eren sighed lightly, and he shut his eyes to relish the feeling. He planted his hands on the desk beside him for support.

Up… down, up… down. Levi took his sweet time; truly, tasting his puddin’. He curled his arms around Eren’s thighs- the position causing his biceps to flex and twitch- and challenged himself to take Eren as deep into his throat as possible.

For once, Eren was not being loud and vocal. This morning, he released soft sighs and cussed quietly as he was pleasured. Coffee was good, but this was quite a nice way to wake up, too. As Levi kept taking him in and out of his mouth, he fisted his fingers in the back of that silky black hair to gain some control.

Levi started doing _that thing_ \- curling his tongue around the groove between the shaft and the head, knowing full well it was one of Eren’s sensitive spots. Even as he sucked and licked, he let out low, grumbling moans that sent vibrations up Eren’s dick.

Eren didn’t want this feeling to end. He whined as his tummy flooded with a seductive little heat, and his toes curled deliciously. He clamped his legs around Levi’s head to trap him while he was all the way balls-deep.

Levi didn’t mind at all; in fact, he was quite used to it. He had dreams and fantasies of these very same juicy thighs wrapped around his ears. And to think he was the only one in the world who was allowed to unlock those cute mewls from Eren was both an honor and an indulgence.

Eren couldn’t think straight as he climbed higher and higher. He couldn’t get a nice view of Levi’s face, since he had grabbed his hair and buried him firmly into his crotch, but he could see his own legs draped over Levi’s muscular back, and he could also see his toes curled involuntarily. He could also see the light in the hallway through the open door, in the otherwise fairly dim room.

All his worries about the day ahead- like how stressed out he was about finals, and how batshit his customers will be at the coffee shop because it’s a new moon (why he was even worrying about moon phases- he completely blamed on Marco and Sasha), or even the fact that he was awake at this ungodly hour of 4 am- was completely irrelevant, because all that mattered was that his darling hubby was giving him a mind-shattering blowjob on his desk, and he was getting so close, so fucking close-

“C-Cumming…” Eren warned Levi just a second too late. He wrapped his legs airtight around Levi’s head, so strongly that Levi couldn’t budge an inch or even breathe properly, and he allowed himself to spill milky white down Levi’s throat, slowly, and he looked away shyly as he finished.

Eren groaned softly as he felt Levi swallow up his pleasure, and with twitchy, not-quite-on-earth yet muscles, he unwrapped his legs from around Levi’s head.

Levi was careful not to separate himself too quickly, knowing Eren was still over-sensitive, so he removed himself unhurriedly. When he finally slid off, he was glad to be able to see Eren’s sweet face again.

Flushed, sated, and sleepy: Eren’s face was always a damn adorable sight post-pleasure. Levi sat back in his chair while he pulled Eren’s boxers back up for him.

And just like he predicted, Eren would probably crave extra affection right about now. Lo and behold, Eren stroked Levi’s hair apologetically, as he felt rather guilty for cutting off his air supply while he was going through his orgasm. After that, he found himself back on his lap and lay a grateful smooch on his cheek.

“Thank you for that blowie, Papa.”

“It was my pleasure.” They shared a love-struck smile. “Probably more for me than you. You’re irresistible.”

Eren lay another smooch on that chiseled cheek and stared into Levi’s eyes sweetly.

“See? Waking up at the ass crack of dawn has its advantages,” Levi told him.

Eren dissolved into giggles and buried his face in Levi’s shoulder.

If he wasn’t feeling it today, he was definitely off to a good start.

\--

Just like the coffee shop’s resident oracles Marco and Sasha suggested, the customers were on edge and agitated today.

Eren was just about ready to take notes from teenage Levi, and jump over the counter and risk it all.

“This is the second time you screwed up. I asked for no foam, extra hot! Is that so hard to understand?” a woman raised her voice at Eren.

“When I make things extra hot, there will be some bubbles naturally. It’s science,” he retaliated. “I scooped out as much foam as possible. I can’t do much else to it.”

“I come here every day, I know how it’s supposed to look! I asked for a simple ‘no foam’ and you can’t even handle that much? What kind of unexperienced barista are you!?”

“There’s no foam in there! If you hate it so much here, don’t come back!” Eren snapped back. “Miserable bitch…” he uttered under his breath.

“ _EXCUSE_ ME!?”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa…” Jean jogged over to the scene. “What seems to be the problem, ma’am?” he asked the woman calmly.

She spoke to Jean as if he was the store manager, although he was just a shift supervisor. “Your _employee_ here is rude and can’t get ‘no foam’ right. He won’t even apologize for his mistake!”

Eren crossed his arms and shook his head defiantly. “I’m not gonna apologize. Especially after you insulted me.”

The woman looked about ready to blow a fuse. But Jean took her drink from her and assured her.

“I’m so, so sorry, ma’am. I will see to it myself that you get a new drink, with no foam. Please sit tight.”

Eren gave the woman one last glare before walking away into the break room to calm down.

He felt like crying angry tears. This was the fourth customer that yelled at him today. He was already stressed out as was, and he felt frustrated that he couldn’t appease people as well as Jean. It must’ve been that new moon bullshit, after all.

He heard Jean speaking to customers outside. It sounded like he just finished a round of drinks.

Jean walked into the break room, where Eren was still sulking. Eren stood when he walked in.

“Eren…” Jean sighed.

“You know it wasn’t my fault, Jean!” he started. “That bitch doesn’t understand how temperatures work.”

“I know, I know. I’m totally on your side.”

He saw that Eren was still crossing his arms and huffing.

“But we talked about this,” Jean started sternly, but gently. “Sometimes, all the customers want is an apology. Half the time, they won’t even mind that their drink isn’t perfect. We’re playing a game here, remember? ‘Customer is always right’?”

Eren was silent as he kept listening with furrowed brows.

“As for the no-foam hoe, what I would suggest for next time is to use the spoon. I know we’re experienced enough that we never use the spoons anymore, but that’s how I make sure they don’t get even a little. I know it’s hard especially when they ask for extra hot.”

Eren looked away, like a child being scorned. “…Fine.”

“Hey.”

Eren looked up at Jean.

“I can’t have my right hand flaking out on me. Don’t let them get to you. Stand up straight and tall.”

Eren uncrossed his arms and pulled his shoulders back.

“That’s better,” Jean nodded. He patted Eren’s cheek twice, hard, like a father encouraging his son. Or in this case, a shift supervisor encouraging his coworker.

And Eren felt a bit better after Jean’s talk. It was one of his weaknesses on the job- being defiant and acting stubborn when customers copped an attitude with him. He would follow Jean’s example and play the game.

“The customers don’t know shit,” Jean reminded him. “You’re in control.” He took Eren’s shoulders from behind and started walking them out the break room.

“Customers don’t know shit,” Eren repeated. “I’m in control.”

Jean squeezed Eren’s shoulders proudly. “That’s what I like to hear.”

\--

Apparently, the no-foam hoe wasn’t the final customer that had a stab at Eren mentally.

By the time his shift ended, Eren was thoroughly fed up with socializing, and he was exhausted. At least after Jean’s talk, he didn’t lash out on anyone. That was a step up.

He drove home, weary and dreading having to study after the already taxing day he’s had.

All he wanted was for Levi to comfort him.

-

Eren trudged around the apartment looking for Levi. He stood in the door way of the bedroom.

Levi, who was watching TV quietly on his bed, looked at Eren. “Welcome home, darling.” His expression changed when he noticed that Eren wasn’t all smiles.

“I’ve had a shitty day like you wouldn’t believe.”

“Poor thing. Come lie down with me.”

Eren made his way to the bed and crawled across the mattress. He collapsed onto Levi’s chest and was pleased when a strong pair of arms wrapped around him firmly.

“Do you want to tell me about it?” Levi asked quietly.

“Bitch ass customers who think they know more about my store than me. I’m so sick of it.”

“There, there,” Levi stroked chocolate locks. “Don’t let them get to you. You’re doing just fine.”

“That’s what Jean told me.” Eren’s voice was muffled as he spoke into Levi’s chest. “I just can’t help but get fired up. They get on my nerves.”

“You’re just passionate, that’s all,” Levi assured. Leave it to him to turn a negative trait into a positive one. “Remain calm and vigilant throughout, and their tantrums will only embarrass themselves.”

Eren turned his head so that his ear was right above Levi’s steady heartbeat. “Yeah. You’re right.” Eren sighed deeply.

“You’ve done well today, babydoll,” Levi assured him. “I’m proud of you.”

Eren brought his hand up to caress Levi’s cheek. “You are?” he asked hopefully.

“But of course. Everything you do will make me proud. I have my eyes only on you, remember?”

Eren giggled, and his mood lifted a little. “That’s right. All on eyes on me.”

Levi ruffled Eren’s hair playfully. “What do you say I take you to dinner? Just you and me,” he added, as if there was anyone else in the equation. But Eren loved it when Levi said it like that. It made all their activities seem extra intimate.

“Dinner with you after a day like today? Yes, _please_ ,” Eren groaned. “Plus, I have to ask about your day, too! I need to know what’s going on at the company!” Every date seemed like their first.

“And I would be happy to tell you,” Levi replied.

They took the elevator down and walked hand-in-hand to Levi’s car.

\--

After Levi’s lovely escortment to an amazing restaurant, Eren was in a much better mindset and mood. And he loved finding out every detail of Levi’s day, as well. Survey Corp. was technically his company, too, since they were already talking about marriage. He loved knowing all the ins and outs of the company’s ongoings.

Eren was in such a good mood, in fact, that he even felt like giving the tree at home its decorations another go.

He had put on a playlist at the music dock near the TV, and, with lots of dancing and tickles and frisky, wandering hands along the way, they managed to finish decorating the tree.

Eren hugged Levi from behind. “We did well, hubby bubby.”

The tree shimmered with string lights that twinkled like stars, and it sparkled with rainbow lights that filled the air with joy and cheer. Gold ribbon was artfully arranged in symmetrical dips thanks to Levi, and Eren hung candy canes and Mardi Gras beads off the tree with random charm. And together, they hung ornaments of all sizes and colors- some with glitter and sparkle, some smooth and metallic. The orbs were all kinds of colors that captured the eye- velvety reds, light blues, dark blues, lime green, pinks, and golds. And some ornaments were shaped like snowflakes and diamond icicles, each glowing with a soft LED light.

And the bright star on top finished it all. Eren wanted to be the one to place it- even standing on the chair, Levi wasn’t tall enough to reach anyway, so he had no problem with it. He did, however, hold Eren’s waist firm and still while his boyfriend stood on the chair to place the finishing touch.

“That we did, honey bunches. That we did-“ Levi turned around to grab Eren’s waist again, and he wrapped his arms around him to lift him off the ground in a spinning hug.

The spare Mardi Gras beads that hung around Eren’s neck trailed in the air behind him as the room zoomed past him. He squealed at the exhilarating feeling of being airborne.

When he was back on his feet, Eren took out his phone and snapped a picture of their tree to send along to his parents and all his friends.

And, the space heater that Levi had set up was placed right between the large dream recliner and the tree, making it the coziest spot in the whole apartment.

“Damn, I love you so much,” Eren whispered in Levi’s ear.

“I love you, too.”

“I love you more.”

“I love you most.”

“…Wow, Levi.” Eren looked at him disapprovingly and cringed. “That’s kinda cheesy, don’t’cha think?” But he couldn’t even deliver his criticism properly, because he had on an ever-growing, face-splitting grin.

Levi laughed richly and dragged an unsuspecting sassy-tongued boyfriend to the couch to devour his throat with warm kisses. “There isn’t a soul on God’s green earth that is cheesier than you, Eren.”

\--

Eren waited in Levi’s bed, eager for cuddles with TV running in the background. Levi exited the bathroom after his shower, his wet hair slicked back, and his rippling muscles glistening with moisture. His wrapped towel was slung so low on his hips that it threatened to fall off with each step.

Eren stared at Levi greedily and unashamedly as he dressed. “I’m enjoying this view, Levi.”

Levi slipped a v-neck t shirt on, the ones that drove Eren nuts because they showed off that gorgeous pec cleavage he had. “I’m flattered,” his mouth curled in that dangerous, knowing smile.

After drying his hair, Levi crawled into bed beside Eren, quite ready to begin the cuddle session.

“You know how much I love this body you have,” Eren started, and he snaked a hand into the collar of Levi’s shirt. “You know… if you’re ever looking for a side hustle, you could always be an underwear model. You have the look for it. Your body looks photoshopped, anyway.”

Levi curled his arms behind his head and looked at Eren amusedly. “Photoshopped?”

“Yes,” Eren laughed. He caressed Levi’s bicep and kissed it tenderly. “Like, how many people look like this in real life? No one.”

Levi laughed those deep, musical chuckles that rumbled his chest. “I love that you always have such nice things to say about me, Eren. You’re the sweetest thing.”

Eren was always thrilled for the opportunity to make Levi laugh. He couldn’t even remember having seen anyone else make him laugh. It was like a talent. It filled him with pride.

“I’ll always have nice things to say about you,” Eren said softly.

“Although…” Levi began ruminating out loud. “If we’re talking about side hustles, I’ve always dreamt of running my own tea shop.”

Eren’s eyes sparkled. Now, this was news to him. “A tea shop!” Eren nuzzled in closer. “Tell me about your tea shop dream.”

\--

“Are you telling me, businessman extraordinaire Levi Ackerman is afraid of starting a shop because there might not be visitors?” Eren summarized.

“Not afraid, per se. Nowadays people just want their drinks on the go, or just for a quick pick-me-up. It’s rare for people to sit down and enjoy each others’ company with imported tea. I just don’t see the demand for it.” Not that any one stranger would be able to pick up on it, but Eren detected a tinge of regret in Levi’s voice.

But Eren, being Levi’s biggest fan and supporter, as well as [sometimes questionable] voice of reason, was determined to make sure Levi’s dream came true.

“Maybe there isn’t a demand for it because no one is supplying it,” Eren explained. He sat up and jammed his hands between his thighs as he thought about it. “There are fast food and coffee joints every ten steps in this city. You can get pizza delivered to your house anywhere… shit, you could even get wings and sushi for takeout.”

Levi listened intently.

“But an authentic tea shop experience…” Eren breathed. “Think about it. All those closet drink aficionados and first dates… people who’re bored of the coffee shop and bar scenes; tea lovers, people looking for a quiet place to wind down after a long day… Levi, I think it would be a great idea. I can really see it coming together,” he smiled.

“You think so?” Levi was becoming more and more hopeful by the minute.

“I _know_ so,” Eren nodded confidently. “And hey, money is not the problem. And you know all there is to know about trading, branding, and location, location, location-“ Eren said the word three times because of a conversation they had a while ago:

_“And what’s the most important factor for real estate or property success?” Levi asked Eren._

_“Location, location, location,” Eren recited proudly. With all the time he’d spent around Levi and the company and socializing with other guests at business events, he was starting to become well-versed in business language, himself._

_“Good boy,” Levi hugged him proudly._

It was such a sweet memory.

And Eren thought Levi’s tea shop dream was fucking adorable and so worth coming to fruition. He would see to it himself.

Because just like Levi supported Eren in everything that he did, Eren was determined to return the favor for his beloved hubs.

Levi smiled gently at his sweet boy, who so excited to take part in his own dream. He really didn’t deserve Eren.

“-so I really think this is a project that’ll be worthwhile,” Eren finished. He took Levi’s hand and massaged it tenderly. “I have complete faith in you.”

Levi was overwhelmed with adoration for Eren, for being so supportive and eager to listen to what was once a petty wishful thinking. He looked into enthusiastic green eyes, so youthful and full of life. “…Alright,” he said with gentle finality, “I’ll do it.”

They both simultaneously moved in for a hug, capturing each other’s hearts and bodies, overtaken by joy and love and so much cheese.

The sound of Eren’s giggles resonated in the air, and Levi,

Oh, Levi...

Levi just couldn’t believe how wonderfully his life was shaping up because of this boy.


	68. It's French For 'Threesome'

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Happy Sunday! 
> 
> This chapter is all over the place so idk what to summarize it. How 'bout this- the three 'F's of Swept Away at this point:
> 
> Fleshing out the story, foreshadowing, and fucking.
> 
> Enjoy :3c

Levi felt a familiar tremor in the bed beside him.

Immediately, he rolled up with a small groan and reached over to turn on the bedside lamp.

Beneath the covers, Eren’s body was paralyzed and mildly shaking at the same time. His face was twisted in discomfort, and his shoulders twitched.

“Don’t touch me… don’t touch me,” he whimpered, almost unheard. “Get off me…”

Levi peeled the covers off him and got to work rubbing his chest to wake him. “Eren. Eren.”

Eren still thrashed around in place.

“Eren,” Levi said a little louder. He stroked Eren’s bangs back firmly.

And that’s what did it. Eren escaped his nightmare with a forced gasp, and his eyes darted around wildly as he came to his senses. He stared at Levi for a quick moment, and then flew into his arms to start crying softly.

“Hey. Hey,” Levi repeated gently, over and over. “Hey. It’s just a nightmare. You’re okay, baby. You’re okay.”

“It was so realistic,” Eren said tearily into his shoulder.

“Shhh, shh… hey.” A few more tears welled up in those melancholic emeralds, and Eren gripped Levi’s shirt. He wondered what Eren’s terrors were about. His asshole exes, probably. It seemed like no matter how hard he tried, this poor thing couldn’t escape his past.

Well, it wouldn’t help anyone to sit here and dwell on it. Right now, Levi’s job was to comfort him and make sure he felt safe enough to go back to sleep.

Eren’s arms were wrapped so tight around his neck that it was almost hard to breathe.

“Let’s get out of this bed, hm?” Levi whispered into his hair. “I’ll fix you some warm milk.”

Eren stayed silent and he allowed himself to be carried away in safe arms.

The sky outside the glass wall was pitch dark and the tall buildings were coated in a blanket of white snow. The world was still asleep.

He wrapped himself in his fuzzy beige blanket and waited on the big recliner quietly while Levi boiled milk at the stove.

He felt like a piece of shit. Always waking Levi up because of his nightmares, as if that man didn’t sleep enough as it were. He considered sleeping in his own room to ensure Levi could sleep distraction-free.

He’s been with Levi for months and months now. Why was he still haunted by his fucked-up past relationships?

Levi came over a while and handed him a mug of freshly boiled milk. The thin film floated above the surface. Eren took the mug from him, and then reached for his hand to seat him.

The recliner was big enough that they could both be seated closely, side-by-side.

Levi followed suit and squeezed himself in beside Eren. Strong arms wrapped vulnerable shoulders, and long legs were pulled over muscular thighs.

Eren sipped his milk and tried to let Levi’s strong presence and scent soothe him. It was working, albeit steadily.

His mind wandered off a little bit. He was glad Levi was well-equipped to help handle his nightmares. He heard Kenny used to boil some milk for him when he had trouble sleeping as a kid. Eren liked this tradition.

It was comfortably quiet for the most part.

When Eren was all done with his milk, Levi took the mug from him and set on a nearby coffee table. And he held Eren close to his chest, a hand holding his face there to stroke warm circles into his cheek.

“I’m sorry that I keep waking you up, Levi,” Eren said. “It’s fucking embarrassing. I’m too old to be having stupid nightmares like this.”

But Levi wasn’t trying to hear it. “You’re not too old. It’s completely natural. And for the hundredth time, it’s my job to comfort you. Don’t feel guilty about it, okay, baby boy?”

Eren sighed contently and tried to close his eyes. This man was way too good to him.

Levi noticed Eren’s breathing begin to steady again after a while.

“That’s a good boy. Go back to sleep now.”

Eren tightened his blanket around himself.

And since Levi’s nose was already buried in chocolate locks, he felt the need to say one more thing: “Nothing will hurt you as long as I’m here, Eren.” His voice was firm, but gentle at the same time. “Do you understand me?”

And with Eren’s cheek squished into his chest, and Levi holding his head beneath the crook of his neck, they slept the rest of the morning away on the recliner, just like this.

-

Eren had another dream. He was on a train, resting his head upon Levi’s shoulder. It was stuffy and a bit too warm on the train, but outside the wide glass windows, a sharp orange sun was setting into a gorgeous horizon of low mountains. It gave the whole scene a golden, sugary-soft filter.

Everything was… calm. Quiet, but not awkwardly so. The wheels rumbled over the tracks. Levi wasn’t saying anything, but every bit of his presence was noticed.

It was dream-like and ethereal. Surreal. Levi’s thumb was rubbing over his hand soothingly.

Eren wanted to be here on this train for forever and ever.

\--

 When Eren was out and about with Armin late Friday evening, he found an adorable ornament that was a pair of boxing gloves. He bought it immediately; it was absolutely perfect for Levi.

And when he arrived home, he was surprised to see Farlan of all people.

“Where’s Isabel?” Those two were like two peas in a pod; it was almost strange to see them without each other.

“Bird girl went to go shopping at the mall, I believe,” Farlan said. “I’m usually down for any good time, but buying clothes is not my ideal activity. I don’t mind it too much, though. It can be just us men, tonight.”

A dinner and some coffee later, Eren felt that he got to know Levi’s childhood friend even more. But he still did have a pressing question:

“How did you two even meet?” Eren asked.

Their personalities weren’t too incompatible- frankly, how Levi and _Isabel_ grew to become friends was more puzzling, but the stories of how people met always fascinated Eren.

But Farlan seemed more than happy to tell the tale. “It was our freshman year of high school. Choir class.”

Eren blinked. “Choir? You two can sing?”

Levi answered this time. “He can,” he pointed his chin to Farlan. “It was a requirement to take a music class so I was there more as a formality.”

Farlan laughed and took Levi’s shoulders. “Bullshit, you’re so humble.” He looked Eren dead in the eyes. “Eren, this man can sing like an angel.”

Eren smiled at Levi. He’s heard Levi hum that French lullaby that helped him sleep- _Fais do do_ \- and even from those low reverberations from the base of his throat and chest, he could tell Levi had good tone.

Hell, even Uncle Kenny himself mentioned Levi’s talent that one day the three of them went to dinner. He also mentioned that Levi’s mother was a good singer, too, so perhaps it ran in the family.

But there was something about the way Farlan worded it that made Eren very curious. He wanted to hear Levi _really_ sing.

“Levi. Sing for me,” Eren demanded.

“Uh, no,” Levi said shortly. He redirected the attention to Farlan. “ _This_ man sings for a living, I think he would be much more entertaining.”

“Even after all these years, he’s still shy about it,” Farlan frowned pitifully. “I’m just a guy with a guitar; Levi’s voice drops panties faster than a turkey in November.”

Levi shook his head slightly, denying all of Farlan’s compliments.

“I used to be the shining star at our school,” Farlan’s eyes looked off into the distance wistfully, and he kept a hand on Levi’s shoulder as he reminisced. “Then one day, the teacher brought a new guy into the class. He was a real shorty-“

Levi looked about ready to throw punches for being called that name, but Farlan seemed totally unbothered.

“The teacher asked him if knew the song we were working on. He did. She asked him to sing the solo part to test out his range. And, oh, my God, Eren…” Farlan sighed dreamily.

Eren was on the edge of his seat.

“I wish you could’ve been there. I’ve never heard anything like it. _My_ panties dropped.”

Both Levi and Eren laughed.

“Levi finished singing and everyone in the room was staring at him. Me, included. The teacher automatically gave him the solo part, even though he just got there. To be honest, I didn’t even mind Levi taking it from me.”

Levi patted Farlan’s back apologetically for involuntarily taking his solo all those years ago.

“And I stared and stared,” Farlan continued, “wondering how a voice like that could come from a face like this.”

Eren loved the story, but he was still wondering how the meeting actually occurred.

“And as I was staring, do you know what this man right here said to me?” Farlan asked.

“Something not-so nice, I’m guessing.” He remembered young Levi was a bit of a thug.

“He said, and I quote: ‘What the fuck are you lookin’ at?’”

Levi actually mouthed along the quote with him, and then chuckled at the memory.

“Levi! You took Farlan’s solo _and_ bullied him!?” Eren asked.

“I wasn’t the most sympathetic back then, I’ll admit it,” Levi said. “But Farlan has a fantastic voice. Some of my best memories of high school were singing feature duets with him. And he deserves every bit of the fame and income he gets from singing abroad now.”

Farlan looked flattered. He put an arm around Levi’s shoulders gratefully.

“We’ve been good friends ever since,” Farlan finished. It was an anticlimactic ending, but Eren could totally see them becoming friends just like that. “Levi was an acquired taste. He used to be rough around the edges back then. Not the type of guy you would take home to your mother.”

“At least I wasn’t a scam artist,” Levi told him.

“Hey, I made _very_ good money scamming people, Mr. Aggravated Assault and Battery.”

“That’s fair.”

“Was Isabel in your choir class, too? How did you meet her?” Eren asked.

Farlan laughed out loud. “Hell no, have you heard her voice? Poor thing is tone deaf.”

“Isabel’s family moved in next door to Farlan’s,” Levi explained. “They were neighbors.”

“She’s actually a couple years younger than us,” Farlan added. “But before he makes me forget, Eren-“

Eren’s head cocked to the side.

“Make sure Levi sings for you one day. Actually, fuck that. _I’ll_ make sure he sings for you one day. Your life will never be the same.”

“Farlan, you flatter me, but don’t count on it,” Levi said.

Farlan ignored Levi and winked at Eren. It was a silent promise.

Eren always did wonder how Isabel and Farlan could afford to travel all around the world. Tonight he learned that Farlan was up-and-coming musician, and Isabel kept working odd jobs here and there. Her current job was running a company’s social media accounts, and she seemed to be liking it so far. Levi offered her a job with Marketing at Survey Corp, and, although grateful to Levi for the opportunity, said she’d rather be caught dead than work an office job.

Eren would be sure to listen to Farlan’s albums later.

“I can give you a signed copy,” Farlan told Eren.

Levi was sitting back on the couch as he listened, his legs crossed loosely and an elbow propped up on the armrest for support. “No one wants your useless autograph,” Levi told him.

“Ouch.” Farlan laughed heartily, and soon enough, Levi was joining him.

Eren smiled once more. They had such a nice friendship, to be able to insult each other and then laugh about it a second later. It reminded him of himself and Armin.

\--

Eren finished a jam-packed day of classes and arrived at the coffee shop for his shift.

It was during the mid-morning rush. Eren pushed through a growing line of customers to get behind the counter.

Jean was pacing around, and although he didn’t express it facially, he was very frazzled.

“Good morning, Eren. Please handle bar for the current round, and when that’s all done I’d like you to mop the house and run cycles on the machines,” he said.

“Yes, sir,” Eren replied.

He laughed to himself as he went into the break room to clock in and put on his apron. He could always tell when Jean was stressed out because he was incredibly polite.

\--

Eren parked his car in the covered garage, right beside Levi’s. His heart fluttered excitedly- his man was home!

The receptionist looked up from her desk. “Hello, Mr. Jaeger. How was class?”

“It was great. I’m just so glad to be back home, though.”

She laughed. “I know the feeling.”

“How’s the husband and baby?” Eren spoke as he made his way to the mailboxes. He unlocked their box and took out the usual large stack of envelopes.

“They’re doing very well. I’m becoming more and more used to waking up in the middle of the night to the sounds of crying.”

Eren thought of Levi. He had to wake up to the sounds of crying, too. _Those nightmares…_

“I heard the real challenge is when they turn two.”

The receptionist sighed in dread. “The Terrible Two’s. Don’t remind me.”

Eren locked the box back up and waited at the elevators. “See you later!”

-

Eren unlocked the door and was greeted by the usual scent of lemon cleaner and exotic incense.

“I’m home, hubby-bubby!” He set the mail down on the cabinet and tossed his keys in the ceramic bowl.

Levi looked up from where he was typing into his tablet in the kitchen. Immediately, he made his way over, his arms already opening up for the inevitable hug.

Eren met him halfway and squealed a bit when Levi’s arms wrapped around his waist to scoop him up in an airborne hug. _Yup, this was the best thing to come back home to._

Levi wasn’t too vocal, but he took Eren to the couch and into his lap for a very tight hug. He buried in his nose into a particularly delicious tan throat, releasing grateful, low groans.

Eren smiled and stroked Levi’s hair. “Someone’s in a good mood today.”

Levi lifted his head to meet their eyes. “What, I can’t show my Eren some love when he gets home?”

Eren answered by pressing a few smooches into those plush lips that always spilled romantic shit during trying times like these.

“How was work today, Papa?” Eren touched their foreheads together and held Levi’s toned waist.

“It was just fine. We discussed some contracts and I spent some time preparing a proposal. Then I came back and lifted downstairs for a little bit.”

“I love you. You work so hard.”

“I love you, too. How was class? And the coffee shop?”

“Coffee shop was fine. Customers weren’t that bitchy today. Class, though…” Eren sighed. “I’m gonna be meeting with Armin a lot to study. Finals are in a few weeks. But my eyes are on the prize. And I’m doing so fucking well in financial lit. that I probably won’t even need to study for that.”

“You’re so diligent, baby. I love that. My eyes are on you. And if you need some last-minute help with finances, I’m happy to sit down with you if you don’t want to go to Hange or Moblit.”

“I’m forever in your debt, you sweet man,” Eren said softly. They finished the conversation in an extremely tight and clingy hug.

\--

After dinner, and work and studying for Levi and Eren, respectively, they reconvened on Levi’s bed for some quality time together.

Eren wanted to watch a movie, but didn’t know what. “Surprise me,” was his instruction to Levi.

Levi scrolled through Netflix for a good choice. Eren wasn’t too picky; any action feature with guns, fast cars, and hot girls was a safe choice. He knew Eren’s tastes quite well.

They absentmindedly tuned into the screen while lightly cuddling. Eren curled up and lay his head on Levi’s lap, and, with his hand snaked up Eren’s shirt, Levi ran his nails ever so gently up and down his spine. Occasionally, he would run his nails over and squeeze the round of Eren’s thigh.

When the movie finished, Eren reached around for Levi’s hand, and he pressed a firm kiss upon the veiny surface.

Hand kisses were quickly becoming Eren’s go-to move. He wanted to let Levi to know that he respected him as much he loved him. This was his king, after all.

And once the TV was shut off, Eren found himself sitting on Levi’s lap again.

No words were needed now. It was hands to hips. Nose to nose. Eren’s hands massaged Levi’s shoulders before leaning forward to nibble on his earlobe.

A delicious little groan escaped Levi’s throat.

“You like that?” Eren whispered. He licked a slow, sexy stripe along the shell of Levi’s ear. And he made sure to keep his arms wrapped firmly around those strong shoulders so Levi couldn’t budge.

Not that he would want to. Eren had an affinity for revving up Levi’s once-stubborn libido in record time.

“Je t'aime, Levi.” He blew some hot air into Levi’s ear. And he loved that he kind of knew a lick of French now, since Levi’s been teaching him some every week in the lead-up for their trip to Paris soon. Now he was better equipped to tease this poor man. He could be cheeky in multiple languages.

“Je t'aime aussi, Eren,” Levi managed.

Eren pulled away and looked into those steely-gray eyes. “…We should have a ménage a trois, as you French men say.”

Levi chuckled.

“That means threesome, right?”

“It does. Who do you want to have a ménage a trois with, Eren?”

Eren kind of expected Levi to be a little offended. Or at least flinch. But nope, he was playing along. He wasn’t the type to feel jealous or threatened. Protective, sure, but not insecure in the least bit.

“I was kidding, Levi,” Eren patted his cheek assuringly. “I don’t want anyone to join us for playtime. I just want you and me.”

Levi squeezed his hips. “That’s a relief. I don’t feel like sharing you with anyone else, if I can be honest.”

“I don’t want to share you with anyone, either,” Eren hugged him lovingly. “You’re all mine, Papa Bear. We’re strictly ménage a deux. That’s us.”

“Your pronunciation is improving wonderfully, mon cheri,” Levi said.

“Merci.”

It was no secret that Eren was an exceptionally fast learner. It made Levi swell with pride.

Although, when Levi started teaching him, before the numbers or even the colors, Eren demanded to be taught all the foul phrases and cuss words that he knew. Levi felt like an enabler, but he also still laughed at the memory.

But with the thoughts of ménage a trois aside, Levi did want to show this boy some more love. He tackled Eren to the bed and littered nibbling, growling smooches all over his skin.

\--

Playtime was exhausting. Wrestling and rolling around with Eren took a lot out of Levi.

Now he lay face-down on the mattress, trying to recoup for the day ahead. He liked letting his mind wander off away from work things.

Eren lay on top of him. His back was broad enough that Eren found it to be comfortable.

And Levi quite enjoyed Eren’s weight on his work-weathered back.

There was a certain time point during the night that was unofficially dubbed as “calm-down time”. No more friskiness. It was time to wind down for bedtime.

\--

At work the next day, Levi finished his presentation, attended a meeting, and made some rounds around the company while he had some free time.

At the ground floor, he noticed Petra wasn’t at her desk. In fact, it’s been eerily quiet around here lately.

He heard giggles in the distance.

Looking to the distant wall, he noticed a small crowd of his employees, all who happened to be women, gathered at the tall glass window. Petra and Hange were among them.

It wasn’t a particularly lovely day outside. Levi went over to see what they were all looking at.

The arguments were becoming more legible as Levi approached closer:

“He was looking at me.” “No, he just waved to me.”

“What’s going on here, ladies?” Levi inquired. He stood next to Petra and followed the womens’ gaze.

Outside, some electricians were working on installing the new surveillance cameras and lock pads for the doors. One of them was particularly good-looking- with a very dashing beard and a smile that flashed bright when he noticed all the ladies staring at him.

Levi rolled his eyes and turned on his heel to walk away. “Get back to work, please,” he said wearily.

“Yes, sir!” The ladies resonated, and then dissolved into more giggles and petty schoolgirl arguments before getting back to their jobs.

Levi made his way to Erwin’s office, knocking and waiting for the go-ahead to enter.

Erwin was very immersed in his work, and he didn’t stop moving his pen when Levi entered. His sleeves were rolled up and his gold watch glinted in the room’s lighting.

“I received your memo, I think you’re all set,” Erwin said. “PR might need some time on their project, which I allowed them one more week.”

Levi sat down at the chair on the opposite side of the desk with a small groan. He went through his tablet and opened up the report that Erwin sent him.

As he browsed through it and made notes, Erwin spoke again; once again, not looking up from his writing. “Did you make some rounds? I was a bit grounded in my office today.”

“Mm,” Levi replied. He kept jotting down critiques on the margins of Erwin’s report, also not looking up. “The execs are on track, PR reported some delays, though, like you said. You were good to give them an extra week.”

“I’m a bit concerned about the focus of some of our employees. Our women, in particular.”

Levi laughed lightly. “Yes, the contractors are very distracting, it seems. I’ll speak to the ladies if it becomes out of hand.”

“We run a tight ship here, you and I.” Erwin finally put his pen down and smiled.

“Hold that thought, we might need to see if the contractors continue to interfere with the work ethic around here.”

“You’re right.” Erwin stood up and put his coat on. “Let’s get lunch.”

“How about drinks?” Levi stood up, too.

“Getting drunk on the clock is very unprofessional, Mr. Ackerman.”

“If I showed our employees that liquor stash under your desk, I would hardly think you’re one to talk, Mr. Smith.”

Erwin laughed out loud. “Touché.”

“Survey Corporation is a goddamned mess right now,” Levi admitted with a smile curving at his lips.

\--

After Levi put in his piece at the office, he drove over to Trost Coffee, where Eren should just about be wrapping up his shift.

He was greeted by the lovely scent of coffee; the same scent that clung to Eren whenever he arrived home.

Eren’s apron was draped over his arm, and he was speaking to Marco, who was brewing a fresh batch of coffee.

When the shop’s door bell jingled upon his entrance, their heads whipped to his direction.

“Levi!” Eren came around from behind the counter and hugged him, the store’s customers be damned.

“Hey, baby,” Levi murmured into his ear.

Eren took Levi’s hand and walked them both up to the register.

“Hey, Levi!” Sasha greeted. “The usual?”

Levi was still very impressed that she knew his order after only having served him a couple times. These baristas handle dozens upon dozens of requests every day.

“You got it,” Levi nodded to her.

While Sasha was fixing his drink, she smiled at him brightly. “You know, you look like you have a very complex palate, Levi. May I suggest that you give my Kitchen Sink a try?”

Levi’s eyebrows furrowed in mild confusion. “Your kitchen sink?”

She handed him his medium dark roast and then ushered him to the blackboard, where all the baristas’ signature drinks were written. He sipped on his coffee while he read all the descriptions.

Eren massaged Levi’s shoulders. “Uhh, nice try, Sash’. But Levi’s gonna try my Slutty Monday.”

Levi chuckled at the name. Of course Eren’s drink stood out from all the rest with such an eyebrow-raising personality.

Marco finished brewing coffee and crossed his arms. “I think Levi looks like the type of man who’s serious on the outside, but has an inner soft side,” he analyzed. “My Sweetheart Special is perfect for someone like you.”

Eren didn’t even need to try to plead his case, because he already knew what would happen.

Levi looked at them apologetically. “I’m sorry, I’d love to try both of your drinks, but I must support my boyfriend,” he explained gently.

Eren smiled smugly.

Sasha pouted with big doe eyes. “One Slut coming right up.”

As Marco made the drink, Eren went ahead and did the honors of adding a tally below his drink’s name.

Levi touched Eren’s lower back. “It seems like such a sophisticated drink. Where did you come up with that name?”

“I named it that because it’s perfect for the working man like you-“ he recited, “no games, all commitment.”

Levi continued listening amusedly.

“And-“ Eren leaned into Levi’s ear, “everyone’s a little slutty on Mondays.”

Levi laughed richly. Eren’s drink fit him to a T.

Marco handed Levi the drink.

“Next time you come around here, you need to try my Sink!” Sasha told him. “It’s only for the most complex of palates!”

“I will,” Levi nodded.

“Mine, too!” Marco insisted.

Levi said his good-byes to Eren’s coworkers and walked out the store.

Eren just left his car in the parking lot, like he used to when they first started dating back in the summer, and they went home in Levi’s car.

Levi was quite pleased with Eren’s Slutty Monday concoction. It really was the perfect drink for a working man like him.

No games, all commitment.

And just a little bit slutty.

\--

Eren woke Levi with some soft kisses to the cheek.

Slow and easy.

“Mmm.”

Eren rubbed Levi’s naked chest. “Good morning, yumz.”

Levi rolled over and took Eren into his arms. “Good morning, you.”

“Sleep well?” Eren asked cheekily. It was usually Levi’s job to ask that question, but after last night’s activities, he wanted to make sure Levi slipped into a deep, fucked-out rest.

“Very well.” Levi hands trailed down his back, to his hips, and then to his butt, squeezing it hard in his hands.

Eren let out a breathy giggle. “This early, Levi? Buy me some dinner first!”

Levi laughed that musical laugh that rumbled his chest. He pulled the covers over their heads for some early morning playtime.

-

After their separate showers, Eren was having breakfast at the kitchen and did some quick studying.

Levi finally emerged from the hallway in a body-hugging charcoal gray suit. It fit him so well it almost looked like he was going to burst out of his clothes.

Eren looked up from his book and made his way over. “Oh, I _so_ love me a man in a suit,” he breathed.

“And I love me a man in nothing but boxers,” Levi replied, edging his fingers over the bare skin of the back of Eren’s thighs. “I couldn’t decide on which pair of sunglasses to wear today. Would you like to help me choose?”

Eren took his hand and led them back to Levi’s bedroom. “Levi, it’s winter. There’s no sun. You don’t need sunglasses.”

“UV rays can actually be reflected off the snow. It can be just as dangerous as summer, even though we can’t see it.”

Eren rolled his eyes. “The more days go by, the more I’m convinced you’re actually a vampire. You need some Vitamin D. The sun can give you that.”

They entered Levi’s enormous walk-in closet, which smelled so strongly of his signature cologne. Eren opened up the drawer that held Levi’s impressive sunglasses collection, all arranged neatly in a wooden compartment organizer.

The colors and styles were vast. Eren looked between the color of Levi’s suit and the collection to figure out his choice, chewing the inside of his cheek while he thought.

He pulled out some sleek orange-yellow ombre aviator shades and held it against Levi’s chest to see if the colors matched. “These,” he stated.

Levi took the pair from him and tucked it into the dip of his collar. “While you’re here with me, do you want to help me choose a watch, too?”

“Sure.”

\--

That day at work, Levi had several meetings, completed a load of paperwork, and discussed some upcoming events with Petra.

Now he was making some rounds around the buildings and speaking to some visitors.

\--

Eren rolled up to the Survey Corporation headquarters with a bag of items from the convenience store. He hoped Levi was still in.

He saw some neon reflector-clad men around the edges of the building. Those must be the renovation people Levi was still telling him about.

Entering the crisp, air-conditioned lobby, he saw Petra and Mike speaking to each other in the distance next to the elevators. Even on heels, Petra still looked adorably tiny next to Mike, who towered over her like a mountain, although the way he listened to her speak was respectful nonetheless.

Petra held her tablet close to her chest as she spoke. They both turned to Eren when he approached them.

“Hey, there, sweetie,” Petra smiled at him.

“Eren, how are you?” Mike asked.

“Hey, Petra. Hey, Mike. I’m doing great. Is Levi still in the building?”

“He is,” they both nodded.

“But,” Petra added, “he does have a meeting in thirty minutes.”

“Good to know,” Eren smiled at her and went up the elevators.

Levi was walking around the executive floor, running his fingers along some wood surfaces and some corners. He rubbed his fingers together to inspect for dust. It was… satisfactory. Survey Corp. custodians didn’t have much room for error with this particular CEO.

“Oh, Mr. Ackerman!” Eren called as he walked up to him.

Levi turned, and his face softened when he saw who it was. “Well, hello, Mr. Jaeger.”

There were some people in the see-through meeting rooms, as well as at the printers and in front of the flat-screens that showed some statistics. Eren didn’t want to embarrass Levi by showing him affection in the event that somebody was watching them right now, so he led them both into Levi’s office.

“I hope you weren’t in the middle of something,” Eren began while they hugged. “I wanted to surprise you.”

“No, I was just making my rounds and checking up on things.” He sat down on the couch near the door and eyed the plastic bag in Eren’s hands.

“Petra said you have a meeting in a half hour. But that’s okay. That’s more than enough time for me.”

“You want to play, Eren?”

“If you’re up for it.” Eren opened up the bag. “But I know you probably don’t want to make a mess in your office, so I thought ahead.”

He took out a brand-new bottle of lube, as well as a box of condoms.

Levi looked at the packaging. _XXL. Magnum. Extra pleasurable. Ribbed. Ecstasy. ‘Feels like nothing’s there!’_

“Did you choose the most obnoxious box on purpose?” Levi chuckled and took out a small strip of condoms from the box.

“You know me so well.”

Levi set aside the items for a second and took off his suit jacket before patting his thighs. “Come here.”

Eren hopped on and grasped Levi’s tie before smashing their lips together. It deepened and got sloppier, and soon Eren was grinding his hips furiously.

“Fuck me, hubs,” Eren breathed into Levi’s lips depravedly. “Fuck me.”

-

Condoms on. Pants pulled down.

Levi bent Eren over the side of his desk, and the stacks of papers rustled. Now he had wonderful access to that firm, bouncy butt.

He held Eren’s arms firmly behind his back, arrest-style.

Eren did a good job of riling him up, but now it was his turn. He palmed Eren’s ass soothingly before smacking it hard.

“Shit,” Eren whined.

Levi did it again, then once more. “I’m going to need you to be quiet, darling. Can’t have the people outside my office hearing those pretty sounds you make. That wouldn’t be very professional of me.”

Eren bit his lip and nodded. Levi always fucked him harder when he wasn’t allowed to make any noise. It was a twisted, delicious game.

“Good boy,” Levi said. He gripped Eren’s hips and began slamming into him.

“Levi, fuck!” Eren whispered hoarsely.

They couldn’t afford to be slow and sensual like at home. Levi had fifteen minutes to make this work.

“God, Eren. I love the way you look like this,” Levi said lowly. “You really are insatiable, aren’t you?”

Eren furrowed his brows and bit back a moan. He rested his cheek on a stack of papers. “Is that all you can do?” he challenged, even in this state.

Levi answered by reaching over and grabbing a fistful of chocolate locks, pulling it back harshly to arch Eren’s back.

Levi’s cock was hitting such deep spots, all the way into what felt like his stomach. And the cold air hitting his sore ass before Levi’s hips met with it was just too much.

Eren’s eyes rolled to ceiling. He almost felt like crying, it felt so good.

But he had to stay quiet. _Stay quiet, and be a good boy._

A firm hand found Eren’s tummy, and Levi didn’t even pull all the way out before pushing back in repeatedly. The _tap-tap, smack-smack_ was getting faster and was reaching a primitive crescendo before-

“Leviiii…” Eren held the edges of the desk for support as his knees buckled and Levi squeezed his wrapped-up dick.

Eren couldn’t physically feel how much he came because of the condom, but the jolts of electricity that rocked his lower half gave him an idea.

And as he bit his loud groan into his finger, Levi bucked his hips for a bit longer to get to his, too. He had a vice-like grip on Eren’s hips before an orgasm rocked his world, too.

\--

Eren left the office with wobbly knees and a flushed face. Well, he got what he came for, to say the least. And when Levi officially came home for the day, it would be cuddles and kisses and proper aftercare.

Levi cleared his throat and adjusted his tie with a ghost of a smirk as he stepped out of his office for his meeting.

Back to work.


	69. O-Face

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Happy Sunday!
> 
> In commemoration for chapter 69, have a chapter that's purely nothing but smut. >:3c
> 
> And please leave a comment when you're finished reading!

Eren was a huge fan of getting frisky early in the morning.

They didn’t have to try too hard. Much like their relationship, everything just sort of fell into place wonderfully.

It was about 5 am. The scene took place on the low stool made out of twisted metal that sat in the living room.

Eren wasn’t sure how they even ended up in this position. He was sitting on Levi’s lap, boxers peeled down just a hair to free his length, and Levi’s arms were wrapped loosely around his hips to give him a first-person perspective handjob.

Eren couldn’t see Levi’s face, and Levi couldn’t see Eren’s, but the sounds Eren was making was plenty of feedback, it seemed.

Eren had a grip on Levi’s wrist to achieve the illusion of control, but in reality, Levi had all the power.

“Mm,” Eren whined. “I’m- I’m getting close.”

“I can tell,” Levi said calmly from behind. “Look how hard you’re getting.”

Eren bit his lip and threw his head back a little. When Levi stroked upward, he made sure to reach _all_ the way up, so he almost threatened to ungrasp. He did have a habit of milking Eren for all he was worth.

“Harder,” Eren said softly.

“Harder?” Levi asked.

“Mm-hm…”

“Are you going to show me how good you’re feeling, Eren?”

“You know I’ll shoot ropes for you, Levi. Only for you.”

“That’s what I like to hear. Should I incentivize you to wake up early with this every day, do you think?” Levi pondered.

“You wouldn’t.”

“Baby needs his sleep, huh?”

“Plenty of sleep, plenty of handjobs. That’s all I need.”

Levi laughed. “I can sympathize with that. Now let’s finish you off, shall we?”

Eren swallowed and tried to focus his thoughts. He held onto Levi’s forearms, which twitched with the slightest movement, and he tried to internalize the rhythm of Levi’s hand.

“Faster, faster…” Eren meant to say in his head, but it ended up coming out of his mouth.

Levi obliged, squeezing and stroking harder and faster and harder and faster, and he smirked when he felt micro-twitches from the boy upon him.

“Ah!” Eren called out when Levi squeezed hard, allowing himself to melt and ejaculate copious amounts of cum beyond him, splattering all over the hardwood floor of the living room. He was glad he was seated, because his knees felt weak and he would probably fall over if Levi wasn’t holding him in place.

Eren groaned loudly while he finished, and Levi kept stroking and squeezing vigorously wondering how long this orgasm would last. It was impressive, though. Eren’s pleasure lasted for a long, long time. He didn’t have a care in the world, that one.

“UUUUUUUHHHH,” Eren’s groan reached a crescendo, and Levi couldn’t help but smile. When he felt Eren start to breathe normally and begin to soften in his hand, he gave a few more slow-down strokes.

Eren’s chest rose and fell from post-pleasure ecstasy, and he began to giggle a bit. “Woo,” he breathed in monotone. “Only you can make me cum that hard,” he told Levi. “You should be proud of yourself.”

“I should be proud, you say?’ Levi pulled Eren’s boxers back up and buried his face in Eren’s back, right into the fuzzy fabric of his robe. “But it seems you’ve made a mess all over my floors, sweetheart. I just polished those last night.”

Eren laughed and patted Levi’s arm sweetly. “There, there, hubby.”

\--

It was a long day of work and class.

Levi had gone to the mall to get some Christmas shopping done for Eren- and now the bottom of the tree was looking more well-endowed with gifts. He also found an ornament for their personality puzzle game- a rather large plain orb; but it was the most stunning shade of vibrant green that stood out from all the all the other decorations. The minute Levi saw it, he had visions of Eren’s beautiful eyes. He just had to buy it. He also found an intricate ornament in the shape of gold-finished scales- a reference to the fact that Eren studied Criminal Justice.

But he also got one more gift amongst it all. This one, however, Eren wouldn’t have to wait til Christmas to open up.

\--

Eren entered the room with his water bottle and found Levi sitting on the edge of the bed.

“Eren.”

“Mm?” he took a seat beside Levi and placed an arm around his shoulder. He cocked his head to the side when he acknowledged the satiny pink shopping bag in Levi’s hands.

“Will you do me a favor, darling?” Levi asked.

Eren smiled mischievously. He already knew where this was going. “What’cha want, hubby?”

Levi handed the bag over with both hands. “Will you wear this for me?”

Eren took the bag from him, and took out and tossed the pink tissue paper that was hiding whatever was inside.

He pulled out an itty bitty black lace pair of panties and inspected it. Whatever else was in the bag would be as equally saucy, he reckoned.

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to, though,” Levi said when Eren took out the matching bra- probably the smallest size the store carried. Being that he was male, he didn’t have anything to hold it up, so Levi made a good choice.

Eren put the things back in the bag and grinned. “I’d love to wear this for you, Levi. You just wait right here, okay?” He stroked Levi’s chin in a motherly sort of way and retreated into the bathroom.

Levi sat in the quiet of his own room while Eren changed. This was going to be interesting experience. For a moment, he had a fleeting thought that Eren would find it strange that he wanted him to model lingerie. But then again, this was the same young man that enjoyed being spanked recreationally and was a closet exhibitionist, amongst other things.

And they were both very comfortable and open with their sexualities, both to themselves and each other. They’ve talked about everything.

It took a while for Eren to figure out the clasps and straps of the outfit. He wasn’t new to the lingerie game by any means- he’s had a few girlfriends in the past and even more one-night stands, so he was used to looking at and taking off lingerie. But wearing it was brand-new for him.

Eren inspected himself in the mirror. Yeah, he looked pretty damn good, if he could say so himself. He couldn’t wait to see what Levi thought. The garter belt took some time to figure out. _These things should come with instruction diagrams or some shit._

But the outfit did come with thigh-highs, which he knew drove Levi nuts like a dog in heat. He also flicked the tassel that hung off the front clasp of the bra.

And the panties were a little tight around the front, but it was to be expected: these weren’t made for men.

At any rate, Eren sauntered out of the bathroom to show Levi.

Taking his sweet time making his way back on the bed, Eren relished the subtle gleam in Levi’s eyes when he got an eyeful.

In fact, Levi’s brooding eyes boring into him was… surprisingly arousing. Eren loved being stared at by this man.

The moment he sat on the bed, Levi wrapped his arms around his waist and began attacking his collarbones in wet nibbles.

Eren laughed breathily and threw his head back while he received his attention. But… he also wanted to make Levi work for it.

“Whoa, whoa,” Eren managed, and he moved away. When Levi felt his arms being pushed away, hurt and amusement flashed in his eyes.

“Not so fast, cowboy. We’re gonna do this my way,” Eren purred.

Eren’s hands found Levi’s pressed white button-up shirt, and he got to work unbuttoning it casually. He could tell that Levi was chomping at the bit to get on with it.

Eren smirked.

Once Levi’s shirt was off, and he was left in his white undershirt, Eren slipped on the work shirt himself. He could just see the disappointment in Levi’s eyes that he decided to cover up.

Eren grabbed Levi’s face and lay a hard smooch on his lips before uttering his next words: “Worship me.”

Levi began crawling forward on the bed, just as fast as Eren was crawling backward.

They collapsed on the mountain of pillows, and Levi immediately traveled down to his long legs. This was a command he could very well comply with.

He spread Eren’s long legs and stared rather ravenously at his crotch.

“I know, it’s bulging,” Eren looked down at the area in question along with him. “My package is too big for these panties.”

Levi chuckled lightly. If that wasn’t the most “Eren” thing Eren has said, he didn’t know what was.

Well, he was given an order nonetheless. Trying to divert his attention away from Eren’s bulging lace panties, Levi ran his fingertips along those shapely legs, igniting trails of cool ice and hot prickles up Eren’s spine at the same time.

He also ran the tip of his nose along the insides of Eren’s thighs, catching the scent that clung to his body along the way. It was intoxicating. He wanted to taste… _taste… TASTE._

Levi sucked small kisses on the inside of Eren’s knees, and then lifted his legs one by one to press some kisses on his calves. He looked up above to gauge Eren’s reaction.

Much like he expected, Eren was biting his lip and his eyes were glazing over with lust. He pointed his toes and curled an arm behind his head. “Fuck, yesss…” he breathed.

Levi held one of Eren’s legs by the calf- tenderly and carefully like it was a fragile piece of glass- and he peppered kisses down his shin and then down to his foot. If this boy wanted to be worshipped, Levi could do that for him.

He placed very light kisses on the pads of Eren’s toes, looking up for a second while he did so.

Eren’s lewd facial expression was very contradictory to his lazy pose and body language, and his words told another story altogether. “Mmm…  I love seeing you like this. Suckin’ on my toes- _yes!_ ” He squealed the last word. “Completely at my service… what would all your employees say if they saw Mr. CEO this way?”

It wasn’t often that Eren wanted to be dominant; he was more often into knowing what he wanted and knowing exactly what to say and do to get it… but he couldn’t lie, seeing Levi literally at his feet like this was such an unexpectant and delicious sight.

And with him wearing one of Levi’s work shirts, with the scent of musky cologne still lingering on it, Eren was just really basking in the attention.

Levi began sucking Eren’s socked toes, his saliva moistening the fabric a bit. And based on Eren’s quiet whimpers, it seems like he’s found another one of Eren’s sensitive spots besides the nape of his neck and the groove of his shaft.

“Just like that, Levi… just like that…” Eren whispered. It tickled but lit a flame in his belly at the same time.

Levi pressed some hard smooches into the underside of Eren’s foot and began making his way up again.

He wedged himself between Eren’s legs so that he was hovering over the lazy prince himself. Eren looked at him expectantly.

And suddenly, Levi’s fingers edged along the thin fabric of Eren’s bra- lifting it off his skin and snapping it back playfully. And just like Eren did to himself in the bathroom, Levi flicked the little tassel that hung at the clasp.

“You’re gorgeous,” Levi said lowly.

Eren the cocky, lazy prince was still very soft at heart, and he smiled shyly at Levi’s comment.

Levi still loved that a few words could flatter Eren so easily. He was weak for those eyes. Those puppy-dog eyes that could beg and then challenge at the drop of a hat. Those eyes that sparkled with curiosity and speckled with gold if you looked long enough… he was getting lost in them… but he loved not knowing where to go.

“Oi,” Eren used Levi’s signature phrase, patting his cheek gently. “Don’t leave me yet, now.”

Levi snapped back into focus. “I’m here,” he said, feeling rather dumb. How could he just tell Eren that he was distractingly adorable?

“You’re distractingly adorable.”

…Oh. Like that.

“You’re such a sweet man,” Eren said. “What am I gonna do with you?” Once again, he used one of Levi’s signature phrases.

He pushed on Levi’s chest to move him away. Now they were both sitting upright looking at each other.

A dangerous, sexy gleam sparked in Eren’s eyes. It was… animalistic.

“…Do you wanna play Mommy and Daddy?”

‘Playtime’ was usually what Eren referred sex to while they were in public, but it seemed now he wanted to take playtime to the next level.

“Alright,” Levi nodded, not really knowing what he’s gotten himself into.

Eren slipped out of Levi’s white shirt and moved forward, and he placed a steady hand over Levi’s cheek. That same hand moved down his jawline, over his neck, and then to his chest.

Eren kept it over Levi’s heartbeat, pleased that it was fluttering.

He leaned closer into Levi’s ear. “Did you think about me at work today, Papa? I know I thought about you.”

Eren ran his tongue up the shell of his ear while he listened for his answer, and his arms wrapped around Levi’s shoulders. “Mm?”

“I did.”

“Mmm…” Eren began laying soft, but wet smooches along Levi’s cheekbones, and the hand that lay over his heart went over to the undershirt collar to drag down teasingly. “What were you thinking about, exactly?”

“I was thinking about those pretty lips, and those long legs of yours.”

Eren licked Levi’s face possessively. “Yeah?” he purred.

“And what your body would like in a piece of lingerie like that.”

“Do I look good, Daddy?” Eren made sure to pull back for a second to pay attention to the answer.

“You look more than good, Mommy, you look stunning.”

Eren beamed, but he went back to that sultry gaze from before. “Let’s get you out of this,” he said, and he grabbed the fabric of Levi’s undershirt to shimmy it out of his belt, and then dragged it up over his head.

After taking a moment to greedily devour the sight of Levi’s naked torso like he usually did, Eren’s five fingertips began scratching at his chest gently. He daydreamed and fantasized about what he wanted to do with this man.

“I love it when you rub my chest,” Levi said.

Eren now used his palm instead of his nails to rouse some warmth. “I know you do, Papa. Mommy knows everything about you.”

Levi reached for Eren’s waist, eager to touch that sunkissed skin, that skimpy outfit, _anything_ after all this talk.

“Impatient, are we?” Eren pouted a little, but he allowed Levi to squeeze his waist anyway. He did feel a bit guilty for denying this man some action.

While Levi touched and explored the feel of the revealing fabric that clung to Eren’s body, Eren went in for Levi’s belt buckle and began to unfasten it. The _clink-clang_ of the buckle had psychologically conditioned Eren for a potential blowjobs, so his mouth already started watering.

“You look _so_ good in black,” Levi breathed.

“So do you,” Eren returned the compliment. “And you look even better naked.” With a swift pull, he snaked the belt out from around Levi’s waist and tossed it aside.

Eren crawled forward on his knees to touch their noses together. “I love that my husband works hard everyday to bring in the dough. I’m so proud of you. I love you.”

Levi was damn near ready to drop to his knees and propose to Eren right there and then.

“So let Mommy make you happy, okay?”

Before Eren dipped down to get to work, he straightened his back and stuck his chest out. “Suck on these titties.”

Levi dissolved into those lovely low chuckles that shook his body, which also caused Eren to laugh and break character for a second.

“Levi!” Eren chastised, “I’m trying to be Mommy! We have to pull it together!”

“I know, I know,” Levi settled down, still a bit red in the face from having laughed so hard. “Alright.” He leaned forward and with an efficient swipe of his hand, he slipped the strap off Eren’s shoulder to reveal Eren’s toned chest.

He wrapped his lips around his nipple, swirling it around the sensitive nub that was hardening by the second.

Eren hissed and held the back of Levi’s head close to keep him there. “Shit!” he whimpered. “Give it to Mommy just like that!”

Levi tightened his grip around Eren’s waist, and he took his nipple between his teeth to graze on it ever so gently.

Eren began crying, although no sounds or tears came out. His face was twisted in what seemed like pain, but his mouth was letting out a few moans and choice words of pleasure.

Levi sucked on it hard, one more time, and popped off with a suctioning “ _mwah_!” Inspecting his damage, he found it pleasant that this nipple was a deep, wet pink, and was embellished with faint teeth marks.

And, it was so, so firm and erect.

He looked up at Eren’s face. “Mommy? How are you feeling?” He continued rubbing and teasing Eren’s nipple with his index finger; an arm remained wrapped firmly around his waist to keep him still.

Eren finally opened his eyes that were screwed shut in pleasure. “Daddy knows how to suck on those titties,” he confirmed.

“I like to think I’m a man of many talents,” Levi admitted. He reached up and kissed Eren’s collarbone quickly.

“Don’t get too cocky, now.” Eren ran his fingers through silky black hair. “Daddy might be the boss at work, but Mommy is the boss at home.”

“That’s true.”

Eren pulled his bra strap back up his shoulder. The fabric rubbed against his still-sensitive nipple, causing him to wince a little. “Take off those pants for me?”

Levi took a moment to roll down his slacks and throw them off the bed. Now he was just clad in gray briefs. Less layers to go through, Eren figured.

And now, Eren hopped onto Levi’s lap and went in for a kiss. He introduced tongue, and tongue turned into hair pulling and lip bites.

Eren exhaled harshly, and Levi groaned lowly before taking Eren’s lower lip between his teeth. He dragged it out a little before releasing and watching the blood rush back into Eren’s swelling lip.

And as the battle for domination continued, Eren began writhing and grinding his hips depravedly on Levi’s crotch, getting all the friction he wanted but somehow still not enough. He was pleased to find that Levi was hardening beneath him as well.

And within his own black lace panties, well, a very restricted erection was pitching against the fabric, threatening to rip or burst the delicate material. Some thoughts gathered in Eren’s mind- he hoped his package didn’t rip the panties. They could probably get a few more playtimes out of this outfit. When he saw the price tag while dressing in the bathroom, he learned that this lingerie set cost almost $800. He wasn’t shocked. Hubby had $800 to blow like it was nothing.

Brushing intrusive thoughts aside, Eren kept rolling his hips wildly. And Levi just didn’t know _where_ to put his hands; he was spoilt for choice- Juicy thighs? Toned tummy? Lovely hips? Tight ass? Eren’s body was a treasure trove of wonders.

Eren pulled away to get a word in. “Mommy has been so fucking horny for you today.”

“What would you like me to do?”

“Let’s take it slow and easy. I want to show you how much I really love you.”

Levi wrapped his arms tight around Eren’s waist, and lay a loving smooch on the skin of his chest. “Slow and easy? I can do that.”

It only took Levi a second to roll them onto the mattress, and when Eren was comfortably laying on his back, he unclipped the garter’s clasps from the thigh-highs to remove those restricting black panties.

The way Levi’s strong hands gripped the band of the underwear and worked it down Eren’s legs was incredibly arousing. Maybe it was the idea of strong, weathered hands handling such a flimsy, delicate fabric. Maybe it was just the idea of him removing articles of clothing from Eren’s body. Either way, Eren was glad it was this man stripping him down and not any other.

Levi retrieved the lube, but before he had the chance to do anything, Eren had a new plan. He dragged Levi’s arm down in an attempt to lay him, and when he was situated, Eren ran over to his own room to bring his metallic vibrator.

“I know Daddy can’t stand being teased, so that’s exactly what I’ll do to him,” Eren said mischievously. He took the discarded black panties and brought it up to his nose to take a deep breath. “Oh, yeah. It’s ripe. You can taste how good you made me feel just then.”

He took the panties and stuffed them into Levi’s mouth. Levi looked a bit bewildered, but he stayed patient.

“I’m gonna fuck myself while you watch,” Eren explained. “You can touch yourself if you want, but you can’t touch me or take your gag out until I say so. Understand? Nod if you understand.”

Levi nodded once.

“Good.” Eren smiled and coated the vibrator in lube before turning it on. He turned around so that he was standing on his knees and Levi had a front-row seat view to his ass.

Eren rimmed the toy around his entrance to ease up a bit, and when he felt he was ready, he began inserting it inch by inch.

“Fuck…” he groaned. The vibrations felt good, but the fact that Levi was uselessly staring at him was a turn-on, too.

“Oh, Levi, you feel so good,” Eren sighed.

 _Oh, I see what’s going on now_ , Levi thought to himself, since the panties stuffed into his mouth prevented him from speaking. Eren was pretending the toy was him. That way when they got to the real thing, it would be all the more stimulating.

He knew all of Eren’s little tricks.

“Love it when my big, strong husband gives it to me like that after work,” he heard Eren say, and he watched in fascination as Eren pumped the toy in and out of his ass.

Levi unconsciously reached out to hold Eren’s hips, but when he remembered Eren’s rule, he grabbed the sheets beside him instead. And after listening to those cute, slutty moans, his hand trailed into his own underwear to relieve some tension.

Eren quieted his sounds for a second to look behind his shoulder and saw that Levi was pleasing himself. “You like that, Daddy? Do you like it when I fuck myself in front of you?”

A low groan released from deep within Levi’s throat in response.

Eren smirked and turned up the intensity of the vibrator before going at it even harder. It only took a few minutes for Levi’s groans to overpower the buzz of the vibrator.

And Eren didn’t want to finish this way. They spent too much time on foreplay and dirty talk to release separately and be done with it.

Eren wanted them to go out with a bang. Together.

Like ripping off a band-aid, Eren pulled out the toy and turned it off quickly before tossing it aside. He was impatient now and didn’t want to lose his momentum.

In a quick moment of shifting around, Eren pulled the panties out of Levi’s mouth and patted his chest. “I changed my mind. No time for slow and easy. Mommy wants it hard and fast.”

Levi rolled up and uncapped the lube quickly to slick himself up and Eren lay on his back with open arms. Levi planked over him and aligned himself.

Since Eren was plenty prepped, he didn’t feel the need nor was he in the mood to be gentle.

“You had a good ol’ time teasin’ me, huh, Mama?” Levi’s dialect kind of slipped into looser, more lazy way of speaking when he got into certain moods. It was like the way Uncle Kenny spoke. And that was when Eren knew he was in for a good time.

“Let’s finish together, Daddy.” Eren’s ears and face were flushed red- a telltale sign.

Levi took Eren’s legs into the crooks of his arms and slammed himself in, less pushing in and pushing out like normal, but now piledriving a mile a minute.

Seeing Eren’s defenseless, mewling face now after the dominating stunt he pulled earlier felt good to Levi. He still had some play left in him, as well.

He took a fistful of Eren’s bangs and yanked it back, and he attacked Eren’s throat with bites that ended with plush kisses.

_Taptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptap-_

“Were you a good lil’ wifey for me today?”

“Y-Yeah…” Eren whispered, mainly because he was overwhelmed by how seriously Levi could fuck the brakes off his ass.

“Mm. I’m sure you were,” Levi growled into the crook of Eren’s neck. “Fuck…”

Eren threw his arms around Levi and dragged his nails down his strong, rippling back, leaving lines of red in their wake. Levi growled even louder.

“Who’s the boss of this house?” Levi lifted his head and spoke dangerously against Eren’s lips, his hips not slowing down for even a second. Both their orgasms were climbing exponentially higher by the second.

“You are, Daddy.”

“Say it again, Mommy,” Levi growled louder.

Eren’s heart raced from the exhilaration. Levi was a living, breathing sex machine. “You are, Levi! You’re the boss of this house!” he called out.

Levi was oddly mute for a second and his hips stuttered before he sat up and took hold of Eren’s aching, red cock.

He squeezed it and gave only three strokes for Eren to release hot, pearly white all over his stomach and chest, all over his bra, too.

And Levi made sure he was all the way in before spilling his pleasure, too.

Eren whined and panted harshly as he got his, and Levi fisted his own hair back and groaned loudly.

When both of them were done, Levi pulled out slowly and lay Eren’s legs down comfortably on the bed.

“Oh, my God- _damn_ ,” Eren giggled through harsh breathing. His body still twitched adorably as he came to his senses.

Levi chuckled. “That was phenomenal,” he said calmly. It seemed he was back to his usual self again. “Let’s get cleaned up, darling. I’ll help you wash your back.”

Eren kicked his leg playfully. “Levi, we just fucked! Let’s bask in the filth for a while!” Eren made a pretend snow-angel with just his arms and he shut his eyes dreamily.

“No basking in filth,” Levi said firmly, and reached a hand out to help Eren up. “I’m absolutely spent and I need a shower.”

“Tch. Old man,” Eren muttered with a smile as he climbed up and mounted Levi for a piggyback ride to the bathroom.

“You weren’t calling me an old man five minutes, if I do recall,” Levi said nonchalantly.

“No, sir, I was not.” Eren rested his chin on Levi’s shoulder and they got on with their sleepy, post-sex shower.

\--

And it pretty much went without saying at this point, but Levi did end up fighting his old man sleepiness to give Eren his proper aftercare, and Mommy and Daddy cuddled each other to sleep.

They wouldn’t have it any other way.

 


	70. La Femme Fatale

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Happy Sunday, I'm back for now! Thanks to those who gave me good wishes in my absence! 
> 
> And reader vampirekitty34 very kindly made a lookbook for Levi's aesthetic in this story... please check it out! I absolutely love it!:  
> http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/set?id=217066975
> 
> Have some jealous, twitchy Eren, and a blast from Levi's past.
> 
> And please leave me a comment after reading!

“Don’t go easy on me.”

“I won’t.”

“Levi, I’m serious.”

“I heard you, darling.”

“Okay. Here we go.”

Eren’s face immediately went red and he gripped the table with his other hand as he put all his force into pushing against Levi’s arm.

They sat at the table, and it was Eren’s idea to arm-wrestle after dinner. He’s had a few people annihilate him at this activity- Reiner and Mikasa, previously, but he was determined to succeed at least once.

Levi was his next subject.

He knew Levi lifted weights, and was strong enough to carry him- a twenty-year-old, grown man- with ease, but… how hard could it be?

He’d just eaten, so he should be full of energy and ready to go.

Eren ducked his head and grunted as he tried with all his might to budge this immovable force, but it was like the more strength he exerted, the more Levi seemed to absorb all the power.

Eren groaned and exhaled and even reached out to use a second hand to push Levi’s arm down, but he just. Couldn’t! Seem! To! Do! It!

Levi didn’t even mind that Eren was cheating because it didn’t really make a difference. He planted his elbow on the table and rested his chin on his hand as he watched Eren struggle for victory.

“Levi!”

“Yes?”

“I told you to actually try!” Eren huffed. He watched how bored and unchallenged Levi seemed, and the way his bicep popped with a few veins, but he didn’t seem to be working too hard.

Eren sat back down properly and tried to focus in his mental energy to pull through. His grip on Levi’s hand was tight and sweaty.

And just as easily as Levi was able to hold him back, he exerted an atom of energy, and Eren’s arm was bent backward and slammed down to the table. An effortless defeat.

Eren sighed. “Well… you did try, like I asked.”

Levi reached for Eren’s hand and stroked his thumb over it. “It was a valiant effort,” he consoled.

Eren watched and waited with a mischievous smile for Levi to get up from the table and begin to walk away.

He silently got out of his own seat as well, and he dashed up from behind and tackled Levi’s back.

“ATTACK!” he squealed.

Levi laughed and grabbed onto his thighs. “Is this your revenge?”

But Eren should’ve thought this through, because most of his attacks resulted in a well-known punishment.

“Oh, no,” Eren held on tighter as their course changed to the couch.

“’Oh, no’?” Levi repeated. “It seems like you never learn.”

“Levi, I just ate… I can’t right now. I’m defenseless… have mercy. Find it in your heart.”

“Excuses, excuses…”

Levi pinned Eren down on the couch and kept him there by sitting on his hips. And just like he’s done so many times, he tickled Eren senseless.

Perhaps this will be the time Eren learns that his attacks have consequences.

\--

On the company’s private jet, Eren and Armin were studying hard at the conference table. Eren’s blue headphones were on, clashing a bit with his dashing black suit, and Armin had a blanket thrown over his shoulders as he worked on his essay.

Just because they were on their way to a black-tie dinner, didn’t mean they had time to slack off before finals.

Levi and Erwin, on the other hand, were having some champagne together to loosen up before the event.

\--

At the event hall, they were escorted into the main entrance, and were given instructions by the host to help find their seats.

Not even twenty steps into the building, there were already people flocking to Levi and Erwin to greet them and have a conversation.

Eren and Armin went along to find something else to do, but not before giving Levi a secret pat on the butt, and Erwin a squeeze of the hand, respectively.

Armin pointed to the ceiling, where long tails of sheer white fabric draped and dipped from one end of the entrance to the other. Strung below them were strings of glittering white lights that provided mirth and joy to the otherwise muted and classy monochrome theme of the event.

And along the room, gigantic white pillars stood tall and solid, and because Christmas was right around the corner, mistletoe and evergreens were scattered about amongst the Roman era-esque statues. Half-naked mythological figures stood with cloths draped loosely over their hips and shoulders.

Eren draped an arm around Armin’s shoulders as they walked through and inspected the décor. As they approached the dining hall, they noticed a live band on the stage, tuning their instruments. It reminded him of Farlan, who would be performing at another event that would happen in a few days.

“Gentlemen?” a server found them and held out a plate of appetizers.

Armin took one and chewed on it. “Thank you.”

Eren took one, too, and smiled at the server. When he dipped into the sauce and chewed, he furrowed his eyebrows. “Mm. What are these called?” he asked.

“This is blackened shrimp served with garlic aioli.”

“I like it!”

The server smiled at Eren. He could tell he was one of the younger guests. “I’m glad to hear that, sir.”

Eren took one more before letting the server go.

\--

Before dinner, there was ample time to walk around and socialize with other guests.

Armin was speaking to some of Erwin’s acquaintances, and like Eren was so used to seeing, they were impressed by his ideas and way of speaking. They clung onto every word.

Since he’s socialized with a good handful of people himself, and was starting to feel a bit bored, he walked around the hall to try to find Levi. Hopefully people will have left him alone for a second.

But scoping out the crowd to locate Levi as if he were a red dot on a radar, he found that his man was sitting near the wall. And he couldn’t make out her face from here, but the woman sitting next to him was holding his shoulder as she kissed him on the cheek.

Eren felt a tinge of what he first thought was jealousy.

But he ruled ‘jealousy’ out when he tried to think of what exactly was bothering him. He’s seen women at events kiss Levi on the cheek _dozens and dozens_ of times. It was the equivalent of a handshake for the upper-class, so as time went on, Eren didn’t think twice about it. Hell, even _he’s_ received his fair share of kisses on the cheek from the ladies, but for different reasons; most women just knew him as Levi’s adorable little sidepiece. Although, that was beside the point.

But that woman… the way she held and caressed Levi’s shoulder with a touch that seemed all too familiar, and how her kiss upon his cheek lasted for three milliseconds longer than the norm had Eren heated.

He took a deep breath. Was he threatened? Was he just being protective? _Was he really, in fact, just jealous?_

Eren tried not to let these petty feelings dampen his spirit. Tonight was supposed to be about letting loose and having a good time. She was just another woman. Maybe she knew Levi personally. It was probably no big deal.

_Just another woman._

He knew for a fact that Levi wouldn’t return those gestures to her, anyway.

But who _was_ that woman!?

At any rate, Eren shook it off and walked away to occupy himself while Levi was finishing up with la femme fatale _. Enjoy it while you can, lady,_ Eren scoffed in his mind, _because that man is taken as fuck. By none other than yours-fucking-truly._

He found Armin once more, and they proceeded to get a little closer to the live band. Now that their instruments were out and tuned, the small orchestral quartet played a sweet melody while the vocalist, a lady in a long, simple, purple chiffon gown began her piece. It sounded like a different language. Perhaps Italian. As she sung, she made eye contact and smiled at Eren and Armin in between rests.

A server approached them for another offering of hors d’oevres. Through all the distractions, Eren couldn’t seem to shake off the memory of that lady who was greeting Levi.

Speaking of which, surely Levi would be done with her by now. He excused himself from Armin momentarily to get to the bottom of this mystery that was gnawing at him.

He made his way back to that far wall from before. And lo and behold, she was still there.

La femme fatale.

Rather than sitting, though, Levi and the mystery woman were standing now. And even still, she was standing way too close than Eren was comfortable with.

A small bout of rage erupted in his blood. Armin was telling him some time ago about how he had to deal with Erwin unknowingly attracting flocks of women at events, and the discussion the two of them had to deal with it.

But he wasn’t Armin. He wasn’t patient, and he didn’t bide his time to figure things out. He wasn’t ‘think first, act later’.

He was potential future detective Eren Jaeger, who explored all possibilities within seconds upon sight, and then itched internally to get to the bottom of it.

He was way too irritated to let them part ways before asking Levi who that woman was, exactly.

And as he confidently marched up to the two of them, he yanked back the leash of his anger for a moment. He might have been miffed, but with all his experience at parties and events, and also the fact that he was dating a classy, polite CEO, he knew how to play the etiquette game as well.

As he got closer, he could hear that they were in the middle of a conversation. In French, not English. Of course Jessica Rabbit here would speak French. And as he got even closer, he realized this woman was fucking tall. And not just because she was standing next to Levi. She had at least a foot on himself, easily.

He bumped Levi’s hip and placed a possessive arm on his shoulder, and he looked la femme fatale square in the eyes.

He could give a rat’s ass that he was blatantly about to interrupt their conversation.

He extended a hand out. “Hello, my name is Eren Jaeger. With whom do I have the pleasure?”

Eren could almost _feel_ Levi’s impressed smirk besides him. Eren was absolutely adorable when he was like this.

And Eren was not done playing the etiquette game yet. He was going to charm the pants- er, dress- off this woman if it meant finding out why she thought it was acceptable to flirt with his man.

Step one of greeting a woman: Never ask her name before giving out your own. Check.

Step two: Extend a hand out, slowly, palm-up. The woman shall lay her hand upon it.

This was not only a way of distinguishing between the way men shook hands- gruff and quick- it was also a strategic courting game. When the lady places her hand upon an extended hand, it gives the gentleman the opportunity to see whether or not she had a wedding ring on her finger. His behavior from then on would be determined by this information.

Jessica Rabbit lay her hand on Eren’s extended one. Right away, Eren got an eyeful of her gigantic, sparkling engagement ring. That cost of that diamond could probably feed a village in Africa. _Shit, it could probably feed a good portion of Trost,_ Eren thought wryly.

_…Huh._

“The pleasure is mine, Mr. Jaeger. My name is Alyssa.” Her voice was soothing and milky at the same time- unintentionally seductive.

La femme fatale had a name, it seemed. _Alyssa…_

Step three: Squeeze- do not shake- the lady’s hand. Check.

Despite his polite words, Eren did not smile. Alyssa, however slightly shocked she seemed that someone interrupted her conversation with Levi, smiled at him gently.

“What a charming young man…” Alyssa purred. “Are you an intern of Levi’s?”

Eren almost snorted. “I’m his _boyfriend_ -“ he made sure to enunciate the word very clearly- “actually.”

Levi stayed quiet, allowing Eren to introduce himself to his liking. He couldn’t lie, this was quite entertaining.

And even through all this, Eren still didn’t know who the fuck Alyssa was, exactly.

There was a moment of silence between them after Eren stated his relation to Levi. Alyssa raised a perfectly arched eyebrow curiously.

And when Eren used the moment to really look at Alyssa, he was speechless. He was glad neither of them were talking.

Her almond-shaped eyes were green as well, not bright and sparkly like his, though, but a snake-like, jungle green. Heavy lids were made more mysterious with dark, smoky eyeshadow. Her lips were shapely and plush, kind of like Levi’s, and it was colored in classic red rouge lipstick.

Past her long, graceful neck, not unlike a gazelle’s, her thin chandelier dangling earrings caught the light and glittered subtly. They reached and touched her shoulders.

Her hair was a dark almost-brunette, but it had a complex red undertone. Almost purple, in this light. And it cascaded and tumbled in loose waves over her shoulder, past her collarbones, and down to her chest.

Eren blushed when he realized he was staring. The heart-shaped cut of her gown showed off her full breasts and left little to the imagination. Eren moved his gaze down her body quickly.

The ribs of her form-fitting black gown were artfully cut out, giving a subtle flash of her pure, ivory skin. And she had that sucked-in waist that any man would die to hold. And then her hips… curvy and a final touch to complete the perfect 36-24-36 ratio that men were wired to recognize right away, since even the primitive ages. Eren was no exception.

That black gown that hugged Alyssa’s hips, and then flowed down loosely like a mermaid’s tail at her calves was, to put it simply, stunning. Much like Levi’s suits looked like they were made just for him, Alyssa’s dress had her name imprinted on it.

Eren, his eyes still furrowed from inspecting Alyssa up and down- a moment, really, but it felt like an eternity of silence- looked back up to her face.

It seemed he was too consumed by his anger to realize how tongue-tyingly gorgeous Alyssa was.

Eren remembered the bombshell that dropped on the conversation before the silence between them: _I’m Levi’s boyfriend._ He didn’t know how she’d react. With how much it seemed like she was flirting with him, perhaps she’d be angry to know that Levi was taken by another man.

But Alyssa laughed.

It was a low, refined laugh. Her earrings shook a little, and her mouth curved up into a mysterious smile.

“So that’s who you are,” she mused. She didn’t seem angry in the least bit. Quite the opposite, actually… she seemed rather entertained.

She looked to Levi again, who’s stayed silent through Eren’s entire introduction. “Why didn’t you tell me about Mr. Jaeger?” she seemed genuinely disappointed. “How long did you intend to keep him a secret from me?” Her tone with Levi was still kind of flirty, but at this point, Eren assumed that was just her personality.

But her tone also very comfortable, almost like a mother figure, to Levi.

_Just who was this woman!?_

“Well, with all the catching up, and the fact that you, Alyssa, would not let me get a word in edge-wise since you found me, would explain quite a lot.” Levi’s tone was friendlier and also quite different than the one he used with any other stranger. As time went on, Eren was left with more questions than answers. “You’ve always been a hurricane of a conversationalist.”

Alyssa pouted, still upset about not knowing about Eren sooner. “So harsh, Levi.”

Levi turned to a still-confused Eren. “And since Alyssa is getting quite the kick out of this cat-and-mouse game-“

Alyssa laughed mischievously again.

“-I’ll just go ahead and tell you, darling. Alyssa is my ex-girlfriend.”

Eren was flabbergasted for a second. And then it all made sense: The lingering kiss on the cheek; the way Alyssa touched and spoke to Levi, despite being married; how she would’ve known that Levi spoke French.

It just all made sense.

And it also looked like Levi had a type: Tall people with dark hair and stunning eyes that were the colors of jewels.

But Eren still couldn’t tell if that changed anything. He and Levi discussed their exes, as well as their romantic and sexual histories with each other. Levi admitted that he had several one-night stands, but only two women that he actually had relationships with. And it seemed Alyssa was one of the two.

Eren felt angry and yucky again. Of course Levi wouldn’t have dated an average woman. Of course he had this Jessica Rabbit, model-type lady at his arm. And it was a fleeting thought, but Eren somehow couldn’t let his mind dwell on the fact that Levi probably- no, most definitely- had sex with Alyssa.

And he was very confident in himself now, but he also felt a tinge of insecurity. Alyssa really did make Eren feel like an Average Joe, even though Levi made it crystal fucking clear time and time again that he was the only one for him, in all aspects.

Eren knew that he was the only one who could please and satisfy Levi, and that he had Levi’s once-guarded heart in the palm of his hands, so really, it would make sense that Alyssa was just that- an ex. He needed to brush it off and stop letting these intrusive thoughts get in the way.

And yet, he still couldn’t help but feel overprotective and jealous. He just couldn’t.

Eren wasn’t going to lie, there was a part of him that wanted to throw all manners out the window because of how annoyed he was, but just like Levi, he now had a reputation at these events. It would be polite, young gentleman Eren Jaeger for now.

“Ex-girlfriend, huh?” Eren repeated flatly. He seemed unamused with Alyssa all over again. He took his arm off Levi’s shoulder. And now, he also felt a bit awkward. Running into your partner’s exes didn’t really have an instruction manual.

And it seemed Alyssa picked up on Eren’s distress, because she reached out and touched his arm. “Eren. Come with me. I want to get to know you.”

“Levi Ackerman!” a stranger’s voice called as he approached them. Levi turned and held his hand out for a shake, and it wasn’t long before he and the stranger were immersed in conversation.

With Levi occupied, Alyssa prompted Eren once more to follow her to a table. He obliged with a sigh, and began to walk.

When Alyssa turned and began to lead the way, Eren noticed her gown didn’t have any fabric covering her back. No, all he was able to see was her alluring bare skin, and a collection of delicate chains draping down from her shoulder straps. Much like her earrings, they shimmered and caught the light.

 _What an interesting dress_ , Eren thought to himself.

Alyssa found an empty table a little ways away from the loud crowd in the main hall, and it was much quieter and calmer in this area.

As soon as they sat, another server came by with a tray of bubbling gold-colored champagne, and she held it out in offering.

Alyssa looked at Eren. “How old are you, darling?”

It was just like his and Levi’s first date, when Levi asked him how old he was when they were first offered alcohol together. Alyssa and Levi were alike, in that way.

“Twenty.”

Alyssa looked back to the server and held up a manicured hand in denial for the drinks. Also like Levi, she chose not to drink in front of him, even when presented with the option.

Eren glanced at her hand. She had pornstar nails. He was sure that wasn’t its true name, but that’s what he called the style in his head. He would ask Levi what they were called later.

With the server gone, Alyssa sat closer in her seat and gazed at Eren with her hand resting beneath her chin.

“Tell me about yourself, Mr. Eren Jaeger. Are you a student?” her voice was so incredibly smooth and alluring, and despite Eren still being annoyed by her, her voice made him feel at ease.

Though Alyssa was being friendly, Eren almost felt like he was being interrogated. She went out of her way to ask him questions, and they were in a rather isolated place with no distractions.

“Yup.” But then Eren punched himself mentally. ’Yup’ ruined the classy young gentleman act he put on earlier to charm her into finding out why she was flirting with Levi. Well, now that he knew exactly who she was, he might as well start acting like himself again. “I go to Trost University.”

Alyssa’s dark, dangerous eyes flashed amusedly. “That’s where I went!” she encouraged. But rather than elaborating, she turned it back to Eren. “What are you studying?”

“Criminal Justice.”

Alyssa leaned her head to one side slowly and gasped, almost unheard. “ _Fascinating_ ,” she breathed. “Do you enjoy it? That is an amazing field.”

Eren could feel himself start to ease around her. Which he hated. _Why the fuck was he getting along with his man’s ex?_

But she didn’t give him a reason yet to dislike her. He would roll with the punches for now.

He smiled. “I really do love it. I love psychology and understanding what drives criminals to do what they do. The world isn’t black and white, like the criminal justice system would lead you to believe. I like learning about that gray area.”

Alyssa was enraptured by his words, and she gazed at him more intensely. “Tell me about this gray area, Eren.”

Eren smiled even wider. Alyssa seemed genuinely interested in what he had to say. He got more comfortable in his seat. “Well, I was saying how there were reasons that criminals do what they do,” he began. “But more times than people know, not all crime is about revenge. Or anger. It can be so, so much more.

Personal issues, like mental illness, childhood trauma, and a missing piece in development can cause friction while pursuing the hierarchy of needs-“ Eren paused for a second- “Do you know about Maslow?”

“The name rings a bell from a Psychology 101 class I took way back when.”

“A bell? That would be Pavlov,” Eren joked.

They both laughed together, and Eren could really feel himself warming up to her.

When he collected himself, he continued. “Well, a guy called Abraham Maslow had a theory that in order for people to achieve transcendence- pure content- they would need to go through different levels to get there. The bottom of the pyramid is more basic, primal needs like food, water, shelter. That kinda stuff. As you go up the pyramid, the needs become more psycho-social. Acceptance from peers. Self-esteem.”

Alyssa nodded slowly in understanding as she listened.

“So a criminal, for example, probably never felt content. Could be for various reasons. Negative past trauma. Anything. So, he would do something- kill, steal, rape. Psychologically, he feels better. His ego is inflated. He has something that makes him feel powerful. In control. He wants more. We’re all trying to reach transcendence. A criminal is no exception. But the law dictates if our methods are a threat to society and the public good. It’s complicated. But I like complicated…” Eren began thinking out loud now. “Things are never black and white. And that’s why I love studying Criminal Justice.”

“That’s an amazing thought process, darling.” Alyssa looked at Eren in that same way Levi did whenever he explained something. It was like adoration. And she called him ‘darling’, just like Levi did. They were so incredibly alike. “What are you striving to be in the future? A federal agent? A behavior analyst?”

“I’m keeping my options open, but detective work is calling my name for now.”

“Keeping your options open is an excellent idea,” Alyssa nodded sagely. “I wish my younger self would have taken that advice.”

Eren cocked his head to the side. Even still, all he really knew about Alyssa was that she was Levi’s ex. “Um… tell me something about you, Alyssa?” Eren asked. “What, umm…”

Eren was very good at conversation and asking questions when it came to any old stranger at these events, but what could he ask Alyssa? _What was life like while you were dating my hubby??_

“What do you do?” Eren asked gently. _Yeah. That’s a good start._

“I’m the head of a cosmetics company. Actually, Survey Corp. shares stock in my company. That’s how I met Levi.”

Eren nodded. “Cosmetics. Like… makeup?”

“Precisely.”

“Ohhh,” Eren breathed. _Yeah, that made sense._ Alyssa seemed like she took beauty and physical appearance very seriously. _I mean, look at her._ “Was there, like, a makeup program when you went to TU?”

Alyssa smiled at him. “Oh, no. I started out as a law student. My parents pushed me into it. I didn’t hate it, but…” Alyssa spoke unhurriedly, and she really took her time choosing her words, “I didn’t love it. There was one thing I did know for certain- I didn’t want to practice law my whole life. It just wasn’t for me.”

Eren frowned a bit.

Alyssa continued. “I had a passion for makeup since I was a young girl. I loved all the different products and looks and emotions one could create. And I experimented on my own time. When I approached my parents and told them that I’d like to go to beauty school to make a career out of it, they laughed.”

Eren’s heart squeezed. _Damn, when was the happy ending going to come along?_

“But I knew that if I really wanted to make a career out of my passion, I would have to work against the odds. It took a lot of putting myself out there… years of making connections and investing in my brand, all while going to school. I did end up getting a degree in law to appease my parents, but between you and me, I’m prouder that I started my company from scratch.”

Eren was wrong about Alyssa. She wasn’t the flirty, trophy wife woman he thought she was at first sight. Her story was very inspirational.

“How did you meet Levi?” Eren asked.

Alyssa smiled at him. “I was just getting there, Eren. While my company was in its beginning stages, I felt that my growth was beginning to plateau. I needed more exposure, and frankly, some financial aid would do wonders. A friend referred me to Levi- they said he had a talent for making small companies skyrocket in success. So I reached out to him. To be honest, I was just looking for some marketing advice and an investment, but after telling Levi my story, he… felt inspired enough to take more matters into his own hands. He helped me recreate my entire brand- he made it better. He met with me often to teach me ways to climb to the global, corporate level. He taught me how to expand my company without losing sight of my vision, which I think is where a lot of household names go wrong these days. But, I digress.”

Eren listened in awe.

“And in the process of Levi helping me build my company, I…” Alyssa looked at the table wistfully and shook her head ever so softly, “fell in love with him, Eren. I don’t even need to explain why. You already know how wonderful and generous he is.”

Eren nodded in agreement. The regret in her voice would probably be explained by what she had to say next.

“We dated for almost two years. One day I had brought up the idea of marriage, and right then and there, he sat me down to talk. He said we needed to go our separate ways. He told me that he was too pre-occupied with his goals, and that he was unable to fulfill me in the ways that I needed. I guess for me, that fulfillment was marriage.”

Eren was actually saddened. This was like a script to a really good screenplay. 

“Though I was devastated, I understood. The fact that he was honest about his feelings was very honorable. Any other man would avoid the issue, but Levi was chivalrous enough to spare my feelings and give me a chance to move on. Which, over time- over a very, _very_ long time- I did.”

Alyssa gazed at her engagement ring. “And I’m happily married now, but I still have nothing but love and respect for Levi. That man changed my life. And although it’s strange to hear this from me, the ex-woman-“ she looked back to Eren with those enchanting dark green eyes of hers- “I’m absolutely elated that you came into his life. This is the happiest I’ve ever seen him.”

Eren seemed to hear that line from a lot of people.

Alyssa reached out and took Eren’s hand, scratching her manicured pornstar nails over it gently. It was such a soft, motherly gesture. “I’m glad that you were able to give him the happiness that I couldn’t. That man deserves nothing but the best.”

She seemed really genuine and confident in her words. Eren took the kind words wholly.

“Thanks for saying that, Alyssa.”

“I don’t say a word that I don’t mean, my darling Mr. Jaeger,” she said in that alluring voice.

Eren ended up spending the majority of the evening talking with Alyssa, even staying at her party’s table for dinner to keep having their conversation. Levi was right; she really was a hurricane of a conversationalist.

\--

“Alright,” Alyssa started. “As much as I’ve enjoyed our time together, Eren, and as much as I’d like to keep you by my side for longer, I’m sure your party is starting to miss you.”

“I’ve enjoyed our time together, too,” Eren said. And he meant it. He considered Alyssa a new friend, not just Levi’s ex. Through the course of the evening, he got to know her personally, and it was as if he unlocked a part of Levi’s past. And likewise, Alyssa just had to take it upon herself to learn all about Levi’s cute boyfriend.

“You’re an adorable, bright, passionate young man,” Alyssa said. “I really hope our paths cross again in the future. Please keep Levi happy for me.”

She stepped closer, and wrapped her arms around him gently for a hug. She held his head close to her chest, and Eren blushed again. Her breasts were really soft like a pillow, and her skin smelled like flowers and vanilla.

Eren was very convinced that Levi was a bona fide ass-man, but Alyssa’s chest planted an inkling of doubt about that statement. Perhaps he was a tits-man back in the day.

When the hug was over, Alyssa took Eren’s face. And, without further notice, she planted a firm smooch on his cheek- not unlike the one she gave Levi at the beginning of the night.

Eren looked down to the floor, and his face burned red again. _Stop blushing, idiot!_ Ex or not, he still couldn’t deny that Alyssa was a beautiful woman.

Alyssa touched his chin. “Good night, my darling.”

“’Night.”

He watched Alyssa turn on her heel and saunter away, her hips swaying as she walked.

Eren turned around, too, and began his search for Levi again.

Luckily, people had stopped swamping Levi for a chat, and now he was sitting alone at a chair at the edge of the hall. He was drinking a glass of something.

“Found you, hubby.” Eren sat on the chair beside him and turned so that their knees were touching.

“Eren. I missed you at dinner, sweetheart.” Upon gazing at Eren’s face, Levi’s eyebrows furrowed a bit. Eren cocked his head to the side slightly.

“It seems you were just with Alyssa.” Levi found that she had left her mark on Eren’s cheek with a faint red print from her lipstick. After putting his drink down, he fished out a handkerchief from his breast pocket and shook it open, and proceeded to wipe away the print from Eren’s cheek. “What a handful…” he sighed quietly, just like whenever Isabel and Farlan came over at the apartment. But from his tone, it was obvious that he harbored no ill will towards her, and that even to this day, they still respected and supported each other.

Eren could not say the same about his exes. Maybe it was just an age thing.

“I really like her, Levi. I was quick to judge her, but after we got to know each other, I can see what you saw in her. She’s an amazing lady.”

“She is, isn’t she?” Levi agreed gently. “She assumes the best in people.”

He left it at that, but Eren could tell that Levi was vaguely referring to himself.

With Alyssa’s lipstick mark removed, Eren leaned forward to rest his head on Levi’s shoulder. “I’m getting kinda spent. I might sleep on the jet.”

Levi tucked a lock of hair behind Eren’s ear, and rubbed his earlobe soothingly. “I’m becoming rather spent, too. The socializing takes a lot out of me.”

Eren looked up with a cheeky grin. “What do you say we ditch this party and go somewhere a little more private?” he wagged his eyebrows mischievously.

“Mr. Jaeger, behave,” Levi warned lowly, but his lips were curled up in a smile.

Eren giggled and reached up to peck a kiss on Levi’s jaw before getting up. “I’m gonna go find Armin.”

\--

“Erwin, my good friend! I didn’t think I’d run into ya tonight!”

A stout man with colored glasses and a rough city accent approached them. Armin watched as the two of them shook hands warmly, and he waited for his turn.

“And who’s this?” The man shook Armin’s hand next, so hard that Armin’s whole arm shook weakly from the strength. It was like that with a lot of people who greeted him. “You an intern?”

Armin giggled. “No, but I get that a lot.”

“This,” Erwin introduced proudly and he looked down in admiration, “is my boyfriend, Armin. Armin, this is my good friend, Giovanni.”

“Armin!” Giovanni’s voice boomed again. “How d’ya like the place? Good food? Good music?”

“Yeah, I’m really enjoying it. Music’s great. Live music pulls any event together.”

“Couldn’ta said it better myself!” Giovanni said. He laughed loudly, baring his blinding white teeth, and shaking his hairy chest.

“Working on something currently?” Erwin asked. “Or are you in between projects?”

“Erwin, me n’ you don’t really ever take breaks. I’m not even done with my current shoot and I’m already casting for the next one!”

Giovanni looked at Armin. “Hmm. How old are you, buddy?”

“I’m twenty.”

“But you look way younger,” Giovanni figured out loud. “And that’s exactly what I need.”

Armin looked at him curiously.

“How wouldja like to be in a music video, kid?”

Armin blinked. “A-A music video?”

“I’m a producer for a record label. I’m drawing up a vision for a rap video shoot. Fun and goofy. Not too heavy. I need a centerpiece for the video.” Giovanni held his hands up and made a director’s frame around Armin’s face with his fingers. “A young man that looks like an innocent kid. That’s what I need. And when I need something, I get it. You’re perfect for the story. What do ya say?”

Armin was still wondering how all this came about in the first twenty seconds of talking to Giovanni. Erwin knew some very interesting people.

He was basically casted on the spot.

A rap music video was very contradictory to Armin’s demeanor. He really did look sweet and innocent. But he did like music, and he was not a half when he rapped along to songs on the radio. It would be a new experience to say the least.

And though Giovanni was technically asking Armin if he was on board, he was really looking at Erwin for permission.

Erwin seemed a bit dubious. He didn’t want to expose Armin to raunchy stereotypes that surrounded these videos.

“It’s nothing too intimate or risqué,” Giovanni assured Erwin. “He’ll basically just sit and look pretty. I won’t make him do anything uncomfortable. Like I said, it’s all very fun and goofy. I’ll have my girls do all the work. What do ya say, Erwin?”

Erwin thought for a second.

“You can even come on set and watch the whole shoot if it’ll make ya feel better.”

Erwin squeezed Armin’s shoulder. “I don’t mind. If Armin would like to participate, I’ll support him through and through.”

Armin looked back up at him eagerly.

Giovanni looked at Armin hopefully.

“Sure, I’d like to be a part of it, Giovanni! My very first music video!”

Giovanni closed his eyes and made a small thankful prayer to the heavens. “Gio always gets what he wants.”

Armin giggled. _What a character…_

“You’ll have a blast, Armin. I’ll have someone send you all the details. I’m feeling real good about this.” Giovanni seemed giddy and excitable that his vision was coming to fruition.

“One thing, though, Gio…” Armin said.

“Hm?”

“Is it okay if I bring a friend?”

“Sure. I’ll fit him in somewhere. No prob.”

“Yay! I’m looking forward to it!”

Giovanni began to take his leave, and he took Erwin’s hand again. “Always a pleasure, my friend.”

Erwin gave him a quick warning look. “I’ve seen your other work, Gio. I’m trusting you with him. Do we have an understanding?”

Giovanni boomed into laughter again. “Yessir!” He shook Armin’s hand once more, and then made his leave.

“That man…” Erwin sighed and shook his head.

“He’s like a cartoon character,” Armin giggled.

Erwin laughed and held him close. “He sure is. His personality is larger than life.”

They walked around the hall and discussed some of the art works that were hung up. Approaching a relatively empty place, Armin snaked his arms around Erwin’s waist and looked up with big blue eyes. “Erwinnn… I’m sleepy now.”

Erwin ran his fingers through long blond locks. “I know you are, pumpkin. We’ll call it a night soon.”

“Hey, there you are!” Eren’s voice was heard from a distance.

Armin turned his head, still clinging tightly to Erwin, and he grinned at Eren. “Hey! We missed you at dinner. I saw you talking to that very pretty lady.”

“Yeah, you’ll never guess who she was… Levi’s ex!”

Armin’s eyes widened and he let go of Erwin’s waist. “What!? No way! What was she like?”

A man had approached Erwin and sucked him into conversation, so Armin took Eren’s arm and walked them.

“I hated her guts at first, because I didn’t like the way she kissed Levi on the cheek, but when I got to know her, I have to admit she’s awesome. Did you know she went to TU, just like us? ”

“Wow…” Armin mused.

“And she had those pornstar nails. Not really sure their real name.”

“Pornstar nails,” Armin repeated while he thought.

“Yeah, they were, like, shiny, but the white nail part was square, if that makes sense?”

“Like, umm… a French manicure? I don’t know the name of any other style. I’m just guessing.”

Eren took out his phone and looked up and image of a French manicure. “Yeah, these were her nails! Apparently they’re not called ‘pornstar nails’.”

“I don’t know how many pornos you’ve watched where so many girls had those nails.”

“Every time I used to watch lesbian porn, they all had those nails. So I put two and two together.”

“Okay, Mister Two-and-Two. You’re an idiot.”

“But you still love me.”

Armin sighed in defeat. “I do. But to be honest,” he brought the discussion back to topic, “I’m not sure I could find it in myself to get along with Erwin’s exes. I’m possessive like that.”

“Did Erwin tell you about Marie yet?”

“Yeah. Can’t say I’d be friendly with her if I ever met her, though. …What a bitch.”

“Whoa, watch your mouth, young man!” Eren looked at him with exasperation.

Armin giggled and punched Eren in the arm. “Shut up, Eren. You cuss like a sailor.”

“You think it’s bad now? You should see me when I’m bustin’ it open every which way for my man in bed.”

“Not interested, and this conversation is over,” Armin pretended to cover his ears.

Eren took Armin into a hug and laughed maniacally. “You’re so adorable, Armin. I’m gonna protect you forever. My lil’ baby bird.”

Armin realized he forgot to tell Eren what just happened with Gio. “Wait, Eren!” he gushed.

Eren released him from the hug and listened curiously.

“While we’re talking about people we’ve met tonight, I met one of Erwin’s friends, who’s a producer for a record label. He casted me for his next rap video he’s working on.”

“Wow, you’re getting famous, Arm! Look at you.”

“It gets better! I asked if I could bring a friend, and he said yes! So, wanna join me? I’m not gonna have much fun without you anyway.”

Eren grinned and wrapped an arm around Armin’s shoulder. “’Course I’ll come with you. I’ve never been a music video before.”

“Yay!”

Eren’s pocket vibrated. He fished his phone out and read the message as he twirled a strand of Armin’s hair around his finger. Levi:

_Ready to leave, baby? I think it’s time for all of us to call it a night._

_Very ready,_ Eren replied.

Erwin found the two of them again. “I think it’s about time to call it a night, boys.”

\--

On the private jet, Eren had put on his headphones and was still able to sleep through the music thumping in his ears, which Levi was amused by. Eren could sleep through World War lll.

He took off his suit jacket and placed it over Eren’s body in case he became cold.

The cabin’s lights were turned off, and the only illumination came from the tiny lights that dotted the ceiling. Levi went to the minibar and poured himself some whiskey.

He passed the seat where Erwin was asleep and seated, holding a blanketed, curled-up, snoozing Armin in his arms.

Sitting down at his own plush seat with a groan, he crossed his legs and gazed out the window. The colorful flow of traffic from the cars below looked soothing against the dark sky.

Tonight had a plot twist, what with Alyssa also attending the event. He was deeply relieved that Eren was able to get along with her eventually. He still considered himself good friends with Alyssa, and they were business partners anyway. Eren was not the easiest person to be around while he was upset or irritated.

He still had feelings for Alyssa. Not really romantically anymore, but they shared a very detrimental part of their lives. It was because he wasn’t wholly satisfied with her that he was able to find and fall in love with Eren much later, so in a way, he was thankful to her. If he had went against his gut and married Alyssa, he just never wouldn’t have been completely happy.

And in the end, he was glad that Alyssa was able to find someone that could fulfill her in the ways he couldn’t. Her husband was a good man. Levi was invited to and attended their wedding. And as awkward as Alyssa’s and Levi’s relationship _should_ have been now, it just wasn’t. They were on good terms and still respected each other.

What more could Levi ask for? He took a sip from his drink and sighed softly. _What a night._ He couldn’t wait to go home… and get into bed… and hold Eren in his arms as he drifted away.


	71. Contradictions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Happy Sunday!!
> 
> This whole chapter takes place in bed. No, not sexually, you pervs. (lol I'm joking... I'm a perv, too.) I was feeling really sappy lately and I challenged myself to write one really long scene. This is the odd result. I hope you like it. It's not too plot-heavy. I'm still planning.
> 
> Please leave me a comment when you're done reading to tell me your thoughts.

Eren had a sweet dream.

It wasn’t a surprise. Levi usually murmured something lovely into his ears whenever they got into bed together; something like, “Sweet dreams, baby.” Or, “Good night, darling boy.”

And Eren was in such a good mood, that he was feeling playful and giggly. When he sat up to stretch and yawn, he found that Levi was still snoozing face-down beside him.

He gazed at his back dreamily. It rose and fell with each breath he took. And the glossy back hair over his undercut was splayed out messily over the pillow.

Levi liked to sleep stomach-down, and sometimes even face-down. It was actually a bit endearing.

Eren scooted closer and rubbed Levi’s back. Levi must’ve been very tired from the night before to not acknowledge it.

So Eren tried something else. He peeled back the covers to get more personal. He hooked a leg over Levi’s body to hover over him, and he slipped his hands into his shirt to begin dragging his nails ever so lightly along the toned muscles there.

Now, Levi was starting to come awake. He sighed softly and smiled into his pillow.

Eren loved that Levi allowed himself to be touched. Pretty much all the people who knew him in his earlier life had relayed that Levi was not the most affectionate or emotionally responsive person during his youth. But now, Levi had made leaps and bounds.

And it only took a lovely soul named Eren to get him there.

Eren kept scratching Levi’s back silently as he thought about these things. He didn’t force Levi to get up. Actually, he was kind of in the mood to stay in this bed all morning.

Levi groaned lightly into his pillow. Eren’s touch was simply a treat to wake up to.

Eren leaned over closer to speak into Levi’s ear. “Good morning, hubby. You awake?”

“Mm.” Levi’s voice cracked a bit.

Eren sat back up and straddled Levi’s butt, and began massaging Levi’s back. He rolled out and squeezed sleep-stiffened muscles.

Levi curled his arms under his pillow and just tried to let himself enjoy the moment. The way his mind functioned, considering his career, was ‘work, then receive reward’. With Eren, he never really felt that he needed to go through that first step.

-

Half an hour later, Eren unmounted Levi and got back beneath the covers in his side of the bed.

Levi turned his head so that he could finally get a proper look at the inevitable smile Eren would have on. “Come here, you.”

Eren scooted closer into Levi’s open arm, receiving an abundance of kisses to his face.

“How’d you sleep, babydoll?”

“I had a really good dream…”

“Tell me about your dream.”

Eren scooted his pillow closer so that they were looking each other in the eyes, only inches apart. “I was flying. I don’t remember much else.”

“Mmm.”

Eren reached over and stroked Levi’s cheek, running his fingers over it slowly. “How did you sleep?”

“I slept very well. No getting up at the ass-crack of dawn today.”

“You’re trapped with me this morning. I’m not gonna let you go.”

Levi shifted around a bit to take Eren into both of his arms, and pressed their chests flush against each other. “Is that supposed to be a punishment?” he whispered.

Eren was in the mood for some early-morning pillow talk. “I love you,” he whispered back.

“And I love you.”

“You’re very handsome. Even in the morning.”

“What did I do to deserve you, Eren?”

“You deserve anything you want, Papa.”

“Anything…?” Levi moved his hands down Eren’s back to squeeze his butt.

Eren closed his eyes and giggled against Levi’s lips. “Keep feeling me up like that and I’m gonna have to get a taste of you, too.”

“I really can’t help myself around you. You’re just too scrumptious for me to let up.”

“That’s how I feel about you, too. That’s why I jump you whenever you come back from work.”

“So there’s a method to the madness, huh?” Levi chuckled.

“Levi, I’m a very simple man. I just need hugs and kisses from you. 24/7.”

“Simple enough.” Levi rolled over Eren—legs tangling—and relished the squeals beneath him as he squeezed his arms tight around Eren.

The thing was, Eren didn’t even mind waking up early most of these days. Waking up before 7 back when he was living alone meant lonely mornings drinking coffee by himself, unsaid thoughts, and unreciprocated affection. And yes, he’s had a handful of significant others before, but those were really steppingstones to realizing his true happiness.

Now, waking up at 5 am meant cuddling with Levi on their cozy couch, sharing flirty kisses and cuddles while watching TV or listening to gospel music; gazing into each other’s eyes while basking in the nearby twinkling lights from the Christmas tree.

And lazily staying in bed was just as lovely.

\--

They were still in bed.

Levi and Eren lay face-to-face, legs still tangled, and Levi stroked the bridge of Eren’s nose with his index finger absentmindedly.

“…Levi, what’s your favorite thing about me?”

“Easy. It has to be those _gorgeous_ (Eren loved how Levi’s voice softened at the word) green eyes of yours.”

Eren ducked his head a bit and giggled. “You’re embarrassing me!”

“I thought I was just answering the question,” Levi said amusedly. And he still loved that the one compliment that could immediately make Eren melt into a blushing mess was on the subject of his eyes.

“My favorite thing about you is that you give the best hugs,” Eren said. “And you have such a nice jawline,” he added, cupping Levi’s cheek. “Perfect for sitting on and riding.”

Levi laughed. He’s probably laughed more in all the time he’s known Eren than he has in the last decade.

“And…” Eren continued, “you always know what to say when I’m feeling down.”

“I thought we were just sticking to physical attributes,” Levi said. “But I think my favorite thing about you, Eren, is that you taught me how to love again.”

Eren stared at Levi for a second. This man continues to be wholesome and tender and so incredibly romantic without realizing it.

“Leeeviiii…” Eren said, and he snaked his arms around to hold Levi. And all he could do was bury his face bashfully into Levi’s chest. “You’re supposed to save that cheesy shit for our wedding day,” he said softly.

Levi petted chocolate locks apologetically for his excess cheesiness. “I still have more material to work with for our wedding day.”

Eren looked up again and spoke against Levi’s jaw. “Have you figured out where you’ll propose to me yet?”

“I have.”

“How exciting,” Eren grinned. “I was thinking we should get married in Hawaii and have our honeymoon in Vegas.” Then he thought for second. “Or should it be the other way around…?”

“Wherever you choose, I’ll be more than happy.”

“Honestly, Levi, we could get hitched in McDonald’s and I’d be a happy camper.”

“Over my dead body will we get married in a fast food establishment,” Levi said, but he also couldn’t help but feel flattered.

“I can’t have your body dead if we’re to get married, hubby,” Eren pouted.

“Then I’m going to need you to keep me alive and well until then,” Levi said, and he kissed Eren’s bangs.

“That, I can make sure of,” Eren said. “I want to have our wedding… near a beach,” he ruminated out loud. “So I guess McDonald’s is off the table.”

Levi buried his nose in Eren’s hair. “I’m still trying to figure out your obsession with wanting to get married at McDonald’s.”

“Hey, we’ve had some great memories at McDonald’s. You know me; I have very simple tastes. I live a very frugal lifestyle.” And with a proud smile; “I Iearned that word last week.”

“Is this the same frugal boyfriend that wants a Hawaii wedding, a Vegas honeymoon, and a yacht amongst other things?” Levi said amusedly.

“Semantics!” Eren retorted, still not having grasped the meaning of _that_ word.

“You’re so very precious, Eren.” Levi said lowly. “I really do love you. I do. I’ve been enamored of you ever since I met you.”

“I don’t know what ‘enamored’ means, but I feel the same way about you.”

Levi leaned in closer to Eren’s ear: “It means I adore you, sweetheart.”

“Awww, Levi. You’re so goddamn cheesy,” Eren said. “And I love you for it.” He kissed Levi square on the lips, making sure to growl a bit into it and then released with a loud “mwah!”

“I said it once and I’ll say it again, Eren. There is not a living being walking this earth that is cheesier than you.”

\--

Eren was really adamant on keeping Levi all to himself this morning.

He made sure to get his touchy-feely needs fulfilled by holding Levi’s hand in his, lacing their fingers together. 

And they just stared at each other.

Eren didn’t have much to think about. He just thought about how hunky and gentle Levi was. The perfect man, really. Rugged yet kind. But he’s always known that.

And Levi had a different route of thoughts. He was thinking about that vintage soft yellow t shirt Eren was wearing. It had a soda brand logo on it, and it contrasted quite well with Eren’s rather overgrown, bed-rocked bangs. This boy needed a haircut soon.

And covering that lovely, bouncy ass of his were solid gray boxers.

 _What a sweetheart_ , Levi thought. Eren never fails to play to his age and up the babydoll factor.

Neither of them were going to say anything. Making goo-goo eyes seemed to be plenty of communication.

A long, long while of comfortable silence went by like this.

Levi eventually took back his hand to reach out and stroke Eren’s lips with his thumb. There was something so very special about Eren during mornings. His lips were a bit chapped, but still incredibly soft and pink.

And kissable, still.

Eren gave Levi’s thumb some fish kisses, attempting to hide his tiny smile but somewhat failing.

And suddenly, Eren gave that thumb a playful little chomp.

“Oh, my,” Levi said lowly.

Eren scooted closer to place his head on Levi’s pillow. “I’m a biter,” he reminded Levi.

“That you are,” Levi said, and he “booped” Eren’s nose with his finger, earning him a little giggle.

“…Can I tell you something?” Eren asked quietly.

“What is it?”

“I’m a little in love with you, Mr. Levi Ackerman,” Eren admitted.

“Well, I’m a lot in love with you, Mr. Eren Jaeger,” Levi growled, and that, in turn, earned him some appreciative wet kisses from Eren.

And everyone knew that Eren’s heart expansed way more than just being “a little in love”, but his random confessions like these softened Levi’s heart nonetheless.

\--

“…Levi, if they gave me a CAT scan, it would be nothing but you.”

That was an unusual, but very creative compliment. Levi took it to heart, and he pressed Eren closer, as if they weren’t already practically glued at the chest.

“I love it when you talk medical to me, baby.”

Eren’s belly fluttered. Levi’s voice was so fucking chocolatey and delicious, and he never tires of it.

“Yeah?” Eren whispered back. “Do you want me to check your vitals, Papa?”

Levi closed his eyes and smiled a bit.

“Does Daddy want special treatment from the nurse?” Eren began rocking his hips into Levi’s, gaining some friction in between them.

“Mmm.”

“All you gotta do is give me the word, big boy…” Eren purred.

Eren’s phone vibrated somewhere nearby as he was trying to tease Levi… and he was all too familiar with this feeling.

He slowed down his rocking and sighed. “People _always_ try to interrupt our lovin’.”

He let go of Levi and crawled over to the edge of the bed, and this is probably the furthest he’s been away from Levi’s body all morning. He patted around for his phone on the bedside table.

He glanced at the caller ID, and was fully prepared to ignore it until he saw who it was.

“Hey, Pops.” He crawled back under the covers and backed up into Levi’s awaiting arms, which clamped firmly around him to keep him in place. “I’m awake, yeah. Are you about to start a shift?”

Levi peppered kisses across Eren’s shoulders while he waited, leading up to the real treat.

“Oh, that’s good,” Eren was saying to his father. “That’s good news…”

Levi heard Grisha’s voice faintly from the phone Eren was holding to his ear. And very unfairly, he used the opportunity of conversation to blow some hot air against Eren’s neck, and lick teasing stripes in various shapes.

Eren squirmed and tried to stifle his giggles while he spoke to his father. And he also tried to wriggle out of Levi’s grasp, but those buff arms weren’t going to budge.

“I’m feeling real good about it, Dad. I’ve utilized all my resources like you—“ Eren was about to squeal again, but instead he pursed his lips and gulped. Levi was _so_ going to pay for this!—“asked, so I’m expecting the best.”

Levi nonchalantly kept it up, fully aware that he an opportunist, and that he was a man who knew how to get what he wanted. And he always, always wanted a little taste of Eren—especially that delicious neck.

“I’ll tell him you said so,” Eren was a bit eager to end the call, since Levi had hell to pay. “Have a great shift at the hospital, Pop. And if Ma’s there, give her a hug for me when she wakes up.”

Eren ended the call and tossed his phone aside. And that was _just_ when Levi conveniently decided he was finished with his tasting. He finally unleashed Eren and lay on his back casually.

Eren immediately body-slammed Levi. “Asshole!”

“Who, me?” Levi acted naïve, but he flinched a bit from Eren’s retaliation.

“You know what you did!”

“I was simply holding my boyfriend in my arms,” Levi explained, still avoiding responsibility. “I don’t think I’ve done anything wrong.”

“You and my neck. I’m not sure what the appeal is,” Eren sighed in defeat. He planted his hands on Levi’s pectorals and rubbed them up.

“The appeal, Mr. Jaeger, is that you have a particularly delicious neck.”

“One of these days, I’m gonna find one of your weak spots. And you’ll be sorry. You’ll be sorry, Levi.” Eren said.

“I invite the challenge.”

“My dad says hi, by the way. And he says he hopes you’re keeping up with your health.”

“I extend my greetings to him as well. I’ll give him a call soon.”

Eren sighed contently. “What were we doing before I got on the phone…?” he tried to recall.

“I believe I was getting special treatment from Nurse Eren.”

“Nuh-uh.” Eren shook his head and unmounted Levi’s hips. “No special treatment for you. That’s for taking advantage of me while I’m trying to speak to Dad.”

“Damn.” Levi smiled. _…Worth it._

Eren got under the covers again on his side of the bed again, and he pulled the sheets all the way up to his chin so that he could continue gazing at Levi.

Levi spoke up again. “Let me make it up to you, honey bunches. Come back here and let me rub your tummy.”

Eren kept his growing smile hidden within the covers. He kind of wondered how all of Levi’s connections would feel if they knew Mr. CEO was wrapped around his little finger. Levi was—for lack of a better term—pussy-whipped.

Or… dick-whipped, rather.

Eren peeled the covers back down again to scoot closer. “I love me a man that knows how to make it up to me.”

Now assuming his usual position of little spoon, Eren felt Levi’s hand move over his hip and into his shirt. And he slowly began rubbing circles into Eren’s tummy.

“Mmmm…” Eren sighed sweetly, and allowed his eyes to shut close.

Levi smiled to himself. Eren was so very easy to please.

A long time went by like this, too—Eren having his tummy rubbed by a certain calloused, work-weathered hand, so firm and reassuring.

And when the air went mysteriously silent for a minute, the tension was becoming clear to Eren. He could feel Levi’s steady breathing getting closer and closer to his neck.

“Don’t,” Eren said shortly.

“I wasn’t.”

“Then how did you know what I was talking about?”

Levi sighed in defeat. “I’m sorry, baby… your neck is my weakness. Will you take pity on a man like me?” He went in again to nibble and taste and smooch the nape of Eren’s neck, which was framed so adorably by locks of chocolate hair curled away from the spot.

“LEVI!” Eren squealed. “Ssss-SENSITIVE!”

When Levi finished, Eren turned over to face Levi. He tucked his head under the crook of his chin. “You’re lucky you’re my sweet hubby. Otherwise I’d really have to do something about this.”

“But I have such a precious, delicious, irresistible boyfriend,” Levi started, stroking his thumb over Eren’s cheek. “Can you blame me?” he asked softly.

“I know everyone wants a piece of Eren, but we need to settle down,” Eren spoke in a matter-of-fact tone while referring to himself in third person.

“That’s right, everyone wants a piece of Eren,” Levi agreed. “But only I’m allowed that privilege.”

“Possessive, are we, Papa Bear?” Eren said. “Don’t abuse your privilege.”

“I won’t,” Levi said, and punctuated his words with a kiss on Eren’s head.

The thing was, Eren and Levi were each full of contradictions.

Eren, who in most situations was a hot-headed, confident, and headstrong young man, attempted to be excellent in everything he did—not by being naturally talented, half the time, but through hard work and determination that surpassed his peers by miles. He knew what he wanted, and when. And he knew that if he wanted things to work out, he would have to get into the ring and fight for it.

And just by his personality, he also didn’t like to show weakness. Not at work in front of ridiculous customers, not in class, not even in front of his friends.

But Eren needed to release. He had a very soft, almost sensitive side that he kept hidden. He had needs. He loved being touched; caressed; pampered; spoiled; petted; cuddled; protected; encouraged; praised; babied. Eren Jaeger had an intense need to be loved as hard as he loved others.

But there was only one person who could hit all the jackpots at once. Only one person could be a home, even when they weren’t at the apartment. Only one person could swaddle him in comfort and safety after the roughest of days.

And it was Levi.

Levi was a living contradiction, as well.

An almost textbook successful CEO and businessman, Levi had went through his career with almost mechanical diligence. Absolutely no fucking around. Waking up at precisely the exact time every day, and pushing love and marriage and emotions to the back burner, where they would dwell for a long time. One night stands couldn’t crack his façade. It was like scratching an itch. A biological reaction. A release that somehow didn’t earn him much relief. And he had gone through two whole romantic relationships through his adulthood. He had given and fulfilled, but never felt that he deserved to be reciprocated.

A nice car. Dream apartments. Expensive watches and expensive bottles of alcohol. Suits and freshly polished shoes.

This was his life. In many people’s eyes, he might as well have hung up his jacket and lived off his fortune for the rest of his life. He didn’t need to work another day in his life. He could afford it.

Levi’s life was extravagant and luxurious but also painfully lonely at the end of the day.

And through his loneliness, Levi had also internalized much of his empathy. He was painfully professional at work, and callously stoic in the after-hours.

It worked for him. He was a CEO. That was a respectable demeanor to have.

But Levi, so much more complicated and complex than people gave him credit for, had a different side to him now.

Levi, who can and would punch out a man twice his height with a single blow if he wanted to, could use that very same rough hand to stroke a certain awaiting cheek with so much delicacy and tenderness that it would be unsettling for an outsider to witness.

Levi, who was raised by an ex-gangster and will cuss and threaten someone who disrespected him, was also capable of uttering the softest words and praises that could make even flowers blush and fluster.

Levi was a man that could be as sweet as honeysuckle, if only people had given him a chance.

And someone had given him a chance. A chance to knock down those walls.

His name was Eren.

Levi no longer itched for something that he didn’t know he wanted. And Eren didn’t feel cold at night anymore.

In a way, they saved each other.

\--

“It’s called a style.”

“It’s called ‘I can’t see your eyes’.”

“Now you’re starting to sound like Ma,” Eren sighed. “She calls it being ‘shaggy’.”

“’Shaggy’ is accurate,” Levi agreed, stroking aside Eren’s rapidly-growing bangs. “And for the record, I think you’re adorable no matter what. I’m just wondering if this hair of yours becomes will inconvenient for you.”

“I’ll cross that bridge when I get there. Just pray that my mom doesn’t find out. She’ll take a pair of scissors to me _quick_.”

“Carla cuts your hair for you?”

“No, I have a barber. But if I put it off long enough, she’ll wrangle me into a seat and do it herself.”

Levi chuckled while he imagined the sight. “Well, you do have a habit of crossing bridges when you get to them.”

“Yeah, I’m a very… ‘roll with the punches’ kinda guy.”

“That you are, babe. I’m a bit selfish. I just want to see those eyes.” He twirled a lock of Eren’s hair around his finger.

“You should take me to _your_ barber, Levi.”

“I most certainly will. I’m sure he’d be excited to meet you.”

“I wonder what you’d look like with long hair,” Eren mused. “I can’t imagine it.”

“I used to have long hair. But when Kenny took me in, he gave me this very same haircut. And I suppose I stuck with it.”

“It works for you, though.”

“Do you think so?”

“Levi, everything works for you. I’m still looking for something that you haven’t looked good with.”

“You always flatter me.”

“Maybe it’s part of your vampire powers. I’m still pretty convinced my future hubby is a vampire.”

Levi took a hand to Eren’s thigh and squeezed. “What is your evidence, Detective Jaeger?”

“Exhibit A,” Eren started, “you always want to bite my neck.”

“Fair point.”

“Exhibit B: You wear sunglasses during the winter.”

“The sun is bothersome.”

“The sun doesn’t exist right now!” Eren laughed. “And, you’re very pale like the moon.”

“Like the moon?”

“Like the moon.”

“Are you a detective, Mr. Jaeger, or a poet?”

Armin sometimes jokingly called him a poet, too. It only further proved how much of a romantic Eren was.

“I can be both, you yummy creature,” Eren purred, and he kissed the tip of Levi’s nose.

This conversation was so incredibly stupid. But Levi liked that he could be silly with Eren.  

\--

Eren finished his final round of kisses to Levi’s lips, and then his jaw and then his cheeks. “Well, Papa Bear, it’s been fun, but I’m going back to sleep now.”

“I really don’t understand you, Eren. I don’t understand how you can just go back to sleep on a whim.”

“It takes practice,” Eren smiled, and he slowly stalked back onto his side of the bed. He yawned and stretched before getting beneath the covers. “But… can you do me a favor?”

“Anything, doll. What is it?”

“Can you rub my back until I fall asleep? And hum the lullaby?”

Levi’s heart throbbed in that moment. “Of course I will.” Never in his wildest dreams before did he think he would find himself in this situation. And now, it was his norm.

Life was funny like that.

Levi made his way closer, and with a calloused hand placed underneath that vintage soft yellow t shirt with the soda brand logo on it, he began to hum _Fais do do_.

\--

It wasn’t until Eren was [very] loudly snoring away that Levi removed his hand and pulled the covers up to Eren’s shoulders.

And that was when he decided to get up and make himself some tea and get his day started… all with thoughts of an adorable, shaggy-haired boyfriend snoozing in his bed floating around in his head.


	72. A Classic Kind of Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Happy Sunday!
> 
> Sorry I couldn't upload last week. Life happens. I'm trying my best. 
> 
> The story is finally progressing. *monotone* yayyyyy.
> 
> Please leave a comment when you're done reading :3

“He said he’s ‘enamored’ of me,” Eren told Armin dreamily, and he sipped his Red Bull through a straw as he gazed off into the distance.

Armin looked at his normally silly and blunt best friend amusedly. It was quite strange to watch him act like a love-struck fool. “You don’t know what ‘enamored’ means,” he teased.

Eren came down from his dreamland to pout. “I didn’t at first, but he told me what it meant! So now I’m one word smarter!”

“You mean one word less dumb,” Armin pointed.

But Armin’s sassiness was also completely playful. He took a dejected Eren’s shoulders and pulled him to stroke his hair. “I’m kidding, Eren. I love seeing you happy like this.”

“I can’t hear you over the sound of my tears,” Eren continued to hide his fake hurt into Armin’s frail shoulder.

“No, you probably can’t hear me over all that liquid cocaine you’re downing.”

Eren lifted his head again, his usual bright demeanor restored. “My Red Bull?” He reached for the can and angled the straw in front of Armin’s lips. “Want a sip?”

Eren didn’t really mind sharing drinks with Armin. They basically grew up together.

“I’m good, thanks.”

“Do it for me. Caffeine is a necessary evil, Arm.”

Armin wrapped his lips around the straw and tasted some of the drink. He smacked his lips to register the taste. “It tastes like battery acid.”

“And that’s the beauty of it!” Eren took the very same straw and continued drinking.

“I don’t understand you, Eren Jaeger,” Armin sighed and rested his chin on his hand. “But all jokes aside, I really do love how happy Levi’s making you. You’re all smiley and giggly. You really deserve this.”

“He makes me happy in all aspects,” Eren agreed. “In private… in public… in bed… He’s so fucking romantic.”

“You wanna talk romantic? Erwin lights candles and puts on music while we’re having sex.”

Eren frowned a bit. “Lucky. Levi doesn’t like fucking to music. He says it’s ‘obnoxious’ and ‘distracting’.” He looked genuinely saddened.

Armin giggled. “Well, knowing you, you probably choose heavy rock or something like that.”

“…”

Armin raised his eyebrows expectantly.

“Hey, I have a particular _taste_ , but I know the difference between fucking music and driving music.”

“Maybe Levi just wants to focus on you. Take it as a compliment.”

“You’re right. He has a thing for that sort of thing. No distractions. Eye contact while I’m giving him skull after work. He says he likes my eyes.”

“Aww. That’s sweet of him,” Armin breathed. But then he smacked Eren’s arm and giggled. “And, ‘skull’!? Eren, where do you come up with these terminologies!?”

“’Blowjob’ seems a bit pre-historic, don’t’cha think?” Eren leaned back in his seat and grinned.

“Blowjob’ is still very much modern and present.”

“If ya say so…” Eren took another sip from his straw. “Maybe I should start calling it ‘fellatio’…” he pondered.

“Never mind! ‘Skull’ is a lot more bearable than ‘fellatio’.”

“I’m glad you agree, Mr. Arlert,” Eren said sagely. And then he leaned forward on his elbows. “Speaking of fellatio, I’m curious. What’s Erwin into? He seems very vanilla and proper on the surface.”

“He likes a lot of sensory deprivation stuff. Blindfolds, handcuffs, ropes, gags,” Armin went through the list very casually. “Stuff like that.”

Eren nodded in understanding. “Huh.”

“We’re even starting to experiment with some BDSM stuff, but he’s still kinda cautious about it because he thinks I might be too fragile for it.”

Eren’s mischievous eyes sparkled and widened, and his jaw dropped. “Shut up!!” he hissed. “My little baby bird is going all _Fifty Shades_? I didn’t think this would happen in my wildest dreams!” He gazed into Armin’s big, ocean-blue eyes, so innocent and full of life. “My baby is submitting to his man. Who woulda thunk.”

“Hey, who said _I_ was the submissive?” A deceptively adorable smile curled on his lips.

Eren’s face froze in surprise, and he squealed silently, pretending to pound the table with his fist. “I’m dying here…! I’m _dying_!!” he wheezed painfully. “You got me _shook_ right now!”

Armin watched Eren ride out his disbelief, and reached for Eren’s can of Red Bull again. The battery acid was strangely addicting. But what was even more addicting was constantly disproving Eren about his growing sexual prowess.

Eren was still mumbling his disbelief, fisting his bangs off his forehead while he shook his head. “My little baby bird has been deliciously tainted… I’m not sure how I feel about it…”

Armin giggled and squeezed Eren’s arm. “Tell me about Levi. What is he into?”

“Oh, Levi?” Eren thought for a second. “He likes dressing me up in girly stuff. Thigh-highs, panties, Victoria’s Secret, skirts.”

“Really? I didn’t take him for that kind of stuff. It’s kinda adorably contradictory to the way he looks,” Armin noted. “I’d think he’d be into heavier stuff.”

“Don’t let his appearance fool you. Levi is a _very_ kinky man.” Eren took the can of Red Bull from Armin’s hands and took a sip from the straw. And with that, the can was finished. “I’ll go to the vending machine and get more.”

“Get me one, too,” Armin said.

“So you won’t drink coffee, but you’re ready for Red Bull? Look at you…” he purred.

“If I fall victim to the vicious clutches of caffeine addiction, I’m blaming it on you.”

“That’s kinda what sucks about working in a coffee shop,” Eren said. “You become too caffeine-tolerant. Not even Red Bull does it for me anymore.”

“Caffeine is a drug just like any other,” Armin agreed. “Dad taught us that.”

“He did,” Eren smiled. And with a softer tone, “…I can’t wait to see him over break. These finals can’t be over any sooner.”

“Yes. That’s why we need to study our asses off and make him proud,” Armin said optimistically, and he picked up Eren’s flashcards to quiz him.

“You’re right. Lay it on me, Arm.”

Armin smiled and began quizzing Eren.

This secluded table in the public library might’ve been home to conversations about kinks and fellatio, but these boys also knew when to buckle down.

\--

“I like that one better,” Eren explained. “Goes with our values. Our… aesthetic.”

‘Wind-down time’ before bed was usually reserved for cuddles and watching movies, or sometimes, Eren having to cut Levi off from working for the night (Because, Eren realized, that man would work all night if no one stopped him.)

But these nights, Eren relished his time planning the tea shop with Levi. Levi was going to figure out all the logistics and product, and Eren wanted to be in charge of the design and outer appearance.

And they made a pretty good team.

They had a thick sketchbook that Eren bought just for the cause. It was rapidly filling with ideas, planning, layouts, décor ideas, and lookbooks. Eren was adamant on making sure Levi’s dream became a reality, and he wanted to help out as much as he could.

And watching Levi plot it out warmed Eren’s heart, too. His normally brooding eyes had a subtle sparkle to it, not unlike the little sparkle they got when the two of them came across the cleaning supplies aisle at the supermarket.

Eren was glad he could see more layers of his darling hubby come to the surface.

He munched on some cashews while watching Levi jot down some more product planning.

“I like that one, too,” Levi looked at their choice of font for the store menu. “Simple and clean, yet classy. Just like our values.”

And after that, Levi put his pen down and shut the sketchbook. “Okay, baby. We need to call it a night, now. You have a big day tomorrow and I want you to be as fully rested as possible.”

“Is my man trying to talk to me about being fully rested?” Eren raised his eyebrow amusedly. “The same man who I have to beg to come to bed most of the time?”

“I’m a hypocrite, I know,” Levi agreed gently, and after putting the sketchbook away into the bedside table drawer, he opened up his arms awaiting a hug. When Eren came over to embrace him, he kissed Eren’s bangs. “But what good am I if I can’t make sure you have a great start to the day? Not to mention you’re not the most agreeable when you aren’t fully rested in the mornings.”

Eren ended the hug to put his bag of cashews on his side of the bedside table. And with all the lamps turned off, they got beneath the covers. “Hey, I’m _very_ agreeable in the mornings,” he retaliated.

Levi chuckled. “Perhaps you aren’t self-aware.”

“I am!” Eren scooted his pillow closer to Levi’s to share some body heat.

“I’ve suffered many kicks and shoves from a certain young man who wanted only five more minutes,” Levi said.

Eren giggled. “You’re lying! I’m not that bad… I just need, like, two cups of coffee and I’m a fucking ray of sunshine at 6 am.”

“Alright, Sunshine. We’ll see what happens. But for now, you need your sleep.”

“I want my kisses.”

Eren puckered his lips, and Levi met them gently three times. It was a ritual.

“Good night, Levi,” Eren said sweetly. “I love you so much.”

“Good night, my darling Eren. I love you more.”

\--

Eren stressfully looked over his notes and reviewed his textbook while Levi was fixing breakfast.

His hurricane of information was put on pause when Levi put a nice, big plate of French toast with all the fix-ins in front of him.

Eren pushed his materials aside and picked up his utensils. “Thank you,” he mumbled.

“Hey.” Levi crossed his arms.

Eren looked up wearily, and he felt Levi’s warm hand cup his cheek. It was the touch that soothed him. Grounded him.

“Relax, baby boy. Relax.”

Eren sighed sadly and chewed. “I can’t. I’m so nervous. I need to do well.”

Levi climbed onto the stool beside Eren’s and took the utensils from his hands to start hand-feeding him. “And you _will_ do well,” he explained as he started cutting the food, “but being nervous is unnecessary because you’ve studied very hard, and you’re prepared. Now you need to have faith and believe that everything will fall into place.”

Eren nodded, and he sat with his hands jammed between his thighs as he listened to Levi’s pep-talk.

“And you’re a brilliant young man, and you’re passionate about what you’re studying, so really, I feel like the trophy is yours for the taking.”

Eren smiled shyly. “I _am_ pretty brilliant…” he joked.

“You are,” Levi confirmed. “And I’m your biggest fan. I know you’ll breeze through your exams. I haven’t a single doubt.”

Eren was elated now. And his confidence was growing by the minute.

Levi smiled, too. “There’s that smile,” he breathed.

“You’re right. By being nervous I’m just distracting myself. I need to focus in and center myself.” He took a bite from the awaiting fork that Levi held up. “I’m prepared as hell.”

“That’s what I like to hear.”

-

At Erwin and Armin’s apartment, a similar conversation was underway.

“Eyes on the prize,” Erwin reminded gently.

“Eyes on the prize,” Armin repeated.

Erwin took Armin’s hands and pressed his knuckles to his lips. “And it goes without saying, but I’m completely and utterly faithful that you will come out on top. Diamonds are formed under pressure.” His voice was as buttery and unwavering as it always was, a calm in any storm.

Armin watched him press admiring kisses to his hands, and when he was done, Armin wrapped his arms around those broad shoulders. “I’ll make you proud, Erwin.”

“I know you will, pumpkin,” Erwin whispered into soft blond hair. “I know you will.”

\--

Eren wrapped his arms suffocatingly tight around Levi’s neck, and he loved how Levi’s hands felt while they squeezed his hips.

“You have nothing to worry about,” Levi assured. “I know you’ll ace it. All eyes on you.”

“All eyes on me,” Eren replied. And he went in for a sweet, grateful kiss. “I’ll see you later, hubs.”

\--

Eren exited the lecture hall with a cocky smile that overpowered the glum, worried faces of his classmates.

And as much as his brain was fried, he was feeling content.

He got into his old blue car and went straight home. He called off work for the day to focus on finals, and was doubly relieved that he wouldn’t have to deal with customers today.

In Trost Tower, the receptionist looked up from her desk with a hopeful smile. “How was your exam, Mr. Jaeger?”

“I aced it! Or at least I’m pretty sure I did. Only time will tell.”

“That’s the spirit! Now go get some rest. You deserve it.”

“I will, thanks, Steph!”

Eren rushed up the elevator, eager to tell Levi all about it.

“I’m home!” he called out. He grinned when he saw Levi at the couch. “Oh, I’m so glad you’re back from work early!”

As he peeled off his shoes and jacket, Levi made his way over. His arms were behind his back for some reason.

“How did it go, baby?”

Eren grinned. “I knocked that bitch out of the park.” They stepped closer, and Eren, being the hopelessly curious thing that he was, craned his neck to the side to see what Levi was hiding behind him.

Levi produced a small brown plush teddy from behind his back, and pressed the bear’s lips all over Eren’s face while making kissy sounds.

Eren giggled sweetly. Teddy bears were the cheesiest shit ever, but somehow when Levi gifted him with teddies, it was too sweet for words.

Eren took the bear and also Levi’s hand to take him to the couch.

“You sweet man. What am I gonna do with you?” Eren asked.

Levi wrapped his arms tighter around Eren’s waist. “I’m so incredibly proud of you.”

“Don’t be too proud of me yet, though. I don’t know what my score will tell.”

“I’m not concerned about your score. You’ve studied very hard and you’ve learned to be confident about your work. It makes me happy to see you grow like this.”

“I wouldn’t be shit without you, though. You’re the one who supported me through the whole thing. And you’ve given me all the tools to succeed.” And with a softer voice, “So thank you, Levi. I love you.”

“I will always do anything I can to support you,” Levi said just as softly. They met with a tiny, quiet kiss.

“Did you have much work at the office?”

“Not too much. I just went to check in with the contractors. They’re just about done, which I’m relieved about. Having them around the building is a bit distracting. I also had a meeting this morning, which went well. Not much to report today.”

“Mmm.”

“Which brings me to my next point,” Levi began. Eren stared at those plush lips move while they spoke. “I came home a bit early to have some quality time with the love of my life. So, may I take you out to dinner and a movie tonight?” he asked politely.

Eren bit back a smile. “You may, Mr. Ackerman.” He stroked Levi’s jaw seductively. “I’ll allow it. You can do anything you please with me.”

Levi grunted his approval about the situation.

“Chivalry isn’t dead because you keep bringing it back,” Eren whispered huskily, and he rubbed their noses together.

\--

“Welcome to Maggiano’s,” the hostess greeted warmly.

Eren was always thrilled when Levi said he “knew a place”. And for this particular restaurant, Levi said he actually knew the owner, Maggiano himself.

This quaint little Italian restaurant a little ways out from the heart of Trost was a hidden gem to say the least. Though tiny in size, the restaurant itself was delicately adorned and decorated, strung with twinkling golden lights, authentic paintings, and chairs lined with royal red plush cushions.

Half of the restaurant was outside—small circular tables lined against an exposed brick-wall alley. Even though it was December, the alley was quite warm, since there were torches lit with hearty fires, and the heat was trapped between the brick walls. An innovative, yet humble design. Eren looked around in fascination.

The hostess watched as Levi pulled Eren’s chair out and then took his own seat. She set down menus (with his new lavish lifestyle after meeting Levi, Eren learned that the smaller the menu selection, the better the food would be) and smiled.

“I will be back in a few minutes to take your order,” she said. “We have a spectacular Don Perignon tonight—“

“That won’t be necessary,” Levi said politely. Eren was unbothered. Only three more months until he was legal enough to drink.

“Alright, I’ll be back, then.” The hostess left.

“Levi, this place is so romantic,” he said softly. He reached out to hold Levi’s hand sweetly.

“Only the best for you, baby.” Levi lifted Eren’s hand to his mouth and pressed a long kiss into it.

And mid-kiss, a man had approached their table. He was a chubby middle-aged guy, with friendly smile and a dirty apron.

“Ah, Levi, my friend,” he stuck his hand out for a shake, and with the other, he rubbed Levi’s shoulder.

“Maggiano. Always a pleasure,” Levi returned. When they separated the shake, Levi ushered to Eren. “Maggiano, my boyfriend; Eren.”

“Eren. _Mio amore_ ,” he breathed. He shook Eren’s hand as well. “I really hope you enjoy my restaurant.”

“Thank you,” Eren said gratefully.

When Maggiano left, Levi did that thing he did whenever the two of them went on dates— he leaned in closer on his elbows and gazed at Eren with adoration.

“How are you, Eren?”

“I’m doing very well, Levi,” Eren smiled. He reached to hold Levi’s hand again. If Levi wasn’t too big on PDA before, Eren was going to change that up for him. “Only a couple more exams and I’m home free.”

“You’ll do amazing, my sweet. My faith in you is unshakable.”

“You’re so supportive of me. I love it. I love that my man is such a Prince Charming.”

“I’m no Prince Charming, even the lowest fools support their loved ones. I’m doing the bare minimum.”

Eren leaned closer, and Levi did, too. “You are the _furthest_ thing from bare minimum, Levi Ackerman. My sweet husband.” He touched their noses together. “ _Ugh_ , I can’t wait until we’re in private so I can eat you up and fuckin’—“

“Excuse me, sir,” the hostess appeared out of nowhere, and she poured them glasses of ice water. Eren pulled away from Levi for a moment.

“Have you had time to look over the menu?” she asked.

“Surprise me,” Eren told her. “I’ll just do the chef’s choice.”

“Excellent,” she scribbled down the order, and then looked to Levi. “And for you?”

“I’ll do the chef’s choice as well. I trust Maggiano’s judgement.”

“You’re in good hands,” she agreed, and took their menus.

When she left, Eren scooted his closer around the table so that he was beside Levi instead of across. And, he also wore his flirtiest smile.

A ghost of a smirk curled at the corners of Levi’s mouth.

Eren took Levi’s shoulders to hold him close, and without warning, he lay a kiss upon his cheek. “I’m sorry, hubs. I know you’re not into PDA, but when I want you, I want you.” He went in for another gentle smooch, and then another. And yet another. His hand also found Levi’s muscular thigh beneath the table.

“Oh, Eren Jaeger,” Levi sighed. “What will I do with you?” But Eren could tell he appreciated the affection.

“Well,” Eren said lowly into Levi’s ear, “what do you expect when you take me to these nice-ass restaurants and sit there looking all hot and yummy for me?”

“I’m simply in my work attire,” Levi played along, and the smirk at the corners of his lips grew just ever so.

“But you know how I feel about a man in a suit…” Eren purred.

“And you know how I feel about young men who don’t know how to control their pretty little mouths in public.”

“This pretty little mouth can do a lot more than talk, Mr. Ackerman.”

“What else does that mouth do?”

“Well…” Eren dragged his hand up Levi’s thigh and kept it just an inch away from his crotch. “It does a lot of things,” he began unhurriedly.

“Picture this,” Eren started, and he hissed an inhale into Levi’s ear, “I got you all worked up and wrapped around my finger just like this… and I’m wearing nothing but those white thigh-highs—you know the ones. The ones with the blue and red stripes near the top?”

“I know the ones,” Levi said quickly. They always joked that Eren was the impatient one in the relationship, but Levi was a cut-to-the-chase type of man, too.

“I know those are your favorites,” Eren agreed. “So…” he continued, painfully slow and controlled and blissfully aware of how much Levi wanted to get to the point. “I’m on my knees for you. Just for you.”

“Just for me,” Levi gazed into Eren’s eyes sharply.

“And I know you’ve had a rough day at work,” Eren pouted as he continued narrating the scene. “Poor thing. Hubby works so hard and needs some release….” Eren’s hand finally found Levi’s print, and acted surprised when it was growing slightly under his touch.

“God, Eren,” Levi groaned very lowly, and he looked around cautiously. All the other diners were a ways away and weren’t within earshot of their conversation. And luckily, they weren’t paying attention to the two of them.

Eren placed another sweet kiss upon Levi’s cheek. “Stay with me.”

“I’m with you, but Eren, I’m warning you. You know what you do to me. Have mercy on me.”

“Mm,” Eren grunted in thought. “No mercy for my darling, hunky husband.”

Levi sighed in frustration. Eren got a huge kick out of turning him on in public, the cheeky thing.

“So anyways,” Eren continued, and he scratched Levi’s thigh gently, “I got this pretty little mouth of mine right about here—“ he wrapped his hand around Levi’s print firmly to emulate the feeling, and he was pleased when a faint gasp escaped Levi’s lips. “I’m sucking you off through your underwear…. You hate it when I do that. You just want me to get the fuck on with it, right?” Eren read Levi’s mind.

Levi clenched and unclenched his jaw.

“But I love watching that big, _fat_ cock grow because of me,” Eren whispered quietly. “It turns me on so… _fucking_ … much.”

“Eren…”

“Hold on, I’m not done yet,” Eren smiled. “So I finally pull that underwear down your legs, and oh, my God, Levi… you’re so fucking _big_.”

Levi was almost painfully hard now, and of course he couldn’t just give into his primal needs like at home, or ask Eren to do something about it. No, he had to suffer in silence, rock-hard and neutral-faced because they were in public.

“I take that gorgeous cock of yours into my mouth,” Eren explained, “and I take it in and out, my tongue licking the underside. I love the way those veins taste down there—“

Levi almost _whined_.

“And you’re _so_ excited, because I can feel you leaking down my throat,” Eren said innocently, and his long fingers were relentless as they stroked Levi up beneath the table. “And I love the way you taste—you taste like… Levi. The taste of Levi… is a little salty, but it’s sweet and thick and slow… kinda like honey.”

If Eren didn’t know any different, he could say that Levi was almost about to burst, clenching and unclenching his jaw and fist wildly, his brooding eyes dilated from the arousal, and his breathing quickening.

“And so I keep taking you in and out of my mouth, and you know I love it when you go all the way down my throat… I would gag if I was any less experienced,” Eren bragged adorably.

Levi chuckled a bit through his arousal.

“And you take those man-hands of yours and take my hair and start fucking my face. Because I do deserve some punishment after all I put you through—“

“Damn right,” Levi hissed.

Eren giggled. “And while you’re fucking the cockiness right out of my pretty little mouth, I’m looking up at you, just like this—“ Eren leaned in closer, so close that their noses almost touched, and stared directly into Levi’s soul, keeping his pace on Levi’s length alive and well.

“Does it feel good, big boy?”

Levi looked down a bit, and he swallowed thickly.

Eren leaned closer to his ear. “Does it feel good, _Daddy_?”

Levi stood up straight, and removed Eren’s hand from its placement. “I’ll be back,” he said shortly.

Eren moved away with a confident, smug grin. “Take your time, hubby.”

Levi walked away to find what Eren knew was the bathroom, because this was not the first time Eren riled Levi up in public, and it was definitely not the first time Levi had to relieve himself in the bathroom because of it.

Eren took a sip of his water and gazed around at the scenery. Levi did know some very romantic spots and people. On the edge of the brick walls, something that looked like moss was growing between the cracks of the brick wall. Eren wondered absentmindedly how moss was able to grow without soil or water.

The hostess came over with the first course, and she looked concerned when Levi’s seat was empty. “Is everything okay, sir?”

Eren nodded. “Yeah, everything’s fine, he’ll be back.”

Eren waited to start the appetizer until Levi was back.

When Levi came back, his collar freshly adjusted from where Eren was toying with it earlier, he looked at Eren.

“How was your session?” Eren smiled.

“Maybe I should start taking you over my knee the next time you entice me with your wiles in public.”

“Hm. That’s kinda hot.” _Oh, Eren. Ever the exhibitionist._

Levi chuckled and pinched Eren’s cheek hard in punishment, earning him a giggle.

\--

“My man needs to eat well so that he can keep these big muscles of his,” Eren purred, and he fed Levi another forkful of spaghetti.

He waited until Levi was done chewing before going in for a kiss.

And now it was Levi’s turn. He took a fork and twirled a forkful for Eren, and he slowly hovered it into those (apparently versatile) pretty pink lips, and watched in fascination. “I have to make sure my sweet thing is properly fed; such is my duty as a man.”

“Mmm,” Eren moaned lowly. When he finished his bite, they met with secret little kiss—hardly there. “You’re _such_ a good man, too,” Eren agreed.

“Do you think so?” Levi asked. And even though it was Eren’s turn, he twirled another forkful.

“I know so.” He accepted the fork and chewed happily. “You know… I have a type, Levi,” he started, and he twirled the fork.

“What’s your type, Eren?”

Eren carefully scooped the spaghetti up so that there were no excess strands dangling off the fork, and he slowly made its way into Levi’s mouth. “I love me a classic kind of man. A ripped, French guy. A real… _gentilhomme_. The kinda guy that buys me teddy bears and takes me out to dinner after a long day? That type of man.”

“That’s a very specific type, my love.” Levi smirked and fed Eren a forkful, carefully sliding the fork out of his lips.

“But the thing is, I’m a very particular person,” Eren explained. And with a low, husky voice: “I take it all, or I don’t want _shit_.”

“Hm,” Levi nodded, and he squished Eren’s cheeks together with his hand so that his lips were like a fish’s, “I think I, of all people, would know how utterly insatiable you are, my little plaything.” He firmly smooched those fishy lips.

“And for the record, I have a type, too,” Levi said as he collected another forkful.

“What’s your type?”

“I have quite a thing for a hot-headed, dirty-mouthed boy of German descent…” he explained quietly, and in between them they pretended not to know who he was talking about. “The kind of boy with the most beautiful green eyes you’ll ever see in your life—“ he led the forkful of pasta into Eren’s mouth, “and the kind that gives me foot rubs and shoulder massages after work. That’s my type.”

“He seems like quite the guy!” Eren grinned.

“I wonder where I can find someone like that.” Levi pretended to ponder.

Eren giggled and pushed Levi’s shoulder playfully, and they dissolved into laughter.

Levi made sure that Eren got the last bite, and he picked up a napkin to wipe that saucy mouth.

“Oh, that was so good,” Eren breathed. “I can’t wait to see what’s for dessert.”

“Maybe you can be my dessert?” Levi asked, and he leaned forward to nibble at Eren’s throat. Eren squealed quietly.

-

“We’re ready for the bill,” Levi told the hostess. Eren kept his grip on Levi’s bicep firm and steady, and rested his head on his shoulder as he looked up at the hostess.

But she shook her head and smiled at them. “Maggiano said it’s on the house. His only condition is for you both to come back more often.”

“Oh, wow, how nice of him!” Eren said.

Levi smiled. “He’s probably busy back there, but tell him that we’ll definitely be back, and that his food was divine.”

“I most certainly will tell him. Thank you very much for visiting tonight, gentlemen. Have a wonderful evening.”

She cleared their table and left, leaving a cuddly Eren and Levi to continue on with the rest of their date.

\--

At the movies, Eren laced his fingers in Levi’s, and kept it that way through the whole screening.

\--

Though Eren has already had dessert tonight, he wanted some ice cream before the night ended, which Levi obliged.

Eren got two scoops on a waffle cone—one scoop Rocky Road, and the other, chocolate.

Levi, not really having much of a sweet tooth—and when he had cravings, it was often for something a little more subdued—turned down the opportunity for his own ice cream.

But he loved being with Eren while he finished his treat.

There was a worn-in bench out back the ice cream shop, and despite the crisp winter air, it was not all that biting.

Levi drew Eren’s legs over his lap while he ate.

Eren worked on his cone quietly, and he extended it in front of Levi’s mouth. “Wanna taste?” he asked sweetly.

“Mm. Thank you.” He wrapped his hand over Eren’s to keep the cone still, and took a lick of the chunky ice cream, registering the hard-hitting chocolate and fudge.

Eren took it back and licked along the sides so that it wouldn’t melt. He struggled a bit to angle his direction, and he shook his bangs off his forehead—to no avail.

Levi sighed and stroked Eren’s long brown locks off his forehead to tuck behind his ear. “Too much hair,” he stated quietly.

“Do you think I look better with short or long hair?” Eren asked.

“You look adorable regardless, but the long hair gets in your way, I think.”

“Mm. You’re right.” Eren went in for another lick, and this attempt was much easier after Levi had moved the hair out of his face.

He extended the cone in front of Levi’s mouth again. “Eat.”

Levi shook his head. “That’s enough for me, babe.”

“Eat,” Eren repeated. “You need your vitamins.”

Levi chuckled. “What vitamins will this concoction provide me?”

“Things taste better from your mouth. You know that.”

“Placebo mentality, my dear.”

Eren sighed wearily and took a lick. “Oh, my God, Levi. I just took a four-hour psychology exam today. Let’s not talk about psychology. Please.”

Levi laughed. “Understood.”

Eren held the cone out in front of Levi’s mouth one more time, hoping he would give in.

He did.


	73. Favors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Happy Sunday!
> 
> Ahh I'm sorry I missed an upload last week. There's just a lot going on and I'm trying my best to keep up the quality of the writing while balancing life, so thanks for being patient with me. I promise the story's plot will pick up soon. 
> 
> Please leave a comment after reading to tell me your thoughts!

“Levi, can you rub some lotion on my legs? I’m feeling a bit dry.” Without even waiting for Levi’s answer, he handed Levi the bottle.

“Why not do it yourself?” Levi wondered.

“Too late,” Eren said nonchalantly, and lay face-down on the bed, “Already got my luscious hubby doing it for me.”

 _Luscious,_ Levi smiled to himself _._ “I suppose it can’t be helped.”

-

Though Eren only asked that Levi rub his legs with lotion, Levi went the extra mile and provided a full-body massage.

And now that Eren was a quiet, appeased log on the bed, he ended the lotion massage with a quick swat on Eren’s butt before capping the lotion.

“Mm!” Eren warned.

“I want you to get some sleep now. You have another exam tomorrow and I want to set you up for success.”

Eren turned his head to speak. “Luckily tomorrow’s is financial lit, which is only two hours and pretty much an easy A for me.”

“Then, I want you to get that easy A on a full night of sleep.”

“Okay,” Eren said in a monotone.

“Good night, sweetheart.” He started to leave. “I’m—“

“Wait! Aren’t you gonna come to bed with me?”

Levi’s heart always warmed when Eren wanted to sleep together. Eren’s need for touch and affection was not something to be trifled with. “No, baby,” he said patiently. “I’m going to get some more work done before I turn in for the night.”

“You work too much! You’re a workaholic!” Eren laughed.

Levi laughed, too. “I know you have your fair share of experience with workaholics.”

“My father, for example,” Eren agreed.

“Can you give me some love before I leave?”

Eren rolled up into a sitting position and crawled forward on his knees to Levi. “Come here, you.”

They embraced in a tender hug. Eren rubbed the firm surface of Levi’s broad back, and when he gave a nice squeeze, he rubbed their noses together.

“I love you, Levi,” he whispered. “My workaholic husband.”

“And I love you, too, Eren,” Levi whispered back. “My everything.”

“See you tomorrow morning?” Eren asked.

“See you tomorrow morning,” Levi confirmed.

Eren crawled back to the pillows and curled up beneath the many blankets to promptly go to sleep.

Levi went to his office and poured himself a glass of red wine to get a little work done.

\--

After Eren’s exam—which, once again, he was very confident about—Armin came by to Trost Tower with his chauffeur to go to the music video set.

It was unlike the two of them had ever seen before. Green screens; powerful cameras, tech crews and makeup artists rushing about.

“Wow…” Armin mumbled, and he looked around curiously.

Eren looked at Armin’s new hair, which he had cut just for today. Now, instead of it reaching almost to his shoulders, it ended just shy of his jawline—swishy and playful.

Giovanni, the producer that casted Armin, found the two of them and grinned.

“The star of the show! Welcome, welcome,” he told Armin.

He looked to Eren next. “You must be the friend.” He gave a hearty handshake.

“Yeah. My name’s Eren.”

“Okay, Eren. We’re gonna make you up and then we’ll start the first scene. We’ll explain everything as we go. Just keep the energy up and we’ll all have a blast.”

“Got it.”

-

It wasn’t until about the last two scenes that the rapper of the song himself showed up.

Armin, who had finished his scenes and was exceptionally tired from having been directed and touched all day, lounged in the director’s chair like a diva and sipped sparkling water absentmindedly.

There was a quick break where everyone was able to collect themselves and refresh before the last dance scene. Many of the actors went to get a picture and a conversation with the rapper of the song—a Trost native himself.

Eren managed to get his picture in and headed over to the refreshments table.

\--

By the time Eren was dropped off at Trost Tower, he wanted nothing more than to collapse lazily on the couch and do nothing for the rest of the night.

As he washed himself off in the shower, he felt stripped and raw as the sweat and makeup touches came off him.

Today was a blast, but Eren had to admit he wasn’t cut out for a life behind cameras. He was getting kind of famous just from his relationship with Levi, but Levi was a very private person, and he managed to keep their personal lives and “function lives” explicitly separate, so Eren didn’t really feel that he always had public eyes on him.

And he liked that. He liked that despite Levi’s lifestyle, Levi made sure that coming home also meant leaving all other distractions and attention behind.

And it was a rather strange conversation at the time, but Levi had told Eren long ago, that if he _ever_ felt uncomfortable by a stranger at a public event, physically or otherwise, to let him know right away so that he may step in and make quick work of the situation.

He was very protective like that. And since the incident with Mark, Eren no longer questioned it.

The feeling of closing the front door to the apartment also meant closing off invasive prying eyes, prodding questions, and boundary-ignorant people.

At home, it wasn’t CEO Levi Ackerman and His Boyfriend Eren Jaeger. It was just simply, Eren and Levi.

And Eren liked it like that.

He ruffled his hair dry with a towel upon exiting, and he made sure to put on his favorite pair of boxers. _Yes, now he could truly relax. Despite it being almost one in the morning._

He had found Levi in his office, of course, typing in notes on his laptop. When Levi heard Eren’s footsteps pad into the room, he turned his chair and opened his arms.

Being on Levi’s lap was also one of Eren’s favorite things about being home.

“How was the shoot?”

“Tiring, but fun,” Eren said softly. “I got to meet Li’l Biggs. I even got a picture.”

“Sounds exciting,” Levi said. “I can’t wait to see the final result.”

“Me, neither. Not sure what I’ll look like on a screen.”

“If you look half as adorable as you are in person, I think you’ll look just fine.”

Eren lifted his head and smiled. “You’re so sweet,” he whispered.

“Not as sweet as you—“ Levi growled before trapping Eren in his arms and pretending to eat and chomp away at Eren’s collarbones.

The sounds of Eren’s squeals and laughter resonated in the quiet night.

When Levi finished his attack, Eren cupped his cheek. “How was work today?”

“It was quite alright; just another day. I’m dreading tomorrow a bit, though.”

“Oh? Why’s that?”

“Erwin and I will be seeing a team from another company to prepare for a conference,” he explained. “The thing is, I hate working with that company. They’re just a pain in my ass, and unlike M.P. they don’t really offer us anything in the long run.”

“Then don’t work with them. Save yourself the trouble,” Eren offered simply.

“Trust me, if I had any say on the matter, I would follow that advice. But the conference randomly couples companies to certain projects. This year, we simply have to suck it up to finish the presentation. I just have no patience for any of it.”

Eren frowned. “Well, unlike me, you actually know how to temper your emotions in front of people that you hate. And I’ve seen you crack the whip while you’re in business mode. You’ll be just fine, Levi. It’ll be over before you know it.”

“’It’ll be over before I know it’,” Levi repeated, and he sighed while running a hand through his own hair. “You’re right, Eren.”

Some time had gone by in silence, and Eren had curled up and started snoozing on Levi’s shoulder. The sounds of Levi typing and his steady breathing were very therapeutic.

But suddenly, he felt Levi stir.

“Damn, it’s almost two,” Levi muttered. He shut his laptop and rubbed Eren’s back to rouse him. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I completely lost track of time. You have another exam tomorrow and you need your sleep.”

Eren wrapped his arms tighter around Levi’s neck as he was carried away. “I was sleeping just fine until you got up,” he pointed.

“No, you need real sleep. On a bed.”

“Sleep with me, Mr. Ackerman,” Eren asked airily, still a bit delirious and tired. “I don’t wanna sleep by myself tonight.”

“Alright, Mr. Jaeger. Your wish is my command,” Levi promised.

\--

At the coffee shop the next day, Eren loved being able to see some of his regulars after having some sparse days off.

“Hey, Eren, that’s for you.”

A customer handed Eren two envelopes while he was working on a drink. He quickly slipped one of them open. A small wad of bills peeked back at him.

“Happy holidays,” the regular said. “Other one’s for Sasha when she comes in.”

“Thank you very much!” Eren slipped the envelopes into his apron pocket happily. Regulars have been slipping him cash a lot lately.

Not that he needed the money anymore. Despite working at a coffee shop, he was technically a rich man, thanks to Levi.

And Jean was receiving his fair share of holiday favors from customers as well. Particularly older ladies. Older ladies tended to be smitten by Jean. Eren never figured out why.

It was one of the things Eren liked about working here. A small coffee shop allowed him to get to know his customers personally.

He got to work making a cappuccino, and Jean laid down another round of cups for him to work on next.

A familiar young girl called at him from where Jean was getting her payment. “Eren! Can you make me a flower on my latte!?”

Eren looked up and grinned. “I most surely can!” he called back. He was the only barista at the shop who knew how to make latte art. Sasha and Marco wanted him to teach them, but they usually worked different shifts, so it was always put on the backburner. Eren was famous for around these parts for his coffee skills.

Meanwhile, the signature drink competition was nearing the end. It was hard to tell who would win at this point. Sasha was slightly in the lead at the moment, since people tried her concoction out of sheer curiosity most of the time. And, Sasha knew how to market her drink well—only insisting that it was for the most complex of palates. ( _More like the most_ confused _of palates_ , Jean sneered at her.)

But Eren was confident in his own drink, as well. It was a drink that he adored himself, so it wasn’t hard to be passionate about it.

“How are you today, you handsome devil?” an older lady doted on Jean at the register.

Jean laughed from the flattery. “I’m doing just fine today, and I’m assuming a lovely lady like yourself doing well today, too, Miss Elaine?”

Eren overheard the conversation with a snicker. ‘Handsome devil’ was a new one. He would use that as ammunition to annoy Jean later.

“Baby, you know I want my usual,” Elaine told Jean.

“And I already have your cup all marked up. I can’t have you switching it up on me yet.” Jean said, matter-of-fact.

“I just want to take you home with me, you heartthrob, you.”

“Now, what would your husband say about that?” Jean wondered.

Eren loved that Jean knew how to keep a conversation going. It bought him more time to finish drinks. They made a good team.

“Oh, I guess I’ll have to keep you my little secret then, Jean.”

Jean pursed his lips. “Just a little secret? I thought I meant more to you than that, Elaine,” he said sternly.

Eren ducked his head to laugh. _God, Jean was_ such _a player sometimes_. But it made them good tips, so he wasn’t complaining.

When Jean took Elaine’s money and took the next customer, Eren saw the end of the order line at last. _Finally._ _What a peak!_

“Here ya go, enjoy!” Eren told a customer at the hand-off plane.

He wiped down his station, and then went over to Jean who was working on an inventory order.

“’Handsome devil’?” Eren teased. “Am I gonna have to tell Marco he has competition?”

It may have been because Jean was in a good mood, because instead of insulting Eren, he laughed quietly. “Go take your lunch, Eren-poo. Before I change my mind.”

“Okay, you handsome devil~” Eren sang, earning him a healthy punch on the arm.

Eren had bought himself a cold-cut sandwich from campus today, which he tore into gratefully while answering some texts. He wondered how Levi was doing at work.

-

“Hello, Jean,” a teenage girl said. “We want to be served by Eren.”

Jean nodded. “Suit yourselves.”

He went over to the break room and stuck his head in. “Eren, your fan club is here.”

“Mm.” Eren swallowed the last bite of his sandwich and brushed the crumbs off his lap.

Eren swung open the door and began washing his hands at the sink. “Hey, girls,” he called behind his shoulder.

This particular group of teenage girls from the local high school had taken a special liking to Eren. It was to the point where they wouldn’t even let Jean take their orders.

“Did we interrupt your break?” one of the girls asked, full of concern.

Eren came up to the register. “Not at all, I was just finishing up. Are we doing our usuals today?”

“Of course.”

Eren punched in all their orders with speed and engaged them all about their days. Normally Jean would take orders and Eren would make drinks, or vice versa, but Eren did this whole round himself considering this selective group of girls.

He handed off the last of the five drinks. “Enjoy, girls, please come back soon.”

“Bye, Eren,” they echoed in a flirty sing-song.

Now that there were no more customers in line, Eren decided to answer one more text.

The shop’s door bell jingled again, and Eren was hoping it wasn’t another party of five. He loved his regulars, and that group of girls always gave him fantastic tips, but five drinks—all with modifiers—to ring up and make by himself was a bit of hustle.

When he looked up to see who it was, he immediately grinned.

“Ma!” he breathed.

Carla waved happily as she approached the register. Eren ran from behind the counter to take her into a hug, not really caring that the customers sitting in the café could be watching.

“I’ve missed you, honey bunches,” Carla stroked the back of his hair softly. “I’ve missed you so much.” And she immediately gave Eren a look of motherly disapproval. “Eren Jaeger! When was the last time you got a haircut!?”

“I missed you, too, Mommy,” Eren whispered back.

Jean quietly watched their embrace from the register. He didn’t have a good relationship with his own mother, so this sight was a bittersweet feeling.

Carla took Eren’s face in her hands. “I know you’re busy with exams, but I just couldn’t wait ‘til break to see you. How are you holding up?”

“I’m holding up really well. I’m really confident,” he grinned.

“And confidence is key,” Carla agreed with a similar grin.

Eren went in for another hug and they stayed for a long moment.

“Alright, I gotta get back to work,” Eren said. He turned and went back behind the counter and into the back door to start a load of dishes.

Carla approached the register and Jean smiled at her. “Hi, Mrs. Jaeger.”

“How are you, Jean, sweetie? How are you holding up with your exams?”

“I’m holding up,” Jean explained. “I didn’t call off from work in the meantime, because the work is kind of a way to blow off some steam. I get wound up sometimes. So it’s nice to have an outlet to release pent-up stress.” And Jean felt weird all of a sudden. These were thoughts he should’ve been telling his own mother. But Mrs. Jaeger was always eager to listen whenever she came into the shop. “…If that makes sense.”

“That makes a lot of sense,” Carla validated. “But I don’t want you overworking yourself, okay? Make sure you have adequate “me” time. Sharpen the saw.”

Jean’s heart warmed, though he wouldn’t ever admit it. He was kind of envious of Eren, and the fact that he had a strong relationship with his mom. “I’ll be sure to sharpen the saw,” he promised.

“How is the program treating you? Are you enjoying it?”

Jean was a business major—pretty fitting for someone comfortable with manipulating people. Since the shop has been a bit empty on incoming customers for a while, he leaned his arms over the register to get more comfortable while he spoke. “I’m enjoying it; as grueling as it is. But I’ve lined up a few internship interviews for later, and I’m trying to stay hopeful. One of them is Survey Corporation, which would look gorgeous on my resume, but I heard they’re really selective.”

Carla’s eyes sparkled. “Survey Corporation? Eren’s boyfriend is one of the CEOs of that company. I’m sure he could slide in a good word for you.”

Jean stood up straight. “Wait… what?” None of those words made sense together.

“Eren’s boyfriend: his name is Levi Ackerman,” Carla explained happily. “He is one of the Co-CEOs of Survey Corporation.”

Jean rubbed his temples in mild confusion. “Eren… has a boyfriend?”

“Yes,” Carla smiled.

“He… is dating a CEO?” Jean thought out loud dumbly.

“Yes!”

“…He didn’t tell me any of that,” he mumbled.

“Ooh.” Carla furrowed her brows. “I wonder what else that boy hasn’t told you.”

“A good word would be amazing, though,” Jean agreed, still not having registered this new information. “But in terms of exams, which are my current priority, I think I’m doing really well, Mrs. Jaeger. I’ve learned to manage my time better than last year. I’m feeling good about it.”

“Well, like I said to Eren, I have complete faith in you, sweetie. Hard work always beats out talent and luck at the end of the day.”

“Wise advice,” Jean smiled.

And just as casually Carla dropped the bombshell of Eren’s relationship, Eren himself pushed through the backroom with a slight exhale and a few splashes on his apron from the sink. He clawed his shaggy bangs off his forehead, only to have it flop right back into place.

Jean looked at him a bit strangely. His bratty, annoying coworker was dating a fucking CEO, if what Mrs. Jaeger said was true. He was seeing Eren in a new light.

“What’s up with you?” Eren asked him, snapping him out of his daze. “I think you’re losing focus, maybe you should go for a break? I can hold down the fort,” he offered.

“…Uhh,” Jean said quietly. “No, I’m good.” And he mentally shook himself out of it. “What will you be having today, Mrs. Jaeger?”

“May I have a small vanilla latte?” she asked politely.

“Most certainly,” Jean replied. He nodded to Eren, who was already heading over to the bar to make the drink.

When he saw Carla fish through her purse for her wallet, he waved her down. “No need for that. Mom privileges,” he explained.

“Oh!” Carla grinned. “Well, at least let me tip my favorite baristas,” she said. She dropped a twenty dollar bill into the tip jar.

Usually, Eren would call out drinks the hand-off plane, but for his mom, he brought the drink to where she was standing at the register. “Here ya go, Ma. It was made with love.”

“Thank you very much, honey.” She smiled warmly at where Eren had Sharpied in “Mommy” with a big heart next to it on the cup.

“After exams, you should come to the apartment and visit us,” Eren told her. “You still haven’t seen it!”

 _“Us…”_ Jean thought about it in his mind. _Eren shares an apartment with a CEO. Eren is sharing an apartment with his boyfriend, who is a CEO of a major holdings company._ The more he spelled it out, the dumber he felt.

“And tell Pops I say hi, and that he needs to take breaks. And that when we come over for Christmas, he better not be working.”

“I will, honey, I will. Keep working hard this week. I’m proud of you.” And then she looked between Eren and Jean. “Both of you,” she clarified.

When Carla left, Eren looked at Jean. “Okay, I’m gonna sweep the café,” he began to walk away, but Jean grabbed his shoulder.

“Wait. When were you gonna tell me about your new boyfriend?”

“He’s not new. We’ve been together for, like, six months. Since summer,” Eren said.

“And… you didn’t tell me?”

“I told you about all my exes. I guess Levi never came up. His name is Levi,” he repeated, taking the course of the conversation back to square one.

“As in Levi Ackerman, one of the CEOs of Survey Corporation?”

Eren’s eyes sparkled, just like his mother’s. “Yeah! Did you do your research on the company or something, Jean-boy? I’m impressed.”

Jean was still flabbergasted that Eren was so fucking casual about all this. “Eren! How did you think that dating a CEO is not a relevant fact to bring up until now!”

“He-never-came-up,” Eren held Jean’s biceps and shook him a little while enunciated, as if to instill the words into his brain. “And it’s not like I’ve been keeping him a secret intentionally. He’s even come into the store several times. Sasha and Marco met him. You just always barely miss him.”

Jean was even more flabbergasted. _The CEO of the company he’s been itching to intern at came into his coffee shop. Here._

“Why are you so surprised?” Eren’s tone changed. “Do you think I didn’t have it in me or something? I can have anyone I want.” He crossed his arms and frowned a bit, but it came out as a pout.

Jean pursed his lips. “I didn’t say that. But you and I both know that you aren’t the best judge of character sometimes. You have some shady-ass exes. That’s all I’m saying. So the upgrade is a bit…” Jean struggled to find the words.

Eren raised his eyebrow.

“…Strange,” Jean finalized.

Eren rolled his eyes. “Whatever.” He picked up a bean scoop to start a fresh batch of coffee. “If it makes you feel better, I think Marco is an upgrade from that bitch you called your ex-girlfriend.”

“And if it makes _you_ feel any better,” Jean continued, washing out a brewer and lining it with a coffee filter for Eren, “I thought she was a bitch, too.”

Eren smiled at Jean.

And though most small-talk between the two of them was on the ‘insulting’ end of the spectrum, they spent the rest of the shift talking about Eren’s relationship with Levi.

There was… a new sparkle in Eren’s eyes when he talked about his boyfriend, Jean noticed. It was unlike anything he’d seen from him before. And Jean had experienced most, if not all of Eren’s exes. He knew Eren’s past.

And to see him all bright and romantically innocent warmed Jean’s iron-clad heart. Eren was quickly going from bratty coworker to… an almost little brother-type figure.

He wanted Eren to keep Levi. He wanted to see Eren like this more often.

…

Not that he would ever tell Eren that.

\--

When Eren finally came home, worn out but satisfied after a long day, he walked into Levi giving someone a tongue-lashing over the phone.

“…So figure it out!” Eren heard Levi snap from the couch. “What the fuck am I paying you for? I want the outline sent to my secretary by the end of the day tomorrow. I will not tolerate half-assery in my company, and you’ll learn that very quickly. Good-bye.”

Eren hung up his jacket neatly and came around to the couch.

Levi had tossed his phone onto the coffee table wearily and sighed deeply. His work shirt was unbuttoned about halfway down, and his tie was loosely draped around his neck—which only meant one thing: he was stressed.

But when he saw Eren’s sweet face, he immediately sat up and patted his thighs. “Come here, Eren,” he demanded quietly.

Eren made his way over and took a seat on a familiar lap.

Levi slowly but very firmly wrapped his arms around Eren. “When everything is wrong, you’re the only thing that’s right,” he said softly.

Eren giggled. “I’m assuming the conference collab didn’t go too hot?”

“I like to exercise control in all things,” Levi explained, with his face buried in Eren’s chest. “And when I cannot be in control, I feel rather compromised.”

Eren stroked Levi’s glossy black hair apologetically. “I know, hubby. I know,” he consoled. “How ‘bout I help you unwind, hm? How does that sound? Let’s get you out of these stuffy work clothes and I’ll give you some special lovin’. I’ll even get dinner started for us and you can tell me all about it.”

Levi looked up into Eren’s green eyes. “What are you thinking for dinner?”

“I’ll just throw a lasagna in.”

“Will you need my help?”

Eren shook his head. “No, I think I’ve seen you do it enough times that I won’t burn it or anything. Now, get outta here. My Papa Bear needs some attention tonight.”

He got off Levi’s lap, only to find himself captured in Levi’s arms again. “What will I do without you, Eren?”

“It’s my job to take care of my hubs.” And with a soft stroke to Levi’s cheek, “What good am I otherwise?”

-

Eren relished the soft groans that Levi released from low in his throat as he worked his fingers into his temples. It was a quiet time to comfort Levi.

It’s not like Levi asked for it. He never asked for anything. So Eren trusted his intuition to realize that Levi just needed a little pick-me-up.

To take a break from his temples, Eren ran his fingers through silky black locks for a scalp massage. Levi sighed deeply once again.

Eren didn’t want to disturb the atmosphere he created. It was actually Levi that spoke first: “Thank you very much for this, Eren. You really do help me calm down.”

Eren smiled down at him, and didn’t stop moving his fingers, either. “Aw. You’re very welcome, Levi. Anything I can do to help. I don’t like seeing you all wound up like that. It’s not good for you.”

“And you give the best massages after a long day.”

“I do my best.” A mischievous smile curled on his lips. “I do it all on a handstand. No half-assery in this house,” he used Levi’s choice phrase from earlier. “No, sir, not from me.”

Levi opened his eyes to look up at Eren, and he chuckled richly.

_Oh, what a wonderful thing he had to be able to come home to Eren every night._

\--

The next morning, Eren was actually awake before Levi for a change. He looked really gentle today, in his oversized maroon sweatshirt with his school’s logo on the front and comfy boxers. And that shaggy hair was not getting any shorter. He brewed coffee quietly and had some gentle music running in the background.

Levi emerged from the hallway, but leaned against the wall to silently watch Eren from a distance. Eren was a sight for sore eyes, to say the least.

Eren stirred in his hazelnut creamer and two spoons of sugar when two, strong calloused hands snaked around his waist.

“Good morning,” Eren smiled.

“Mmm.”

“I fixed you a cup.”

Levi took his mug gratefully. It was perfect, as always.

“How’d you sleep, love?”

Eren took a gulp and sighed softly. And being the seasoned barista he was, he made sure to shake his head slowly to grasp all the aromas of the coffee. Well, at least the aroma of Levi’s black coffee, since his was a bit diluted by hazelnut. “You know I always sleep well with those big, strong arms of yours wrapped around me tight,” he said.

“The least I can do after your treatment last night.”

“We are such a good team, you n’ me.”

“That we are.”

Eren stepped closer, the shadow of his taller body looming over Levi’s height a bit. “You n’ me,” he repeated.

-

It was only after Eren had finished his coffee that his personality was one hundred percent present, and he was back to his cheeky self.

Levi’s personality was always pretty consistent, but he loved seeing the shift between pre-morning coffee Eren and post-morning coffee Eren. It was a literal awakening.

“I want my good morning kiss, Mr. Ackerman,” Eren announced.

Levi backed Eren up against a wall, and his hands ran up the form of Eren’s body. Finally, he took that cute face in his hands and held it still for a firm smooch on the lips.

“Satisfied, Mr. Jaeger?” Levi wedged his knee between Eren’s legs. “You pretty boy.”

“’Pretty boy’, huh?” Eren mused. He stole another hard kiss from Levi’s plush lips and clasped his hands behind Levi’s neck. “You gonna back those words up?” he challenged.

“That mouth knows no limits.” Levi’s hands wandered into the hem of Eren’s sweatshirt, feeling up a tight tummy and a toned waist.

“No, it doesn’t,” Eren agreed. “So what’re we gonna do about it?”

“I’ll tell you what we’re going to do about it.” Levi abruptly grabbed the back of Eren’s thighs to hoist him up.

Eren hung on tight, laughing out loud. “Morning quickiiiie!” Levi was already carrying him to the couch with a certain goal in mind.

“Morning quickie,” Levi confirmed with a smile pulling at his lips.

\--

Eren emptied out his backpack on the counter, not really needing to carry all the extra materials and luggage now that finals were nearing to a close.

Levi picked up half-opened envelopes, all of which had money enclosed in them. “What’s all this?”

Eren looked up he sifted through his papers and notes. “Oh. Some regulars at the coffee shop gave me some extra cash for the holidays. A nice gentleman gave me fifty dollars today!”

Levi collected all the cash to help Eren organize. He organized the bills the same way he kept his own wallet—hundreds on top, then twenties, then the tens, then the fives, and lastly the singles, all with the faces facing the same direction. Eren had usually just stuffed cash haphazardly into his wallet and called it a day, which was why his wallet never fit quite nicely in his pocket.

“I’m not sure how I feel about other men giving you money,” Levi said. He said it seriously, but Eren detected a bit of humor under the surface.

“Well…” Eren sighed, and he slyly took the organized wad from Levi’s hands, “I guess you’ll just have to one-up them, Levi.” He pretended to count his money.

“Not satisfied with your new favors?” Levi mused. “And here I thought I was keeping you financially appeased.”

“I’m never satisfied. If you ain’t talkin’ money, then I don’t wanna talk,” Eren shrugged. He and Levi shared a look.

And then they laughed.

“I’m kidding, hubby. You have nothing to be threatened by. All this cash is kinda redundant to me now. Maybe we can use it to fund a dinner for the P.D.? They’re my favorite guys, and I wanna give back. Perfect time of the year, too.”

Levi softened a bit. Now, this is the Eren he knew. The Eren that would use his tips and favors from his hard work at the coffee shop to give back to the community.

“That sounds like a wonderful idea, baby. I’ll organize the whole thing for you.”

“Yay!” Eren left his money on the counter and he went over to give Levi a hug.

It wasn’t always that Levi spelled out his feelings, but now was a fitting time. “Eren, you are such a kind soul,” he uttered gently. “You constantly inspire me to become a better man.”

Eren smiled sweetly. “Aww. You’re always flattering me. I’m just a run-of-the-mill guy. I’m nothing special.”

“You are anything but ‘run-of-the-mill’,” Levi retaliated firmly. “If everyone in the world had just an ounce of your kindness, things would be so much brighter.”

“Keep sweet-talkin’ me like that!” Eren hid his blushing face in Levi’s shoulder. “You’re killing me here!”

Levi chuckled. Eren was so damn precious.

Eren lifted his head to speak. “Also, I still don’t feel all that comfy about other men making your coffee, so don’t even think about it, Levi,” he said sternly.

Levi chuckled once more and kissed Eren’s cheek. “My boyfriend is a hypocrite.”

“Don’t even think about it!” Eren repeated, and he tried to be serious, but he couldn’t stop smiling.


	74. A Smooch In Front Of Thousands

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Happy Sunday! Hope you all had a great week. 
> 
> Things get interesting in the coffee shop. And our baby boys aren't getting any less cheesy :3c
> 
> Please leave a comment after reading and tell me your thoughts!
> 
> Next time: Paris!!

“This is it!”

“Kick some ass today,” Levi reminded.

“Kicking ass is our specialty, you n’ me!”

Levi opened his arms for their good-bye hug. Eren loved that Levi’s hugs came with a complimentary squeeze.

“Love you,” Eren said softly. He rested his head upon Levi’s shoulder.

“I love you more.”

\--

Eren was ecstatic to be done with final exams. And he felt even better that he was confident about his work. Now he could enjoy his break stress-free. What a feeling!

But first, he had to put in a shift at the coffee shop.

\--

While Eren made a latte, he crafted a teddy bear face using foam for a customer.

Upon getting her drink, the young lady at the hand-off plane squealed at the cute design, and she immediately took out her phone to snap a picture.

Eren smiled. His name was getting out there fast because of his skills, and business in the store was growing. Online, people tagged him in pictures of his creations:

_“Come to Trost Coffee if you want a cute latte by Eren!”_

Jean thought Eren’s designs were a bit stupid—“Why put designs in coffee if they’re just gonna drink it anyway?”—but Eren loved little gestures of joy while he worked. And he was in a great mood, anyway.

The door’s shop jingled while Eren was waiting on a blender, and he saw looked up curiously.

The customer asked Jean which of their coffee selections would be right for him. The man seemed very indecisive.

Eren handed off a smoothie and waited for the man at the counter to make a choice so he could get the drink started.

“I personally love our dark roast best,” Jean said, “but you know what? Eren has a great palate. I could send you both to the café and he can do a coffee tasting with him. You might find a new favorite.”

“I can do a coffee tasting!” Eren encouraged.

The customer agreed, and Eren grinned. He loved coffee tastings. He was essentially being paid to sit around and drink coffee with customers.

-

“…and you can really taste the hints of lemon,” Eren said, and then he took a slurp. “And see how it melts out into the sides of your tongue into a toasty, cocoa flavor? I love this roast.”

The customer took a slurp and shook his head in wonder. “I’ve never tasted anything so complex!”

“What do you taste?” Eren wondered.

“There are layers. The flavor spikes but it finishes clean.”

“Latin coffees have that crisp profile, and they usually finish with a balanced mouthfeel. Very agreeable, with just a hint of personality. Try this lemon cake, and let me know why I chose this as a food pairing.”

A regular had walked in at that moment, and Eren met eyes with the man and waved quickly before bringing his attention back.

“The lemon contrasts with the tangy notes of the coffee. It amplifies the flavor. And now I can taste it in the tip of my tongue, not just the sides.”

Eren leaned back in his seat and put his arms behind his head proudly. “You don’t even need my help anymore, you’re already an expert,” he grinned.

The customer smiled from the flattery. “I didn’t even know there was a right and wrong way to taste coffee. You’ve opened me up to a whole new world, Eren.”

“That’s my job! And now that you have the tools and knowledge, you need to try all our coffees! Now, tell me what you do for work. Do you live around here?”

-

By the time Eren was done with the tasting, Marco and Sasha had clocked in for the evening shift. With exams finishing or over entirely, all the baristas were picking up extra hours to make up for calling off for winter break. It was the first time in a long, long time that Eren, Jean, Marco, and Sasha were able to work together all at the same time. Bertholdt, having mainly worked weekends, was missing out tonight.

Evenings were usually calmer, but a little crowd usually built up in the café from people and students bringing their laptops to work and study after a long day.

It was the perfect opportunity to market their signature drinks, and it was still very neck-and-neck. However, over the course of the shift, Sasha was knocked to second as Eren was a few drink sales ahead.

Someone came into the store, and a disappointed Sasha lit up to see that it was someone she recognized.

“Hey, Levi!” she and Marco greeted simultaneously.

Levi approached the register, his hands tucked into the pockets of his black coat. He took them out to take off his leather gloves.

“How are you all today?” he asked. And to Eren, with a softer voice: “How are you, baby?”

From where Jean organizing the tea selection, he froze in his tracks, but didn’t turn around.

He cautiously looked over his shoulder.

_Shit. It really was him. A CEO in the flesh. It was just like the pictures._

_And he was Eren’s boyfriend, no less._

He looked intimidating as hell. His clothes were most definitely brand-name, and God, that Rolex on his wrist was shining from across the room.

Jean gulped. This was the type of man he aspired to be like someday.

He tentatively approached the scene to see if he could get an introduction, and he was rather off-put by the fact that Sasha and his own boyfriend Marco, of all people, were so casual with him.

Levi Ackerman was a very short man, Jean realized as he got closer _. But does that even matter?_ His subconscious snapped. _That man probably made more in an hour than you’ll make in two years._

Sasha was going on about something, and she crossed her arms matter-of-fact. “Levi, you said the next time you came to the shop, you would try out my drink! I haven’t forgotten!”

“I did say that, didn’t I?” Levi agreed with her. “Alright, I will try one of Sasha’s Kitchen Sink.”

Sasha clapped her hands cutely and grinned. “You are a smart man! And you’re in for a treat!”

Eren snorted. “You’re just desperate for a tally because you know I’ll win. I always come out on top.”

Jean didn’t know when he’d be able to get a word in. Not only was Levi the CEO of the company he desperately wanted to intern for, but he also didn’t even know what to say.

_Hi, my name is Jean; let me work for you!?_

He felt Marco pat his shoulder on the way to the espresso machine to make the Kitchen Sink. “Go meet Eren’s boyfriend, babe,” he encouraged gently.

Jean cleared his throat lowly and boldly stepped up.

“Hi, I’m Jean. It’s nice to meet you, Mr Ackerman. I’ve heard a lot about you.” He held his hand out for a shake, and his heart was pounding furiously.

Levi, who was still wearing his sunglasses despite the fact that it was winter and he was indoors, took them off and folded them into the dip of his collar.

Jean blinked. Mr Ackerman had that piercing gaze that could kill.

But he took his hand firmly and his deep voice was assuring. “It’s nice to finally meet you, too, Jean. Eren has told me much about you.”

Jean didn’t know if he should be flattered or scared. Eren was a brat; did he say good or bad things!?

“What do you study?” Levi asked him. “Do you go to TU like the rest of them?”

Jean nodded. “I do. I’m a business major.”

If Jean wasn’t good at reading people, he would say he detected a ghost of a smile at Mr Ackerman’s mouth.

“That, is a great field, although I guess I’m a bit biased,” he said. “Are you enjoying it? It’s all very cutthroat.”

“I am enjoying it. I like being in a position where I can bargain and play to people’s energies.” And then Jean shifted on his feet. “Actually, I, uh…”

Eren spoke up and patted Jean’s arm. “Jean applied to be an intern at the company. Surely you can tell Mike to green light it?” 

Jean gave Eren a look of disbelief. How could he be so bold! But Eren seemed unperturbed, as if he already knew the answer.

“Well, of course,” Levi said. “Anyone who gets Eren’s seal of approval is alright in my book. Come on over to the headquarters and I’ll have you in right away.”

Jean tried to stop his jaw from dropping.

Just like that. Eren gave the word, and just like that, he landed the internship of his dreams. He suddenly wished he was nicer to Eren in the past.

“Oh, well, I…” Jean hated that he was still nervous. “I can give you my resume, Mr Ackerman, if you want—“

Levi waved him down nonchalantly. “No need. You’re in. And you can call me Levi.”

Jean wanted to squeal and jump up and down like a giddy little girl. He was on a first name basis with the CEO of Survey Corporation. And he got the internship. _This day was getting better and better!_

“Well, thank you very much, Levi. I appreciate it,” Jean smiled. He felt kind of weird about calling this important man by something other than ‘sir’ or a formal title.

Eren smiled mischievously, and Sasha squeezed Jean’s arm. “Wow, Levi! You made Jean smile! That’s a talent in itself.”

“Sasha!” Jean hissed.

But Sasha didn’t have a care in the world. “Do you want to get your usual while you’re here?”

“You’ll need some nice, black coffee to wash down whatever Sasha is going for with that cappuccino from hell,” Eren said.

Sasha pushed Eren’s chest. “Eren, rude!”

Levi thought for a moment. “Maybe it is about high time I tried something new.”

“Well, what’s your style?”

“I don’t want anything too elaborate or lively. Something subdued and straight-to-the-point. What do you baristas suggest for me?”

Eren, Sasha, Jean, and Marco, who was overhearing the conversation at the bar all spoke together: “Americano.”

Levi chuckled. “It seems like an obvious choice, then.”

Sasha went over to the blackboard and added a tally to her drink. Marco brought the completed drink over to counter. “Here you go, Levi. A Kitchen Sink.”

They all watched curiously as Levi took a sip, and Sasha looked especially strung with anticipation.

Levi licked his lips. “Hm. Not bad at all, Sasha. There are a lot of flavors going on.”

Sasha beamed and loosened her nervous grip on the chalk. “I knew you would like it! It’s only for—“

“—the most complex of palates,” Jean, Eren, and Marco finished wearily. “We know.”

A ganged-up on and defeated Sasha pouted and crossed her arms. “Levi, please help me out. What is a girl supposed to do here in this coffee shop full of ignorant men?”

It didn’t hit Levi that Sasha was the only female barista in this shop. He remembered all of Petra’s stories about her past jobs, where she was the only woman in sight.

“You have something they don’t, Sasha,” Levi comforted. “Don’t be upset. You have proven your skills.”

Sasha seemed very happy with that answer.

While he waited for Marco to finish his Americano, Levi instinctively pulled out his wallet to pay for his items. But when he remembered that he had boyfriend privileges, he took out two twenty-dollar bills and stuck it in the tip jar.

Jean pretended not to notice that fatass tip. Eren must be living like a king at home.

Marco finished the drink and handed it to Levi with a smile.

“Why is it called an Americano?” Levi wondered.

Marco answered this time. “An Americano is just shots of espresso and water. The joke is that Americans like their coffee watered down.”

“Ah.” Levi always left the shop with new coffee knowledge. He took a sip and… it was surprisingly delicious. It might just be a contender for his regular black coffee.

“I really do like that,” Levi nodded in satisfaction. “Thank you all for helping me out today.”

Eren gave him goo-goo eyes and reached over to touch Levi’s chin. “I’ll see you at home, hubby,” he said.

“I’ll see you,” Levi confirmed. “I’ll see you all later,” he said to the other three.

“Bye, Levi!” Sasha and Marco said. Jean gave a grateful smile.

The door to the coffee shop closed upon Levi’s exit.

Jean looked at Eren. “Thank you for that, Eren. Really. You didn’t have to do that.”

Eren patted Jean’s cheek twice, hard, like Jean did to him when he was encouraging him. “No problem at all, Jean-boy. And you have an impressive resume, anyway. Even without my help, I’m sure they would’ve let you in anyway.”

And Eren meant that sincerely. Jean was the reason he was able to land a job at Trost Coffee in the first place, and by extension, an opportunity to escape his borderline abusive relationship with Mark. It felt nice to be able to return the favor to land Jean the internship.

Marco began brewing a fresh batch of coffee and offered a motherly smile. “I’m so glad you two are finally getting along.”

“Don’t get me wrong,” Eren said, “I still think Jean-boy is little pissbaby.” While he spoke, he had that signature mischievous smile of his.

“And I still think Eren-poo is an annoying little bitch.” While Jean fired his insult, his voice was gentler than it usually was.

They both shared a knowing smile before Jean patted Eren’s head. “Do me a favor and mop the house?”

“Yes, sir.”

\--

Eren went home after a long day, and was pleased to find that Levi was back from the office.

“Hubby-bubby!” he sang obnoxiously. “The love of my life! The father of my ten babies! The man of my dreams!”

Levi got up from where he was working on his tablet on the couch, and as he approached Eren with wide-open arms. The smile that graced his face from Eren’s adoring words chiseled his sculpted cheeks out even more. “There he is. Come here and give me some love.”

Eren wrapped his arms tight around Levi’s neck and was launched a few feet off the ground while Levi picked him up.

Levi took a deep breath. Eren smelled like coffee like usual and his body was just so fucking familiar and wonderful. It was such a wonderful feeling to end the day with him.

After the hug, they looked into each other’s eyes and went in for a smooch on the lips, firm and true.

“Levi, I’m so happy. I’m finally fucking done with finals. Now I can stop stressing and let my hair down.”

“I’m so proud of you. I expect nothing but the best results. But for now, I’m glad you’re unoccupied so I can keep you with me all day.”

“Now, that, my dear Mr. Ackerman,” Eren explained as he led them to the couch, “is my ideal situation.”

Eren shrugged of his jacket and pulled something out of the pocket. “I went across town and found those dark chocolate bars that you really like!” He handed over the two candy bars to Levi.

Levi took it, and with a serious tone, he gazed at Eren curiously. “Are you trying to make me fat?”

Eren tucked himself under Levi’s arm, and he placed a hand over his stomach. “Always.” He tried to grab a handful of Levi’s gut to jiggle it playfully, but Levi’s abs were like granite. _It was the thought that counted._

Levi laughed that rich, musical laugh and kissed Eren’s head. “Thank you very much, Eren. You’re so sweet. I don’t even know how you knew these were my favorite.”

“I saw some in your bedside drawer and a stash in your desk at work. What kind of detective will I be if I can’t figure out your favorite things?”

“Mmm. And a _fine_ detective you’ll be, Mr. Jaeger.” He peeled the wrapping off one of the candy bars neatly. “Now, I will eat these, on the condition that you’ll share it with me.”

“Ooh, we can make a coffee tasting out of it! I found a new exotic roast today that would complement this nicely.” Eren got off the couch and went to the kitchen to start up the coffee grinder.

Levi put up the footrest and sighed contently. _Yeah, this was the life._

\--

Eren knew it was a good sleep, because when he woke up, there was a huge puddle of drool on Levi’s chest from where his mouth was.

Eren shifted and laughed lightly. Levi was grade-A drooling material, voluntarily or otherwise.

And from the slight turbulence of the bed, Levi was now awake, too. He stretched his arms out to the ceiling, and the cords of muscles in them flexed and twitched. And then he looked down to figure out while he felt so wet.

“Oh, my.” He gingerly touched the still-moist puddle on his chest.

“Sorry,” Eren apologized sheepishly. He wiped the side of his mouth.

“It’s alright,” Levi said. “As long as you slept well, I don’t mind being drooled on.” With a stiff, creaking back, Levi sat himself up and pulled his soiled shirt over his head, revealing his naked torso in all its sculpted glory.

“Not gonna lie, though, Levi. You are _such_ a yummy man, especially when you’re naked.” Eren absentmindedly traced along the grooves and lines of Levi’s torso.

“I could say the same about you.”

Eren rubbed the surface of his chest a bit. “Let me massage your back,” he offered. “As an apology for drooling on you. You look kind of stiff anyway.”

“By all means.” Levi turned over onto his stomach and groaned. “Work your magic, baby.”

\--

It was quickly becoming a Saturday morning tradition to go to the Pancake House.

Levi and Eren were seated by the hostess, and they waited for their server.

“What’cha thinking for date night?” Eren reached across the table to hold Levi’s hand.

“You know it’s always up to you, babydoll.” He thought for a minute. “Oh, I forgot to tell you yesterday. A client of mine gave me four tickets to a basketball game tonight. I felt like you would enjoy it, so I took the tickets. Would you like to go?”

“Yeah, that sounds fun! And you said you had four tickets? Let’s invite Armin and Erwin, we could make it a double date!”

“That sounds wonderful.”

A familiar poised waitress approached their table and tucked a long strand of brunette hair behind her hair before setting down some menus. “Hello, boys. I will be your server today,” Frieda recited, and a knowing smile grew on her lips.

“Frieda!” Eren was really excited to see her. “No one takes care of us quite like you.”

“Do you say that to all the servers, I wonder?” Frieda put a hand on her hip. But then she giggled. “I’m teasing, sweetie. You’ll always be my favorite pair of customers. There are no better faces to see on a Saturday morning shift.”

“Do you say that to all the customers, I wonder?” Eren mused, and all three of them laughed.

She rubbed Levi’s shoulder. “How are you, Levi? Everything going well at the company?”

“Everything’s great. I’m preparing for an upcoming conference, but besides a few hiccups, it’s going pretty smoothly.”

“That’s wonderful to hear. Will you start out with your usual black coffee today?”

“But of course.”

Frieda turned to Eren. “And what will you drink, Eren? Coffee as well?”

“Coffee, but also orange juice. Please.”

“Absolutely. I’ll be right back with those.”

-

“Ughhh… Fuck. Me. Senseless!” Eren hung the back of his chair and rubbed his stomach through his shirt. “I’m so stuffed!”

Levi hid his smile behind clasped hands. Eren said the strangest things when he was hungry or full.

It was usually Levi who asked the question, but Frieda came by the table and looked at Eren in his state. “Have you had enough to eat, sweetie?”

“Definitely.”

She refilled Levi’s coffee, and glanced at the empty plates on the table. “Oh. I probably didn’t need to ask that question. Your plates say it all.”

Having been familiarized with the fine dining experience, Levi knew and Eren eventually learned plate signals at the completion of a meal. Both their utensils were placed parallel on the middle of the plate, laid horizontally. It meant the food was excellent.

Levi looked at Frieda curiously. “You’re familiar?”

“Little did you two know I used to be a hostess at a five-star restaurant,” she said gently.

Eren was intrigued. “Whoa, really? Why downgrade to a casual diner?”

Levi wouldn’t have said it like that, but he was wondering the same thing.

“I just didn’t like the clientele,” Frieda explained with a quiet sigh. “Pancake House customers are so much nicer and down-to-earth. I used to serve celebrities… pro athletes… influential people who ran businesses like Levi, but unlike Levi, they treated the wait staff like footmaids. It’s unfortunate, but some people let the money get to their heads.

Here,” Frieda gestured to the people in the nearby vicinity, “people just want to share breakfast in their pajamas. I would much rather receive a smaller wage serving genuine salt-of-the-earth people and go home with a smile, than receive large tips from rich snobs and go home on the verge of tears.”

Levi and Eren listened to Frieda’s past with disappointment. Eren was moved, and Levi was disgusted that a lot of the people he had to deal with were the same profiles as the snobs Frieda was talking about.

“So that, my dear Eren,” she looked at him knowingly, “is why I downgraded. Truthfully, I feel that it’s more of an upgrade. I’m able to relate to customers like you boys and all the customers who come here.”

“Frieda, we love you, and we won’t ever let you down,” Eren said with fierce determination. “You can count on that.”

“I appreciate that, sweetie.” She collected their empty plates and placed the bill folder on the table. “The only way you two could let me down is if you stop coming very Saturday morning.”

-

Frieda returned with the black bill folder containing Levi’s credit card.

And after Levi signed the bill, he reached into his wallet again and pulled out cash. Two hundred dollars, to be exact.

Normally, people left tips on the table upon leaving to avoid awkward situations, but when it came to Frieda, Eren and Levi liked to give their tips personally.

“For you, Frieda,” Levi told her. “Thank you for treating us today.”

Frieda took the money gratefully, but hesitantly. “This is a bit much—“

“For the holidays. Truly, no one takes care of us quite like you do.” Levi repeated Eren’s sentiment from earlier.

She pocketed the money and rubbed Levi’s shoulder again. “Thank you,” she breathed. You two are way too kind.”

And another tradition occurred in the parking lot on the way to the car; Eren swung an arm back and gave Levi’s ass a healthy little smack.

And as usual, Levi smacked that ass back much harder, making Eren squeal “OH!” and the two of them hoping no one was around to see their little exchange.

\--

For the basketball game, Eren had found some gear for the local team in the depths of his closet. Now that he was all spirited up, he was ready to enjoy the game.

Levi wasn’t too familiar with the live sports scene, or even watching sports on TV in general. He was only familiar with the dimmed lights of a boxing club, where the audience shouted their satisfaction or hatred for the fighters with absolutely no shame.

From their courtside seats waiting for the basketball game to start, Levi could tell that people were going to be much more civilized here.

And, he was always willing to give new things a try so long as Eren was with him.

Armin and Erwin found them just a bit later. Just like Levi, Erwin had ditched the tailored suit and opted for something a little more civilian—a striped v-neck shirt and jeans.

“Still wearing sunglasses?” Erwin asked while he sat down to Levi with a groan. “The world has more color to offer than just faded blue, my friend.”

Levi took off his blue aviator shades and tucked them into the dip of his collar to look at Erwin. “Force of habit, I suppose. Although the lights in here are really bright.”

Erwin lifted a finger to flag down a staffer in the distance, and when he came over, Erwin bought two packets of peanuts, one for himself and one for Levi.

They snacked while discussing some work happenings. Levi was glad no one recognized him here. There were several times that he was approached by people who recognized him while he was out spending time with Eren. And he tried to keep it professional with people who wanted a conversation, but _damn_ , it was annoying. He hated making it seem to Eren that the two of them could never truly be alone together with no distractions.

The basketball team jogged out of the tunnel to begin their warm-ups on the court, and the crowd started cheering. Eren and Armin stood up and held their items out to be signed by the star player.

Levi waited for Eren to get his autograph.

Eren sat down with his freshly-signed cap and he wore it proudly. He pointed to the brim of his cap. “Levi!” he squealed. “He chose us! I got to touch him!”

“It’s exciting, isn’t it?” Levi agreed. He pinched Eren’s cheek encouragingly.

As the basketball teams wrapped up their warm-ups and stretches, they retreated back to the locker rooms. And the timer began the countdown to the beginning of the game.

The overheard lights went off and colorful strobes scanned the crowd. The jumbo-screen camera fixated on random fans and especially couples.

Fans with painted faces and team-colored wigs jumped up and cheered in their seats when they noticed they were on the big screen. Couples shared a small kiss to appease the audience.

Eren was becoming a bit antsy as he waited for the game to start. He stared up at the jumbo screen absentmindedly.

And the camera fixated on him and Levi, who didn’t look any less attractive in the pixelated screen above.

Eren gushed and regained his fire. “Levi, look!”

Levi also noticed he was on the jumbotron.

It was a mystery how the camera operators even knew they were a couple, considering they weren’t holding hands or showing any sort of romantic inclination at the moment. Maybe the two of them just had a noticeable chemistry.

And Levi still wasn’t that big on PDA. Not because he was embarrassed by Eren—quite the opposite, actually. He loved Eren so much that he felt like showing his affection in front of random, unworthy eyes would sully the sentiment. He just _loved_ to savor Eren in private. That boy was an unwrapped lollipop in a world of shitty candies that had fell on the floor.

But, no matter. Eren was obviously super excited to be noticed by the cameras. And Levi would do anything to make him happy.

So, he sat up straight in his seat and decided to give the crowd what they asked for.

Eren looked at him innocently. His long hair now extended past his neck and curled just to where his nape was. He was fucking adorable.

The whole crowd watched in anticipation as Levi took the signed brim of Eren’s cap and turned it 180 degrees so that it was backwards on Eren’s head.

And they went in for a slow, firm smooch. It wasn’t the most romantic situation to share a kiss, but Eren shut his eyes and lived in the moment.

Levi held Eren’s chin to get in deeper, and all the sounds from the world were blocked out.

Because right now, right in this moment, it was just him and Eren. Despite a a good few thousand people watching.

When they finally let go, the world flooded back into focus, and perhaps because it was because they were two men, but the usual ‘aww’s from the crowd were pleased whistles, loud hoots, and cheers.

Erwin laughed out loud, and Armin clapped at the kiss on the screen.

“Good?” Levi asked against Eren’s mouth.

Eren stopped biting his lower lip. “Good,” he whispered back.

They both sat back in their seats like nothing had happened.

\--

Date nights were always fun, but coming back home to Trost Tower and cuddling on the couch with all the lights off save for the glittering extravaganza of the Christmas tree was simply unbeatable.

A freshly bathed Eren had kept the movie paused while Levi was finishing up with his shower.

And his phone rang pretty late tonight. But when he saw the caller ID, he immediately picked up.

“Hey, Ma.”

“Eren, I wanted to give you a kiss for finishing final exams! I’m so, so proud of you, and so is your father.”

“Aw. Thanks for that, Mommy. I’m super confident. I’ll make you two proud.”

“You’ll make us proud no matter what, babycakes. I can’t wait to see my sweet son over Christmas break!”

Levi had emerged from the hallway with damp hair just then. He made himself comfortable on the couch and tucked Eren under his arm while he waited for the phone call to finish.

“…Yeah, he just got here. Here.” Eren handed his phone to Levi.

“Hello, Carla.”

“Levi, my dear. I just wanted to check in with you. I really hope you’re doing well! And have fun in Paris when you go!”

Levi smiled. Carla was a figure that filled a gaping hole in his heart. The void of his mother.

It was a conversation that came up one day Levi went over to the Jaeger house. The fact that own mother had passed away had come up, and Carla was immediately empathetic. She had taken him into a firm hug, and with a soft voice: _“Ohhh… I’ll be your mother.”_

Levi couldn’t forget that moment.

“Thank you for checking in on me—everything’s wonderful. And I’m thoroughly excited to travel with Eren. It’s been a long time since I’ve traveled for something other than business.”

“I don’t want you overworking yourself. Make sure you take breaks. And sleep!”

“I will, I will.”

“And one more thing before I wish you good night—make sure that my son gets a haircut, Levi. By any and all means necessary.” Her voice was commanding and she was definitely not playing games.

Levi twirled a lock of the hair in question around his finger while he received his instruction. “You have my word.”

“Alright,” Carla sighed contently. “Good night, my dear. And give Eren a kiss for me.”

“Good night, Carla.”

Eren took the phone back and loosely called out into the phone as if it was a walkie-talkie. “’Night, Ma!”

“Your mother is really not a fan of this long hair of yours,” Levi said.

“No, she isn’t,” Eren shook his head in agreement. “She’s a hater. She says men who allow themselves to go shaggy aren’t handsome. Which I don’t get because both my dad and Armin have long hair and she likes it on them.”

“Hm. Perhaps she just wants to see those gorgeous eyes, like me.” Levi brushed the overgrown bangs off Eren’s face and tucked it behind his ear.

Eren tilted his head up so that he was practically touching noses with Levi. “You’re so cheesy,” he said quietly.

“How can I not be cheesy when I have the most adorable boyfriend in the world?”

“Mr. Ackerman, you are too far gone,” Eren giggled, and he pressed his lips against Levi’s.

When it was clear after a few seconds that neither wanted to pull away first, Levi had shifted just a little to take a hand to Eren’s cheek and deepen the smooch.

A lovely little sigh escaped from Eren, and Levi’s heart warmed from it.

There were many layers and moods to Eren. There was the Eren wore the white thigh-highs and pushed his chest to straddle him on the bed and give him the best time of his goddamn life; the Eren that unashamedly sent him nudes while he was in important meetings.

And then there was also this Eren. The Eren who wanted to hold hands while they waited for their food at restaurants, or while they were at the movies. This was the Eren whose hands shook when they first had sex; whose lips softened after his salty tears streamed down his face after a rough time.

It was a little gamble for Levi to guess which layer of Eren he would experience at that time.

Kisses were usually the quickest way for Levi to find out, though.

“Je t’aime, mon cheri.”

“Je t’aime aussi, you yummy man.” Eren planted a quick smooch on Levi’s jaw before nuzzling into his shoulder.

Before Eren clicked the ‘play’ button to commence the movie, he spoke into Levi’s arm. “I’m gonna have my way with you when we go to Paris. You’re in for a surprise next week.”

Next stop for these two cheeseballs; the most romantic place on earth.


	75. Sex Appeal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lmao I'm not uploading this on Sunday so Happy Monday :/
> 
> I'm alive, I know how long it's been since I uploaded. And I feel bad about it. I myself hate it when content creators start out by apologizing for their absence, but I mean it to you guys. It's so rare for my free time to align with times of inspiration, so it's like if I actually do have time to write, I'm usually not really feeling up to it. I go through times where I'm bursting at the seams with ideas, and times where I draw a blank. With how busy and tiring my life has been lately, I'm sure you can guess which end of the spectrum I'm finding myself in right now. 
> 
> I hate that I'm making excuses. This story is almost done, and we're in the final stretch. When summer rolls around, I promise I'll be more consistent and inspired. 
> 
> So, this isn't the Paris chapter that I know we're all excited about, but I cranked out a little smut chapter for you guys to enjoy while you wait. It isn't much, but enjoy.
> 
> Are you guys keeping up with SNK Season 2??
> 
> Please leave a comment after reading

Eren liked to think he was the local neighborhood sex freak, but that statement just wasn’t true. At least not completely.

In fact, he was way too capable of seducing men and women alike with his charms, using a combination of his drive and willingness to please, as well as the fact that he loved with all his heart to deliver the best possible results.

And Levi, oh, Levi, a simple man, really—he never asked for much—always received way more than he bargained for with his little boyfriend.

-

Eren rolled out of bed one morning, hoping to find Levi and spend some time together. But upon exiting the bathroom and beginning his search, he realized Levi wasn’t home.

Well, no matter. He would wait.

He crawled back into Levi’s bed and watched some TV.

-

The door clicked open in the distance and there was a shuffling of feet as Levi entered.

And from his roost in the big bed, Eren smiled his cheeky little smile.

Levi started undoing his cuffs. “Oh. You’re awake. Good morning.”

“’Morning.” Eren sat up a little straighter, and upon checking the time on his phone, he frowned. “Why are you working so early on a Saturday?”

Levi sighed a bit and crawled into the bed wearily beside Eren. “Let’s just say my client is an early riser.”

He took Eren into his arms and smothered his face with a round of kisses. “I’m sorry for leaving you like this, sweetheart,” he mumbled.

“It’s okay,” Eren consoled. Levi always made up for his absences nicely. “I know how work is.” He held Levi’s face and planted a chaste kiss on his lips.

Levi shrugged off his suit jacket and tossed it haphazardly to the floor before laying back on the pillows with a groan.

Eren crawled a bit closer. Levi had the first several buttons of his shirt undone like he liked to do, showing _juuuust_ enough pec cleavage that bordered sexy and daring while still remaining professional.

“What’s with all this sex appeal?” Eren traced a wandering finger into the dip of the collar. “Who are you trying to please besides me?” A smile curled on his lips.

“Sex appeal?” Levi mused, not at all displeased by Eren’s touch or comment. “Are you feeling bothered by it, darling?”

“Mmm… not bothered at all, my dear hubby. But when you do these things, I can’t control myself. It gets me all hot.”

Eren took the liberty of going ahead and unbuttoning the rest of Levi’s shirt, staring at his own handiwork with intense focus.

“Do you want to play, Eren?” Levi asked.

“I’m not playing games today, Levi. I’m going to give you some sweet lovin’.”

“I’m quite alright with that,” Levi replied quietly. 

Eren leaned down, so that their breaths mixed together. “Good, because I’m not giving you much of a choice.”

He went in for another plush kiss, closing his eyes and tasting Levi’s gorgeous lips while working on removing the bothersome shirt.

Eren peppered a few light kisses on the toned chest beneath him. “Do you know what they used to call me?” he asked quietly. But it wasn’t a meek quietness. It was low. Dangerous.

“What did they call you, baby?”

Eren touched their noses together. He wanted to make sure Levi was able to hear what he was going to say next, loud and clear: “They used to call me the king of foreplay.”

Levi sifted through Eren’s hair absentmindedly. “Those are big words, Mr. Jaeger. I’m going to have to see if you can back it up.”

“I love a challenge, my yummy Mr. Ackerman.”

“My yummy Mr. Jaeger,” Levi echoed, and he pulled himself up a bit to aid in the removal of his clothes. Now just in his briefs, he trapped Eren in his arms and tackled him to the bed.

But Eren wanted to be on the giving, rather than receiving end today. He rolled around and pinned Levi right back down. “Ah-ah-ah,” he shook his head. “This is about you today. Let me service you. I want dessert early.”

He ran his hands along the form of Levi’s torso, unashamed, feeling up every groove and dip and swell and faded scar.

This was what a _real_ man’s body felt like. Weathered and rugged, and _damn_ , did Levi make it look good.

“You’re such a sexy man…” Eren breathed in awe.

“Thank you for saying that, my dear.”

“You’re welcome.” Eren dipped back down and lay some kisses beside the corners of Levi’s mouth, resting his hand upon the chest beneath him. He was pleased to find that Levi’s heart was fluttering just a bit faster than normal.

“Does Papa want a blowie on this fine morning?”

Once again—Levi didn’t even need to answer because Eren was already halfway gone beneath the sheets and wouldn’t take no for an answer.

Eren kissed along the print through Levi’s underwear, puckering his lips just ever so slightly along the fabric. His graceful fingers wrapped around the base and squeezed it.

And it was now that Levi was starting to get a bit hot and bothered. And fuck, if Eren wasn’t going to see how far he could take him over the edge.

“Mmmm…” Eren sent vibrations through the sensitive area. “Mmm. Mmmm…” He kept peppering kisses along the hardening length as well as Levi’s lower stomach.

“Fuck, Eren,” Levi gasped lightly.

Eren looked up cheekily. “That’s the plan,” he purred.

“You little brat.”

“I know I am. But I’m also gonna be the man responsible for rocking your world, so maybe try a more flattering nickname?” Eren began nipping the sensitive skin below Levi’s belly button.

And it was that action that had Levi hissing and grabbing blindly at Eren’s hair.

Eren smiled internally—there was something so fucking hot about Levi pulling his hair. Levi always subconsciously attempted to regain control.

And it was cute, Eren thought, because _he_ was the one in control. Despite being on the humble, providing end of the pleasure game.

Teasing Levi was both enjoyable and a bit torturous for Eren. Riling him up and seeing his normally leveled, collected demeanor slowly slip into a depraved, primitive state was an interesting phenomenon.

But on the other hand, Levi was often not at all demanding or upfront about his sexual needs; usually not acting upon them unless Eren initiated it or aroused him to the point where he couldn’t focus on anything else until he was satisfied. It was for this reason that Eren loved to give it to Levi right away and with an efficient speediness—teaching his man that sexual satisfaction never needed to be taboo or a burden.

 _“I’ll take care of ya…”_ Eren would soothe, encouraging Levi to further melt his steely exterior into a more vulnerable one.

But there were rare occasions where Eren enjoyed pushing Levi over the edge just a little too much. Today, perhaps it was a punishment for leaving him so early on a weekend morning for work.

“Eren…” Levi breathed lowly. His strong chest was starting to rise and fall a bit harder and faster.

“Don’t worry, big boy, I’ll get you there. Just be patient,” Eren said in between nips.

He ran his fingers along the waistband of Levi’s underwear, to take a look at the beautiful gem that Levi kept hidden there: those alluring, thick veins that crawled beneath his belly button.

Ohh, how Eren loved to trace and lick and kiss and worship those veins.

And all the while, his soft lips wrapped around the moist spot of those briefs, the head of Levi’s cock that was slowly leaking precum as the treatment commenced.

Eren kind of wished the covers weren’t pulled over his head right now. He knew one of the quickest ways to get Levi hard was to look up and stare into his soul while giving him head.

But Eren usually didn’t take shortcuts in life. He would get Levi there, slowly but surely. 

He kept palming at Levi’s length, the print clear and solid through the fabric. But he wasn’t going to release it from his confines just yet.

A brown bedhead popped out from beneath the covers, which prompted Levi to loosen his grip on his locks.

Eren kissed a flustered Levi on the cheek. “Turn over for me?” he asked nicely.

Levi couldn’t help but give a disappointed sigh, as his erection was going a bit neglected at the moment. He so badly wanted a familiar pair of pretty pink lips to wrap around him and swallow him down.

But Eren was going to make sure Levi felt every painstaking second of his arousal spiking, no matter how euphoric or disappointing.

He sat on the mattress and waited patiently for Levi to turn on over on his stomach.

 _Well, this helps a bit,_ Levi thought to himself. Pressing his hardened erection against the bed kind of suppressed his frustration a bit, almost like applying pressure immediately after a wound.

He didn’t even realize he was whining lowly until he felt Eren’s body straddle him from behind. He felt long, lean arms wrap around him assuringly, and a lovely voice whisper into his ear. “Hey.”

He felt Eren’s crotch lay into his ass. “I’m not gonna leave you like this, Levi. I just wanna…” and his voice went husky: “Have some fun with you first.”

He began flexing his hips against Levi’s backside, speaking sweet nothings into his shoulder all the while. “I love you so much. You’re so sweet to me. You’re too hot for words.”

And though it was Levi getting all the stimulation, the idea of having Levi’s solid body beneath him, almost anxious and twitching for a need for something a little more immediately rewarding, was beginning to arouse Eren, too.

He kept rolling his hips into Levi’s ass, dry-humping him at this point, really, because Eren had the potential to be a dominant if he wanted to.

But in the meantime, he was still the king of foreplay. And he had a reputation to live up to.

The next few minutes were relentless with kisses: Light kisses into the crook of Levi’s shoulder; into the neatly buzzed hair of his undercut; into the back of his neck, and along his shoulders, too.

Levi’s shoulders could use a little more attention, Eren thought. Buff, broad shoulders that held the weight of responsibility and experience upon them every day.

“I love your body…” Eren purred. “I love every single part.” He lay some wet smooches along the shoulder muscles in front of him, and when he wanted to ignite some fire, he sunk his teeth into the tender skin.

“Ugh!” Levi moaned into his pillow.

Eren grinded his crotch harder into Levi’s ass and established a rhythm, down, down, down, again, and again, and again.

“Baby…” Levi begged a bit desperately.

“I know, I know…” Eren cooed.

Levi buried his face into his pillow, feeling just a bit too submissive in this position than he was used to. It was usually he who was coddling Eren and telling him to be just a little more patient while he got his fill. But Eren could be indulgent, too, it seemed.

To get some more leverage, Eren held a firm grip on Levi’s shoulder blade as he sat up, and he planted his knees firmly on the mattress beside him before fucking Levi’s ass through their clothes.

“Levi, Levi, Levi…” Eren chanted wantonly. The bed was creaking quietly from Eren’s movements, and it was just an intimate morning that didn’t require much talking to each other.

“Levi, Levi, Levi!” he started a bit louder. Levi’s firm ass was alleviating some of the hardening pressure building in Eren’s own boxers, and a deep red flush was spreading across his face that he was so unashamed about having Levi’s hunky body under his thumb like this.

Eren mewled and that pretty sound wasn’t doing much to quiet down Levi’s own arousal.

“Okay,” Eren sighed a little later, slowing down the pace of his hips. “Let’s switch it up.”

He palmed at his own erect dick to shake himself out of it. Why is it that when he attempted to turn Levi on, he also became turned on himself?

Well, it made sense. Eren always, always made sure Levi finished, too, even when multiple rounds were involved. He wasn’t selfish.

“Turn back over for me, hubby.”

When he was over on his back again, Levi’s face was still its usual stoic way, but he also looked rather pained. Impatient. His steely-gray eyes were brooding over with lust and need.

Eren cocked his head to the side and stared right back at him. Levi was quiet, but Eren could guess what he was thinking.

“Do you want me to finish you off?” Eren asked.

Levi tried not to sound so desperate, but he didn’t often beg for anything in life. He tried to think of an answer, but while he was forming his words, he didn’t even realize his hand was traveling down to his crotch to handle himself.

That was, until he felt Eren’s hand prying it away from the area in question.

Eren asked again. “Tell me what you want.”

“I… Please service me with that mouth, Eren.”

Eren smiled. “You asked so nicely. I’d love to.” He peeled the covers away and began stroking the tent that pitched in Levi’s underwear.

“Mmm. Just how I want it,” Eren admired. “Did I live up to my old nickname?”

“I would definitely say so, yes,” Levi chuckled lightly. “You always live up to your promises— _hah!”_

Levi choked back a moan and threw his head back while Eren had already begun the much-needed blowjob that this man desperately needed.

“Eren! God! _Shit!_ ”

Eren pulled out Levi’s cock that buried deep into his throat just a second ago. “You’re so loud today, Levi.”

And without further comment, Eren took the length back into his mouth and bobbed his head up and down, pretty pink lips wrapped firmly, and cheeks hollowed out. And for the finishing touch, he directed the focus of those sparkly emerald eyes to make contact.

Eren brought his hand up to Levi’s stomach to rub his fingertips teasingly against it. He just wanted to get Levi’s attention.

Levi weakly began petting Eren’s hair in encouragement before finally looking back down. “Eren… just like that. Just like that.”

Eren wrapped both his hands around the base and began pumping a little faster, and his eyes were smiling. Levi was just so fucking gone and lost in the clouds right now and it was all his doing. It made him feel a bit proud.

When he was absolutely sure that Levi was watching, Eren ran his tongue up along the shaft nice and slow, not for a second losing his fiery eye contact with Levi.

He kissed the head teasingly, then lay some butterfly kisses back down along the shaft before taking the tip back into his mouth and resuming.

When Levi began groaning loudly and twitching a bit, Eren started to count in his head.

He began massaging Levi’s balls in his hand while he sucked, circling and massaging them in his palm carefully.

One minute down.

Eren buried the length deep within his throat until his nose brushed against the soft black patch of pubic hair, and he felt that Levi was impatiently taking Eren’s hair to take him down in rhythm.

“Shit… shit, shit,” Levi was hissing, “ _fuck_!”

Thick, hot streams of cum leaked into Eren’s mouth, and Levi growled lowly all the way through his orgasm.

Eren smiled to himself while he swallowed it down. Two minutes. He was efficient like that.

Eren wiped his mouth when it was over, and he slowly crawled back up beside Levi. “Good?” he asked.

Levi looked at him with a renewed expression; his orgasm was perfectly satisfactory as the foreplay was painstaking. “Good.” He kissed Eren on the bangs.

“Um. That’s weak, Mr. Ackerman,” Eren pouted. “Kiss me on the lips like a man.”

Levi obliged and offered a firm, patient smooch square on the mouth.

Eren hummed in satisfaction. “See? You don’t taste too bad. I would even argue that you taste like heaven.”

“Only you can make the filthiest things seem poetic,” Levi said.

Eren traced flirty circles around Levi’s chest, teasing his nipple while he did. “I’m a guy of many talents, I like to think.”

He rubbed his nose against Levi’s and hooked a leg over his naked body. “Leave me early on a Saturday morning to work and I’m gonna have to stretch the foreplay out even more next time.”

“Is that a threat, Mr. Jaeger?”

“Mm...” Eren began to think, “Considering you were on the verge of begging, I think it is.”

“I was not on the verge of begging,” Levi’s chocolatey voice had traces of hurt.

“You were. But I’m kinda obsessed with giving you whatever you want right away, so in a way I saved you your pride.”

“My pride?” Levi’s smile stretched out. “My pride?” he repeated, and he quickly trapped Eren in his arms before biting along the shell of his ear as punishment.

Eren squealed and tried to escape, but Levi’s arms were like a vice, and it was so damn ticklish!

“Leviii!”

Levi took a deep, content breath and kissed the same ear he nibbled on. “You are so damn scrumptious, my darling. I really can’t get enough of you.”

“My ear doesn’t taste as good as other parts of my body…”

“…”

“…”

“…You are absolutely shameless,” Levi said.

“I know,” Eren agreed cheerily.

“Do you want me to return the favor, lovebug?”

“Getting a blowie from my man would make up for him leaving me alone during these cold winter mornings.”

“Then I suppose it can’t be helped.” Levi smooched Eren’s cheek and similarly disappeared into the covers below to pry open a pair of long legs and give some expert head.

And Eren thought to himself—he really didn’t mind at all that Levi had to leave him sometimes for work, as long as they both made up for the time apart the minute Levi got home.

Keeping his insatiable little boyfriend happy was a constant, although not at all a difficult, or unpleasant job for Levi. In fact, he found Eren’s neediness to be one of the factors that kept their relationship passionate and fresh.

 _This was just another day in the life_ , Levi thought with a smile.


	76. Mile-High, Baby!!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Happy Sunday!
> 
> The boys are off to the City of Lights! Mischief and love ensues as we start our adventure!
> 
> Please leave a comment after reading and tell me your thoughts!! :3

The morning had come for Levi to whisk Eren away to Paris.

And Eren could hardly sleep!

The alarm went off, but Eren, who was already awake from the anticipation, quickly reached over and turned it off after the first ring.

He had on a face-splitting grin as he ripped the covers off his legs.

And Levi, who was still snoozing away, face-down, unsuspecting, looked extremely peaceful in the morning light.

But it wouldn’t be peaceful for long.

“Levi!! Gooood morniiiiing!” Eren squealed, and he crawled closer to pounce on the sleeping man beside him.

Levi stirred and curled his arms tighter underneath the pillow. His eyebrows furrowed. “Eren, babe, my back…” he groaned quietly.

Eren climbed off him and scratched Levi’s undercut to rouse him awake. “Oh, no, I’m so sorry! I forgot you’re usually stiff in the mornings. But I’m super excited!”

Even though fatigue riddled his body from working hard lately, Levi couldn’t help but catch on to Eren’s contagious excitement. He inhaled the morning air and relished Eren’s fingers massaging his undercut.

“Levi!! Let’s get ready, I don’t want to be late!”

Levi turned his head so that his face was no longer buried in the pillow. And immediately, he got to see his favorite sight—his adorable, emerald-eyed boyfriend, bedhead and all.

“Eren, our flight is at noon. We have plenty of time.”

“But it’s a long trip to the airport! And I want to make coffee and finish packing! C’mon, lazy!”

Levi chuckled. “Alright, alright.”

Eren took Levi’s calloused hands to help sit him up. When he was sure Levi was awake, he ran into the bathroom with haste.

Levi glanced at the clock. It was six in the morning. He loved how eager Eren was to wake up early if he was looking forward to something.

He was so used to traveling for business—both planned trips or on a whim—that he was able to pack up from scratch and be on a plane within an hour and a half. But Eren told him that he’s only traveled long-distance with his family on a few times: not because they couldn’t afford to travel, but because Grisha was always working and family vacations occurred once a blue moon.

So this Paris trip was a new, rare adventure for Eren to say the least. And Levi was ready to indulge him.

But first, he should probably get out of bed.

-

“May I have my good morning kiss, Mr. Jaeger?”

“Damn, have I been that distracted?” Eren cringed at himself. “’Course you can have your kiss. Come here.”

Eren lifted his arms and rested them gently on Levi’s shoulders, gazing into his eyes. The kiss didn’t occur right away. Eren thought their ritualistic morning kiss was one of their most intimate moments together, even more so than sex or cuddle sessions.

They rocked side-to-side ever so, bodies inching ever closer. Calloused hands wrapped around Eren’s waist. A careful hand found the chiseled edge of Levi’s jawline.

And slowly and carefully, Eren went in to meet their lips. Levi’s lips were so juicy and kissable, plush and full. _Damn. Damn. Damn._

And Levi loved kissing, too. Eren’s lips were so pink and soft and sassy, even when they weren’t saying anything.

When Eren finally slid off with a soft sound, his pupils wavering from the magic surrounding them, Levi decided that it just wasn’t sufficient.

He leaned down to hook an arm around Eren’s thighs, and without further notice, he scooped Eren off his feet and away to the couch.

“I can’t get enough of you,” Levi stated. “I cannot.”

He threw a squealing Eren down on the couch and littered a round of kisses on those sweet cheeks.

“Your allowance is _one_ good morning kiss, Mr. Ackerman! One!”

“Oh? Just one?” He held Eren’s cheeks and placed some loud smooches on his bangs in response.

“Just one!” Eren giggled.

“And what will you do about my disobedience?”

“How ‘bout this!?” Eren yanked Levi’s arms to drag him into the couch and he managed to climb on top of him to keep him still.

“You know… I have a little punishment for naughty husbands like you,” Eren said.

Levi’s hands trailed up along Eren’s thighs, running his nails softly across his skin while he did. “And what would that be?”

“It’s called a morning quickie, but I’m an indulgent guy, and if I start with you, I’ll never fucking stop. And we have a flight to catch.” His voice was calm as he explained, and he took Levi’s wandering hands within his own. “And, I have coffee brewing. So the quickies are gonna have to wait until Paris.”

Levi looked disappointed. He was rather surprised to find himself in a situation where he was the one lacking self-control.

But… he couldn’t blame himself. Eren was the loveliest plaything to wake up to. He would be an idiot not to take advantage of that.

“But, hey,” Eren soothed. “I’m not cruel. I wanna make my husband happy.” He placed a hand over Levi’s heart, and dipped down to take Levi’s lips again.

But unlike most morning kisses, which were chaste and simple and assuring, Eren decided to give Levi a little something extra. He darted his tongue out and ran it along Levi’s lower lip, requesting permission, and when Levi opened up, Eren went in for the kill and wrestled against Levi’s tongue for domination.

Levi exhaled harshly through his nose. He hated to admit he was overwhelmed, but Eren was a force to be reckoned with when he was in the mood.

Eren explored unashamedly: all along the back of Levi’s jaws, trying to reach for his tonsils. When he was done, he gave Levi’s lower lip a few more obsessive tastings.

Coming back up for air was relieving and torturous for Levi and Eren, respectively.

And what fucking did it in for Levi was that thing Eren did after makeout sessions—licking his own lips as if trying to re-live the memory of the taste, and he would bite down on that lip bashfully. Or teasingly. Levi had to look at Eren’s next actions to determine which of the two it was.

“French kissing my favorite French guy. Go figure,” Eren smiled.

Levi chuckled richly. And just like earlier this morning, Eren took his hands to help him up to his feet.

Now that the good morning kiss was out of the way, the two of them could get on with their routine.

\--

Eren was glad that Levi took him last-minute shopping last night. Instead of clothes and necessities, though, Levi spoiled him with expensive toys and gadgets as a quick present before the trip.

He wasn’t much of a photographer or filmmaker previously, but with his shiny new cameras and equipment, Eren was going to make sure he would make his first visit to Paris a lasting memory.

-

They took a private ride to the airport instead of Levi’s car. Eren was used to living a chauffeured lifestyle now—vehicles with minibars in them; mute drivers that overheard even the most scandalous things and remained stone-faced while they drove; tinted windows; and brushed leather seats.

He scooted next to Levi in the backseat, and though he shouldn’t, he unbuckled his seatbelt.  He was pleased when Levi also unbuckled his seatbelt to take Eren under his arm and pet his hair soothingly. Freshly-cut hair, to the pleasure of Carla, and to the indifference of Eren.

Levi thought Eren looked adorable no matter what his hair length.

\--

Upon arriving to Sina Airport, Eren could say that the scene looked a little familiar. He dropped Armin off at this very same airport for his trip to Africa back during early summer.

The sights were the same as before, too; from bustling businessmen carrying nothing but a suitcase and light carry-ons to big families whose luggage carts looked more like colorful, stacked marshmallows with their overflowing suitcases.

While Levi was speaking to an airport staffer, Eren gazed at a beautiful reunion. There was a man in an army uniform, his tan bag dropped next to his feet as someone who Eren assumed was the man’s wife came bounding up to him and jumped into his arms with tears in her eyes.

He smiled. That was almost the exact same way he greeted Levi whenever he came back from his trips.

Although, the soldier and his wife had probably gone months without seeing each other, based on their greeting. Eren welcomed Levi back like that even if the trip only lasted two weeks.

Separation anxiety was strong with Eren.

A gentle hand ran its knuckles against Eren’s cheek, bringing his attention back from his daydream.

“Everything alright?” Levi asked.

Eren tore his gaze away and looked back at Levi. “Yeah,” he nodded, his grin having returned.

He followed Levi’s over to customs.

-

Traveling with Levi made Eren feel like a superstar. Levi knew the quickest routes and the fastest procedures. He was so experienced with traveling that he didn’t need to ask anyone for help or directions.

Customs took a bit longer than Levi was used to. The security officers had a field day with the collection of electronics Eren was carrying. But he was glad to hold Eren’s hand while they waited.

And finally, they were all cleared to find their terminal. As they walked the gigantic, spacious halls and up escalators, Eren looked around in awe. Through the big glass walls, he could see lines upon lines of neatly parked planes.

People looked like ants beside them.

Levi checked his watch every so often. Not that he needed to. He was so efficient that even when all the clearance was over with, they were about two hours early for the flight.

He wanted to make sure Eren was fed before they boarded.

Eren saw a big LED board above him that flipped through the many destinations and their departure times. From here, he couldn’t really make out the red lettering, even while squinting.

He patted around his bag for his eyeglasses.

And when his search proved fruitless, his heart panged in panic.

He stopped in his tracks, which caused Levi to slow down and look at him. “Eren?”

“My glasses. I forgot my glasses.”

Levi didn’t seem at all worried. In fact, he smiled gently. He opened up a pocket of his own carry-on and pulled out the familiar hard case.

Eren melted in relief. “Oh, my God, you brought them. My hero!” He took the case and placed a grateful kiss on Levi’s cheek.

“I figured you would probably need them on the trip.”

Eren opened up the case and wore his black-framed glasses. “I don’t know what I’d do without you. You think of everything.”

“Just doing my job, baby,” Levi told him, and he took Eren’s hand to resume their walk.

And, Levi couldn’t lie. He still thought Eren looked fucking adorable with those glasses.

\--

After lunch, they found a seating area near the terminal, and even still, they were early. Levi sat down to take a load off, and he went through his tablet quietly.

Eren, having gotten literally no sleep last night from his excitement, was suddenly overwhelmed with sleepiness and decided to take a nap.

He struggled to curl up and get comfortable. Levi noticed his difficulty and patted his thighs.

Eren gratefully lay down across a few seats and lay his head on the familiar lap. And just like that, he was out like a light.

Levi shrugged off his coat and lay it over Eren’s shoulders so that he wouldn’t get cold while he slept.

He got some glances from a few passersby, but quite frankly, he couldn’t give a damn.

\--

Eren decided he didn’t want to travel anything except first class anymore.

The seats were wide and plush, just like the one at home. Instead of the shitty built-in screens they had in the lower classes, the first classers had huge flat-screens and reclining chairs. And leg room was a valuable luxury.

A nine-hour flight would’ve been torturous otherwise.

There was even a curtain behind the handful of chairs to separate them from the other passengers.

There were twelve seats in first class, but only seven of them were occupied. There was another couple, a businessman-type like Levi, and an elderly man accompanied by what seemed like his granddaughter.

First class also came with complimentary in-flight Wi-Fi.

Levi insisted on doing the heavy lifting to put away his and Eren’s bags. While he stretched and bended and put his muscles to use, the woman in the adjacent aisle gazed at him from behind her curtain of hair.

_Holy shit, that man was hot._

_A bit short for her tastes, but she knew a man when she saw one. He had muscles in all the right places and a handsome, chiseled face to boot. This was going to be a lovely trip, if she was going to have that eyecandy to look at the whole flight. Not that her own husband was paying attention to her,_ she thought with a sigh.

Eren waited patiently for Levi to join him. He squeezed his hand gratefully for being a gentleman and putting his bags away for him.

The woman from across the aisle frowned when she saw the short, hot man touch noses with the young man beside him. _Why were the hot ones always gay!?_

A stewardess came around and offered the first classers some champagne. She skipped over the young girl who was with her grandfather, but she offered some to Eren.

Levi declined for him, and also declined his own drink.

While he was finished speaking to the stewardess, Levi caught the gaze of the woman that was staring at him from across the aisle. She blushed and averted her gaze.

\--

After the flight safety presentation, all the passengers were seated and prepared for liftoff.

Eren took out one of his cameras from his carry-on, and he waited for his face to come into focus.

“There we go!” He centered his face above the ‘+’ in the viewfinder. “And we’re off! Flying first class, y’all… I’m out here with the man of my dreams, otherwise known as Levi!” He leaned in closer to Levi so that they were both on camera. Levi seemed a bit quizzical about it.

“What are you up to, Eren?”

“I’m vlogging our trip! So that we can keep this memory!”

“Vlogging,” Levi repeated.

“Yeah, it’s like blogging, but on video.”

“Ah,” Levi nodded. “Alright then.” He went back to his tablet and didn’t ask any further questions.

Eren aimed the camera to his own face and continued to speak to the camera. “Isn’t he great?” he asked the pretend audience. “So we’re just waiting for liftoff now. I haven’t traveled overseas in years, so I’m fucking pumped.” He aimed the camera to the window. “Paris: Part One… it’s gonna be one for the books.”

He shut the camera and sighed contently.

\--

Even on the plane, Eren managed to get his cuddles in. He plugged in and watched movies on his tablet while holding onto Levi’s bicep.

As the afternoon wore on, Eren listened to music and gazed out the window.

And slowly… slowly… he began to drift away…

…

\--

“…Eren. Eren.”

Eren shook himself out of his sleep and peeled his headphones off.

“Time to eat, babydoll.”

Eren groaned quietly. “Mm. Not hungry.”

“You have to eat, my dear.”

When Eren just stared at him silently, Levi began stroking his face soothingly, running the backs of his knuckles along Eren’s cheeks.

Eren’s pout was beginning to fade now.

“I know you haven’t gotten enough sleep last night. I’ll let you go back to sleep after I feed you.”

“…Fine.”

Levi began cutting into the food with the utensils and Eren quietly went along with it.

And though Eren said he wasn’t hungry, he ended up polishing off the whole thing.

“That’s a good boy,” Levi nodded proudly. “Not too bad, right?”

“Not bad at all,” Eren agreed with a smile. He was wide awake again, and he unfastened his seatbelt to stretch his legs out.

He sipped his soda through a straw while Levi finished his own meal.

Looking out the window again, it wasn’t much of a sight yet. The plane was within a thick layer of clouds, so it looked very foggy outside.

He shut the panel of the window and got back to watching movies.

-

A few more hours had passed since the mid-day meal, and the majority of the plane was asleep. The flight crew dimmed the lights of the cabin so that only the band of lights along the sides of the ceiling glowed softly.

The credits rolled for the last movie Eren worked on. He peeled his headphones off again and looked around.

All the first classers were asleep except for him, Levi, and the young girl who came with her grandfather. She had her own headphones on and was working on a coloring book.

Levi, who was not one to waste time, was working on a presentation on his tablet when he noticed Eren stir.

“Finished a movie?” he asked.

Eren nodded and rubbed his eyes. “I’m binge watching all the _Fast and Furious_ movies.”

“Didn’t watch the first one together the other day?”

“We sure did. I wished you watched the sequels with me, but I see you’re hard at work on your notes.”

Levi put his tablet down. “I find that working helps pass the time.”

Eren rubbed his shoulder in understanding. “Don’t worry, hubby. I know how you are.” He reached over to place a kiss on Levi’s cheek.

“What was that for?” Levi asked, but a flattered smile ghosted on the corners of his lips.

“What, I need reasons to kiss my man now?”

Levi held Eren’s cheek and responded with a retaliation kiss.

“You wanna make out?” Eren whispered in the air of the dim cabin.

Levi chuckled deeply, and Eren giggled, too. “There’s that little girl behind us who’s still awake. I don’t want her to become scarred.”

“Damn. You’re right.” Eren sat up straight in his seat and looked around. The lavatory was just beyond the curtain.

He leaned in closer and began to toy with Levi’s collar. “How hot would it be if we fucked on this plane?”

“We have a growing list, don’t we?” Levi mused.

“Restaurant bathroom, beach cave, office desk, bedroom at my parent’s house, hotels…” Eren checked off. “But I’m still fixin’ to get into the Mile-High Club.”

“Oh, Eren. The things you make me do…” Levi sighed, and he unfastened his seatbelt.

“It can’t be helped,” Eren used one of Levi’s signature phrases.

They quietly walked hand-in-hand to the lavatory, and Eren made sure the door was clicked shut before proceeding.

In the lavatory, the buzz of airplane static made most of the noises null and void, but the fact that there were people seated just several feet behind that wall was satisfactory for Eren.

Since he knew Levi preferred comfortable sex on a bed or couch, Eren was willing and ready to take the lead, but he was pleasantly surprised when he felt Levi hoist his thighs up and seat him on the small ledge that contained the sink.

“Watch your head, sweetheart.” Levi pointed his chin to the ceiling while he proceeded to unbuckle his belt.

But Eren didn’t let him finish as he grabbed Levi’s collar and yanked him closer so that his legs could wrap around his body and deepen the kiss.

It was a sloppy, desperate kiss that brought Levi’s rougher side. He assumed a strong grip on Eren’s hips and tried to fight back Eren’s fervor.

“Ready to fuck me fast and dirty, Levi?” Eren breathed into Levi’s mouth.

“Is there anything I do with you that isn’t fast and dirty, Eren?” Levi growled back. He reached into Eren’s sweatpants and began stroking him up.

“I mean, what can I say?” Eren purred. He began wildly carding his fingers through Levi’s hair. “I’m shameless.”

“Mmm,” Levi moaned deeply in confirmation. He met Eren’s lips twice more. “A slutty little boyfriend is just another thing I have to deal with, huh?”

“Damn right.”

Levi pulled away and seemed to be overcome with a quick realization. “…Lube,” he said shortly. “I didn’t think this through. How will I prep you?”

Eren laughed and fished out two small packets from his pocket. “Luckily, I think of these things, my dear Mr. Ackerman.”

Levi took the packets and read the packaging. They were square foil packets, but they were squishy and filled with a liquid. _Huh. Travel-friendly lube._

“How did you get this past customs?” Levi wondered.

“Hey, they were less than four ounces or whatever the fuck rule they’re trying to enforce out there.” He watched Levi roll down his pants for him as he explained it all casually. “You should’ve seen the lady who patted me down. When she turned out my pockets, her face was totally red!”

Levi laughed. “I could only imagine. You are the most mischievous thing, Eren.”

“It’s an airport, I’m sure they’ve seen worse. In Criminology some guy was talking about people who smuggle drugs across the border by hiding baggies of cocaine in their assholes. How’s that for commitment?”

“Eren, I love you to death and pieces, but I’m trying to stay in the mood here.”

They shared a laugh before their quick prep session.

-

Now that Eren managed to get Levi riled back up in record time, he held on tight around Levi’s neck.

“Ready?” Levi whispered into his ear.

“I was born ready.”

Levi angled himself and eased Eren down onto his erection. He tried to be slow, but this position didn’t allow for much precision or gentleness.

“Talk to me, babe.”

“It’s good. You can keep going.”

Levi took the bottoms of Eren’s thighs and began bouncing him up and down.

Eren squealed happily and hung on tight. And the babbling begun. “Oh, yes! Yes, yes, yes!”

“You’re so tight, Eren. Does it feel good?”

“It feels real good! Fuck me against that wall so I can see that handsome face you have.”

Levi carried them over to the wall, which was just about two steps away, and he looked up at Eren’s face while flexing and rolling his hips in a circular motion.

Eren’s eyes softened and he bit his lip. “Balls-fucking-deep. I like it just like that. Just like that, hubs.”

Levi spread Eren’s thighs out in the crooks of his elbows to get a little deeper, and the way Eren’s head fell back against the wall and the way his eyes rolled to the back of his head was plenty of feedback.

Eren began moaning as he climbed closer, and Levi set him down on his feet to turn him around.

He eased into Eren from behind and built his pace back up.

Eren began going slack at the knees, and as Levi pounded into him quick and mercilessly, he whined and reached behind to grab Levi’s forearm for support.

“Fuck!” Eren whined weakly. He palmed at his own cock and began stroking himself up to finish his release.

As his climax was teetering on the edge, Eren had to be quick-thinking. Creaming all over the wall didn’t seem sanitary so he blindly reached over to the paper towel dispenser and released into a napkin.

“ _Uhh_ …..” Eren moaned dumbly, and he shivered as he finished.

Levi was using, precise, timed thrusts to get to his, too, and releasing into Eren didn’t seem all that comfortable right now so he also reached for a paper towel and finished like that, too.

Eren collapsed weakly against Levi’s chest and into his arms, still panting quietly. All of a sudden, Levi felt very sleepy.

“Good?” Levi whispered into his ear with a sly smile.

Eren giggled through his nose. “Good,” he confirmed.

Because public sex was becoming strangely familiar to Levi thanks to his slutty little boyfriend, he made quick work of the clean-up process and they exited the lavatory.

The little girl in first class looked at them strangely when they came back into the cabin.

Eren kind of wanted to tell her: _It might be unimaginable now, but one day, you too will fuck your boyfriend in an airplane bathroom._

But he spared her. Levi said not to scar her.

After squirting a generous amount of hand sanitizer onto both their hands, Levi took a quick after-sex nap.

He was getting older, after all.

Most of the plane was still asleep, and Eren felt more awake than ever. He slid open the panel of his window again, and instead of the dull sight of clouds, they were now flying low enough to the ground where Eren could make out the marvelous cities below.

“Whoa…” he breathed quietly.

It looked like one big circuit board. The flow of traffic flickered with golds and reds of vehicles, and large buildings competed with neon lights. Compared to deep navy of the sky above, the specks twinkled like stars.

Some parts of the cities were brighter than others. That must be the capitals. And the surrounding dimmer lights must’ve been the suburbs.

In the inky black of the surrounding seas, Eren could also the lights of cruise ship liners and the artful marinas they were headed to.

He excitedly turned on his camera.

He kept his voice hushed and contained. “I’m back. The flight is nearing its end. I’m pretty much the only person awake on the plane right now, except for this one little girl in first class. Not even my hubby was safe.” He turned the camera to Levi’s snoozing, gentle face, his arms placed on the armrests. “And do you know why he’s knocked out like that?”

Eren turned back the camera to his face. “We officially joined the Mile-High Club!” he whispered excitedly.

He took a few more lengthy shots of the gorgeous view through the window before closing his camera once more.

And after placing a blanket over Levi’s sleeping body, Eren was just starting to get comfortable again to begin another movie when he noticed the little girl from earlier pacing around the cabin. She peeked her head into the little hallway past the flat screens, which only led to the cockpit.

She looked confused and restless, and she seemed grateful that she found someone who was awake.

Eren looked at her.

“Mister, d’you know where the bathroom is? I have to go, like, really, really bad!” she whispered frantically, since Levi was sleeping just a few feet away from where she was standing.

Eren was happy to say that he did indeed know where the bathroom was. As a matter of fact, he had just utilized its services himself! Funny, that. “Yeah, I’ll take you there, little lady,” he said.

He got out of his seat again and took her hand to make sure she got there safely. If Eren had to guess, she was probably a kindergartner.

As the girl locked herself in the lavatory, Eren waited just outside the door for her to finish. Her grandpa was sound asleep in his seat back in the first class cabin, and it would be a shame if he had to wake up just to chaperone a bathroom trip. Eren liked to think he was a Good Samaritan.

The lavatory door clicked open and the girl squeezed herself back out.

“All set?” Eren asked her.

She looked pleasantly relieved and happy. “Yes!” This time, instead of Eren taking her hand, she took his voluntarily and walked them back into first class.

“Thanks, Mister!” she climbed back into her oversized recliner and resumed her activities on her grandfather’s phone.

“You’re very welcome, little lady,” Eren smiled at her, and he made his way back into his own seat.

He felt good. That was something Levi would’ve done. And when it came to being an honorable gentleman, he always took notes from the man currently sleeping beside him.


	77. Give Him a Kiss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ahaha hiiii ^^; It's been a while.
> 
> Our boys continue romancing in Paris, enjoy~
> 
> Please leave a comment when you're finished reading and tell me your thoughts!

When the plane finally landed, Eren was practically bursting at the seams with excitement.

The Parisian airport was a leap through realms. Eren could already pick up the different vibes and languages and smells. Even the air in the building felt strange and different.

Levi, being the absolute gentleman that he was, carried both their bags out of the terminal after checkout.

And Eren was unknowingly vibrating with anticipation. “What are we doing first? Where are we going!?”

They got to a bench where Eren’s barrage of questions could be laid to rest, and Levi could sit down to adjust.

When he looked over, Eren’s sweet face and intense eyes—framed by square black glasses now that he was back in an airport—were staring into his soul.

“Well,” Levi explained patiently, running his thumb over Eren’s cheek, “the first thing to do is check into our hotel room.”

“And then what!?” Eren’s voice was an octave higher than it usually was.

Levi chuckled. “You’ll just have to wait and see, sweetheart.”

Eren groaned in frustration, but he scooted closer to hold Levi’s hand. “I’m just so excited to be here with you. I’m being obnoxious.”

“You’re never obnoxious. I’m excited to be here with you, too. But go easy on me, hm?”

“Okay,” Eren grinned. He wrapped his long, lean arms around Levi’s neck and placed a fat smooch on Levi’s cheek.

He took out his camera from his carry-on and switched it on.

“Hey, y’all. I’ve just landed in Paris (he pronounced the name authentically) with my _delicious_ hunk of a man.”

Levi wrapped an arm around Eren to hold him closer, still a bit weirded out about the whole “vlogging” thing, but he was incredibly flattered by Eren’s sweet words.

“He says that I have to wait and see to find out what we’ll be doing, but he has a plan for everything.”

He turned his head and smiled expectantly at Levi. Their noses were an inch apart.

Levi’s lips curled in a small smile. And he rubbed his nose along Eren’s, letting his eyes shut in the moment of intimacy.

He almost forgot that the camera was on and Eren’s audience, or as he called them, “y’all”, were watching.

But Eren possessed that talent. Even when they were in public or being watched, he had a way of speaking and touching that made everything seem so private and personal.

It was one of the reasons Levi’s dislike for PDA was slowly being diminished.

He was tucking a lock of hair behind Eren’s ear when the camera was closed and Eren wanted to get back to holding onto his neck.

Traveling on business or with Erwin was so routine and meticulous, and even new places were not much of a challenge or a thrill.

But being here in Paris, though he’s already been here a dozen or so times, Levi knew that Eren was going to make these familiar sights a brand-new adventure.

\--

Paris was six hours ahead of Trost, and Eren was still trying to wrap his head around it.

“It’s the middle of the night, but I’m wide-awake!” said Eren during the cab drive to the hotel.

The night—or, morning, rather—was peaceful in the city, and Eren gazed out the window as they drove though winding streets as well as popular streets that were eight lanes wide.

“Your body still thinks it’s 9 pm, lovebug. In this time zone it’s three in the morning. When you wake up tomorrow, you’ll be incredibly tired because it’s as if you were to wake up at six in the morning, when really, you’re waking up around noon. Do you see how that works?”

Eren’s eyebrows remained knitted in confusion while he thought about it. “Jet lag is confusing.” He rested his head on Levi’s shoulder quietly.

“I know it is,” Levi replied. Well, it wasn’t confusing to him. He was so well-traveled that he knew time zone shifts incredibly well. But he predicted Eren would not take to the jet lag smoothly.

He had a feeling these first days would be a lot of resting and adjusting on Eren’s part.

-

Levi spoke too soon.

Upon arriving to Fouquet’s Barrière Paris, quite literally the most expensive hotel in the city (not that Eren was surprised in the least bit; their shared wealth was just another thing at this point), Eren was giddy and ecstatic as they rolled up the marvelous building. Levi expected Eren to be sleepy and calm after the drive in the cab, but that wasn’t the case.

The glass rotary doors in the front were framed by a lit golden structure, with the name of the hotel displayed in a pretty, subtle white background glow.

Through the glass of the doors, Eren could get a glimpse of the elegant interior of the lobby, and he squeezed Levi’s hand just a bit too hard as he led them through.

“Bonsoir,” the receptionist smiled. She seemed especially taken with Eren, since his sun-kissed skin and over-eager sparkle in his eyes clearly marked him as a foreigner.

Besides the rather silent cab driver, this was Eren’s first real opportunity to practice his French with an actual local. All his mini-lessons from Levi back at home would pay off now.

“Bonjour,” Eren grinned. “Comment allez-vous?”

Levi couldn’t help but smile. His darling little boyfriend was developing his French at an incredible pace.

The receptionist could tell by Eren’s ‘almost-perfect-but-not-quite-there’ pronunciation, and the fact that he was using formal structures that he was a new speaker. But she was happy to entertain him and assist with the practice.

“Ah, très bien, merci!” she said. “Et vous?”

“Ça va.” But when Eren realized his sentence was a little awkward, he looked to Levi hesitantly. “…Right?” he asked lowly.

“Excellent, baby. Bravo,” Levi rubbed his back soothingly.

“Bravo, bravo!” the receptionist agreed.

She turned to Levi. “Ton partenaire?” She tilted her head to usher to Eren.

Levi nodded. “Mon petit-ami,” he said proudly.

She seemed happy about that. Eren spoke up again, although rather slowly and carefully as if to make sure his sentence made sense:

“Je ne parle pas très bien français,” he admitted.

She waved him away, as if what he was saying was foolish. “Tu parles très bien le francais.”

Eren was more curious about her, though. “Parlez-vous anglais?”

Now it was the receptionist’s turn to be a little unfamiliar. “A little bit,” she said, her slight French accent apparent through her words. “Where do you two travel from?”

“Trost! It’s nine hours away!” Eren began telling her about the flight.

“Comment tu t'appelles?” she asked.

“Eren.”

“Eren.” She switched to English now. “You are… very cute.”

Eren laughed bashfully. “Ah, merci, merci.”

Levi chuckled. Eren slayed hearts all over the world, evidently.

Saying their good-byes to the kind receptionist, they made their way deeper into the lobby. They passed a bar, whose counter was lit with a fluorescent blue glow; a bit contradictory to the classic, romantic vibe the hotel was displaying so far.

Eren absentmindedly snaked his hand into Levi’s as he wandered through the halls with awestruck eyes.

Plush velvety chairs adorned with luxurious red throws and pillows littered the halls, making it difficult to differentiate between actual lobbies and cozy little spots for high-class visitors to mingle.

Sheer, honeyed curtains stretched from the high ceilings above, and through them, the most magnificent little teases of the gorgeous light shows from the city outside.

And there was gold. So much gold. Lights, carpeting… the beading that twinkled from the surrounding jewelry. Even as decadent his life was now, Eren still was not used to seeing this much gold concentrated in one sight. It made even Levi’s Rolexes look dim.

Levi silently watched Eren’s awe, enjoying how Eren took the time to take in his surroundings to make lasting memories.

“Have you been to this hotel before?” Eren asked, still looking everywhere but to Levi.

“I have. Erwin and I stayed here for a conference once. Though I’ve been waiting for quite a long while to come here for leisure with the person I love.”

Eren finally tore his eyes away from the twinkling ambiance to look at Levi. The golden specks in his eyes reminded Levi of the time they sat in the swinging chair in the Jaegers’ backyard.

“Aww. Hubs,” he stated quietly. But he snaked his hands around Levi’s bicep anyway, so clearly flattered by the sentiment.

They walked over rich maroon carpets to where Levi guided them to their room, and it was clear even now with the doors closed that Levi managed to get them a special room.

Eren burst in after the key’s green light, and dropped his bags before gushing. “THE PRESIDENTIAL SUITE!?” he yelled. “FOR SERIOUS!?”

He squeezed Levi’s shoulders as he jumped up and down like a child, and his energy was infectious. Levi chuckled as he shook from the force.

Eren finally calmed down enough to smother grateful kisses on his man’s cheek. “You didn’t have to do this! I would’ve been okay with any ol’ room!”

“Hey.” Levi spoke in a hushed, matter-of-fact tone while his hands found a pair of sweet cheeks. “I thought I had an insatiable little boyfriend who takes it all or… ‘didn’t want shit’, I think I recall?”

Eren giggled and touched the tips of their noses together. “You are one attentive man, my dear.”

Levi’s heart pooled with some warm, gushy fluids that Eren used one of his signature pet names on him.

And that warm pool ignited into hot lava when he felt Eren’s lip meet his, apparently expressing his desires physically.

“Mm,” Levi grunted somewhere within his throat.

“Mmm~” Eren moaned back. And he then he tore away.

Levi noticed the door was still slightly ajar when they separated.

Eren ran a flirty index finger from the edge of his jawline all the way to the point of his chin before walking away. “That’s a preview for later.”

Levi smiled, and by that point Eren had already taken out his camera to vlog his reaction to the rest of the room.

With the door now properly shut, Levi took his bag to the bedroom and began unpacking, trying to tune out the sounds of Eren weaving in and out of each room as he talked to his audience. _This was going to be a week for the books, to say the least_ , he thought warmly.

\--

It took Levi a lot of coaxing and soothing to get Eren to calm down and sleep last night.

Err… morning.

And now that Eren has gotten a real taste of sleep in the first time in about two days, he was attracted to the bed like a powerful magnet.

And Levi secretly hoped he stayed asleep. Eren let his emotions dictate his physical being—if he was overly excited about something, he would not dare lay down to sleep; if he was depressed, he could go an alarmingly long time without eating.

But Levi knew all this. And now, with a strange light shining through their window, and sounds of a city they weren’t used to, the morning silence was a lull to the both of them, though Levi managed to get up.

He got out of bed and shut the curtains so that it was dark again. The jetlag was finally catching up to Eren and Levi didn’t want to take him out to explore half-rested.

He still had to do a few things anyway, like get some cash exchanged and switch their phone settings so that it would be compatible with the service in this new country, so he figured he could do that while Eren finished sleeping.

\--

Even after Levi had finished his quick errands around the city and returned back to the hotel room, Eren was still heavily asleep.

Because the holiday break was coming up fast at the company, he wanted to make sure everything was on track and that no deadlines were being missed.

When Erwin heard that Levi was taking Eren to Paris, he insisted that he would be just fine holding down the fort at the company: _“Go. Relax. I’ll handle everything and make sure we’re sailing on smooth waters.”_

And honestly, Levi knew Erwin could keep things steady just fine in his absence. He trusted him deeply. But Levi still liked being in the loop.

It was just when he finished reading Petra’s summary, as well as her little note at the end— _Levi! Go and HAVE FUN and don’t worry about work!—_ that he noticed Eren stir beside him.

Eren usually took at least twenty minutes between waking up and actually getting out of bed, a time spent rolling around and curling up into odd positions as he forced himself to get up. But this time, he crawled quietly into Levi’s arms and took his arms around Levi’s neck.

“He’s awake,” Levi whispered. He turned his head ever so slightly to kiss ruffled brown hair.

Eren was calm and quiet now, not his usual personality. That long sleep must have really did it for him.

Levi snaked a hand up Eren’s shirt, (well, it was actually _his_ shirt, since Eren had an interesting new hobby of wearing Levi’s shirts instead of his own) and rubbed his back gently.

“Hey, baby boy.”

Eren replied with a quick peck on Levi’s cheek before squishing his face back into Levi’s shoulder.

They stayed like this for a long, long time.

\--

Eren finished dressing and combing his hair for his first night out with Levi.

Levi was watching him change the whole time; unashamedly watching from a plush chair nearby, his legs crossed casually.

“Look at you, all dolled up.”

Eren looked behind his shoulder and smiled. “I like looking nice for my man.”

When he finished, he went over to help Levi up.

“I like this sweater on you,” Eren told him. He ran his fingers along the fabric of Levi’s sweater. “Very handsome.”

“Thank you, sweetheart. I’ll try to wear it more often.”

Eren smiled and led them out of the building.

\--

It was early evening when they finally hit the streets.

Hand-in-hand, they began looking at all the sights the city had to offer. Families and especially young couples cozied up against the chilly December air.

Eren quickly realized that French people were _very_ comfortable with PDA, unlike back in Trost where people tried to be discreet about it.

They walked past a young couple; the guy with his arm draped around his girlfriend’s shoulder, and his hand nestled comfortably into her bra. Both of them seemed unbothered.

He saw people taking videos of the street they were walking on, most likely headed to take a shot of the hotel.

Eren’s eyes lit up, and he shook Levi’s hand. “Levi, look! I want a dog just like that.”

A young lady wearing huge designer sunglasses (hopefully it was for fashion; Eren thought—there wasn’t an inkling of harsh sunlight to be felt at the moment) and a posh satin necktie approached them in the opposite direction, and trotting happily at her heels was a huge, fluffy sheepdog.

“How do you say ‘dog’ in French?” Levi quizzed him.

“Umm…” Eren racked his brain for a second. “ _Chien_?”

“Good boy,” Levi nodded.

Eren brought them to a stop to watch the fluffy dog, and when the fast-walking owner saw him pointing, she also slowed her stride to let her dog sniff the stranger.

“Hi, _bonjour_!” Eren greeted the owner, before becoming quickly preoccupied with her dog. When it became comfortable, Eren ruffled its abundance of soft fur happily.

“Hi,” the girl smiled at Eren.

She began talking to Levi, since Eren was a bit distracted. As Eren overheard their conversation, he realized that she knew some English, but when they switched to French she spoke so fast that Eren could only understand a few phrases.

She recommended Levi a restaurant to check out, as well as a local fashion district if they were looking for clothes.

Eren wasn’t surprised at the latter recommendation. The girl looked like she just stepped out of a Louis Vuitton catalog.

He stood back up to formally meet her. He held out his hand politely and asked her name.

“Alice,” she smiled wider. She stroked her dog’s fur. “This is Maisie.”

They parted ways and Levi took Eren’s waist to find the restaurant that Alice suggested.

\--

Seated in the lovely restaurant, Eren began vlogging the scene once more. Levi used the opportunity to check his email and messages for updates about work.

When he had some good footage, Eren shut off his camera and massaged Levi’s shoulder lovingly. He actually didn’t mind too much that Levi was tuning into his work while they were on vacation. He knew by now that Levi liked to stay on top of things and that receiving regular updates was a way to keep his workaholic tendencies at bay.

He watched the screen quietly. “Everything good, Papa Bear?”

Levi finished his catch-up and looked at Eren. “Everything’s good, Mama.” They shared an agreeing kiss.

The waiter greeted them very formally and lay some plates of fresh bread, and some glasses of ice water.

“So… Levi,” Eren began mischievously.

That tone and slight curl at Eren’s lips was an inevitable hint for some naughty things to come, Levi learned. “Yes, my love?”

“I’ve been doing some research, and… the legal drinking age here is sixteen.”

Levi clasped his fingers under his chin. “You’re not wrong. The only reason I don’t let you drink back home is because it was against the law. But here, there’s no reason to restrict you.”

“I can’t wait to get drunk with you, then. I’m a good time when I’m buzzed.”

“You’re always a good time.”

“I’m a pretty good lay, too.”

Levi chuckled. “Behave, Mr. Jaeger. We can talk about your insatiable appetite for sex in the privacy of our room.”

Eren pouted. “Aw. You’re no fun, Mr. Ackerman. Maybe a drink will loosen you up.”

The waiter poured a gorgeous white wine into some champagne flutes, and Eren found it strange that Levi didn’t decline it for once.

They picked up their glasses. “Cheers, dear,” Eren said brightly.

Levi clinked his glass. “Cheers.” His voice was just as chocolatey and sultry as the smile he tried to hold back too often in his life was.

Eren shared what he was sure was the first drink within Levi’s knowledge. Levi didn’t like drinking in front of him at home. Eren wasn’t sure why. Of all the times he chose to “bother” Levi and receive attention, there were two limits. One, when Levi was cleaning; he looked so calm and happy and in his element that Eren didn’t want to disrupt him.

Next; Levi’s “Quiet Time”. Levi usually worked in his study with the door unlocked, and didn’t mind when Eren came into his office for a quick greeting or a hug and kiss… and he sometimes didn’t even mind when Eren sat on his lap while he made phone calls.

But when Levi explicitly tells Eren that he was going to have some Quiet Time on some evenings, Eren knew what that meant. Levi would lock the door to his study to drink heavily in absolute peace and solitude. It was one of his more rare relaxation rituals—not as common as polishing the silverware or swimming a few laps.

So, Eren did understand Levi’s relationship with alcohol. He was glad now he could be a positive part of it.

“Mm.” Eren savored the refreshing drink. With his palate awakened, he went in for a piece of the bread on the table and dipped it some olive oil. It was warm and flaky. And it was absolutely delightful.

“Mmm,” Eren couldn’t help but moaning softly as he chewed. “It’s so fresh.”

He tore another piece and spread some butter and a dip of olive oil, and he held it out carefully for Levi to try. “You need to taste this.”

Levi bit into it and sighed deeply. “It’s wonderful.”

As the meal progressed, Eren found out that French meals had many more courses than he was used to. They were on the fourth now—the salad course—but Eren couldn’t forget about that dreamy bread from earlier. He wanted to ask the waiter for more, so Levi challenged him to do it in French.

The waiter seemed apologetic when Eren asked for more bread. “Sorry, all out for tonight.”

“Aww. Damn,” Eren whispered. “Thanks anyway.”

The waiter walked away, so Eren just returned to feeding Levi.

“That bread had me feelin’ some type of way,” he said softly.

“It’s authentic here, isn’t it?” Levi agreed.

“I realized that restaurant culture is different here.”

Levi took a turn to feed Eren a forkful. “How so?”

“Food is more than just a necessity here. It’s an art. They really take the time to use technique and cultural traditions to make quality meals. Even the plating is extravagant, and this isn’t even a four-star restaurant. When we walked in, it’s like we were welcomed into someone’s home. I feel like they enjoy taking care of us. Kinda like Frieda does at the Pancake House. Very hospitable.”

“I completely agree. They take pride in it, and it’s obvious in the work.”

“And it’s even nicer than I can share this luxury with you,” Eren concluded.

Levi squeezed Eren’s thigh beneath the table. “What a sweet thing you are. I want to have you for dessert, Eren.”

Eren giggled. “Is this drunk Levi talking? Maybe we should wait until we get back to the room so we don’t freak out the other guests.”

“Let them watch,” Levi said lowly, and his eyebrow twitched ever so slightly.

“Hubs. Behave.”

-

Eren was trying to steal some playful, giggly kisses from Levi’s lips when someone new came to the table. It was a chef. He was wearing a black chef’s coat, and he had an air of experience and dignity to him. It was clear he was the head chef.

And when he identified Eren, he lay a plate on the table.

_It was the dreamy bread from earlier!_

The chef winked at Eren and retreated back into the kitchen suspiciously.

The bread was steaming and aromatic. Levi looked at his delighted boyfriend amusedly. “Getting some freshly-baked bread even though they were supposed to be out for the night. You have a talent, Mr. Jaeger.”

“I know,” Eren shrugged happily. “I’m hard to say no to.”

He spread a little butter on the slice and dipped it in some olive oil, and Levi expected Eren to taste it right away, but he actually extended it towards him.

“Let’s dine like kings and get drunk on this fine evening,” he stated.

Levi slowly sank his teeth into the bread. He didn’t think he’d have it in him to say something so cheesy, but the bread seemed to taste better when Eren fed it to him.

\--

By the time they left the restaurant, it was fully night and the city was crawling with possibilities.

Hand-in-hand, Eren and Levi walked popular streets and Eren got a chance to vlog some more.

In the distance, Eren saw the tip of an unmistakable building, lit in a bright orange.

“The Eiffel Tower! In the flesh!” Eren gushed.

Levi chuckled.

“You’re taking me there soon, right?” Eren asked him.

“Of course. It will be the highlight of our trip.”

“That’s good. I can’t wait.”

Levi took Eren’s hand and veered off the beaten path into a winding trail with no end in sight.

Eren wasn’t concerned. He enjoyed being whisked away into forbidden locations.

And now that they were away from the noisy streets—away from all the car honking and the bicycle rings and the chatter of people—it was quiet and intimate here.

Eren clutched onto Levi’s arm as they walked. “I like walking with you. We should go on more walks back home. Make it like a tradition.”

“I would love that.”

Lush trees that managed to stay leafy during the winter surrounded them, and it had a fairy-tale fantasy ambiance to the area. It was the type of place a man would come to serenade his lover under the moonlight.

“Where are we going?”

“I want to be alone with you somewhere. I just want to focus on you and nothing else.”

“This city has a bunch of things to look at,” Eren explained. “I’m hardly the most interesting thing here.”

“I beg to differ. It might be because I’m just a bit drunk right now, but I desperately crave you, Eren.”

“I’m a bit drunk, too,” Eren admitted. “And I crave you all the time. Not just when I’m drunk.”

Even while he was completing his sentence, Eren felt himself going red in the face. Levi’s deep, chocolatey voice resonated in the walls of his mind: _“I desperately crave you, Eren.”_

He bit his lip and looked down. It was dark enough that Levi didn’t see his fluster. But that man had a way with words that he never seemed to get tired of.

They happened upon a small clearing within the trees. It looked like an empty garden, with some flower bushes nearby.

“I hope it’s alright to be here,” Levi seated them at a bench, “otherwise I’d be trespassing.”

“We’ll cross that bridge when we get there.”

Eren nuzzled closer to Levi, and jammed his hands between his thighs. In the very far distance, the tower peeked just a little bit.

It was getting colder now that the night was progressing, and even colder now that they were away from all the body heat of the bustling streets. Eren shivered.

“Are you cold, baby?” Levi asked. “Come.” He opened his arms and Eren gratefully collapsed into them.

He inhaled the rich, warm spice of Levi’s cologne. That, along with his buzz from the wine earlier was maddeningly addictive.

“I love you,” Eren whispered into Levi’s coat. He didn’t expect to be heard, but Levi squeezed him closer.

“I love you more,” he whispered back into chocolate hair. “Words cannot describe how much I love having you in my arms.”

Eren let his eyes close and his mind wandered away. Parisian winter was a gentle cold and there was a poetic, snowy warmth sitting in this garden. And he happened to have his favorite pair of arms wrapped around him, making him a little sleepy.

“I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Levi,” Eren found himself saying. “I want to grow old with you.”

Levi’s nose was buried in Eren’s hair as he spoke: “I’m already old,” he said with a tinge of sadness. “You still have a ways to go, though.”

Eren found it a bit endearing that Levi was rather insecure about his age. He didn’t have many insecurities, so it must’ve meant a lot to him.

He looked up so that he was resting his head on the crook of Levi’s shoulder. “You look amazing for thirty-five, hubby. Really. I fall in love with you more and more every day. You’re such a hunk.”

Levi’s lips curled into a flattered smile, chiseling out his cheekbones deliciously. “You really think all that about me, baby?”

“I do.” Eren pecked a quick little kiss on his jaw. “So don’t be so insecure about it, okay? …And besides, thirty-five is not even old. Old is like… fifty. That’s senior citizen status.”

“Just fifty, huh? The standards rise every year, it seems.”

Eren went back to hugging Levi’s torso. “Absolutely.”

Levi littered some kisses atop Eren’s head.

“You’ve made leaps and bounds,” Eren said. “You’ve become so cuddly lately. I think I’m rubbing off on you,” he said proudly.

“It’s the alcohol,” Levi admitted.

“Well, I love Buzzed Levi so far. I can’t wait to see you piss-drunk.”

Levi laughed out loud this time. “Being around me while I’m piss-drunk is not a pleasant experience, trust me.”

“We’ll see about that. I, for one, am a great time when I’m piss-drunk. I get super slutty and weird.”

“Even more so than you are now?” Levi mused.

Eren grinned. “ _Way_ more. You’re in for a surprise.”

“I’m teasing, sweetheart. I love you how you are,” Levi squeezed him playfully.

“No, I’ve come to terms with it. I’m slutty and weird. It’s just something my man learned to deal with.”

“That I have,” Levi agreed.

“Let us share a kiss,” Eren announced. He puckered his lips and made some sucky sounds while he waited.

“With pleasure,” Levi said. He took Eren’s cheek and took his time going in for a slow, long, indulgent smooch.

He could taste the aftermath of dinner from Eren’s mouth, as well as that indescribable sweetness that could only be the signature taste of Eren.

It was Eren who eventually slid off. “You’re so delicious, Mr. Ackerman. I want to have you for dessert every day.”

“Oi. That was my line from earlier and you told me to behave.”

“But we’re alone now, so… I guess I can let it all hang out, right?”

“Oh, Eren. What in the world will I do with you?”

“I have a few ideas. But maybe we should get back to our room for those…” Eren purred, and he spoke into Levi’s cheek, making sure every word was enunciated and drawn out. “…But for now,” Eren completed, “I want to savor this moment with you.”

Levi’s heart fluttered and felt every bit a bird in a clear blue sky despite being in a winter wonderland.

\--

Back in the hotel room, Eren and Levi discovered their newest guilty pleasure:

Bath bombs.

While walking around tonight, they came across a quaint little soap shop in an elegant little street corner, and Levi was instantly taken by it. That man had a serious addiction to soaps.

While browsing the store, the two of them discovered little bath bombs—pretty little spheres with colors and scents and mysterious centers that would fizz when put in contact with water. Eren saw these when Connie was buying Sasha presents for her birthday one time.

They were excessively girly objects, but he felt that Levi might enjoy the lovely bath experience. Not to mention he was a bit curious himself.

They walked out of the store with a small selection of bath bombs in a satin bag.

And here they were now, in a warm, clear tub, and ready to experiment.

“Would you like to do the honors?” Levi asked. His arms lined the tub, which gave a spectacular view of his toned chest.

“Sure.” Eren picked one out of the bag. “Let’s do lavender tonight. I know lavender is your favorite.” He hovered the bomb a few inches above the surface of the water.

“How do you say ‘lavender’ in French, my dear?”

Eren opened his mouth to answer, but he realized he actually wasn’t too sure. “Umm… I don’t think you taught me that one before. I think I’ve seen it written in the shop. La… L—hmm…”

“It’s pronounced, _lavande_ ,” Levi said softly.

“ _Lavande_ ,” Eren repeated.

And suddenly, Levi felt a bit morose. His mother’s face vaguely appeared in his mind, and he could hear her voice teaching him this exact word as a little child.

Eren must’ve noticed his facial shift. “What’s wrong?” he swam a bit closer and took Levi’s hand within both of his. “What’s on your mind?”

“My mother…” Levi began. He felt stupid all of a sudden, with Eren listening with big green eyes full of concern as he had his little melancholic bout. “…Her favorite was lavender, too.”

Eren didn’t speak, careful not to interrupt so to let Levi spill his heart, a once very rare event, although becoming a bit more common as Eren continued to take down his walls bit by bit.

Levi sighed and his jaw clenched. That was all he could manage to say.

“Levi…” Eren sighed. He brought his hand up to Levi’s cheek and rubbed along his cheek with his thumb. There weren’t really words that could be said at the moment, so Eren just let his touch do the talking.

Levi was a man of actions rather than words, anyway.

He removed Eren’s hand from his cheek and placed a quiet kiss on his knuckles. That cloud of sadness that crossed his face seemed to dissipate.

Eren swam back to his side and picked up the lavender bath bomb from the porcelain ledge once more. “We’ll dedicate this one to Mama Kuchel,” he said softly. “She’s here in spirit.”

He dropped the bath bomb and they both watched a second later as the fizzy sphere erupted into blends of purple and pale yellow and periwinkle from whatever was in the center.

“Whoa…” Eren breathed. He ran his fingers along the tiny white bubble streams on the water’s surface.

And the scent started to fill the air, too—a rich, cozy lavender that promoted sleepiness and calm.

As the bomb finished fizzling out, Eren swam back over to Levi and before anything else, he took Levi’s cheeks and lay a gentle, reassuring kiss on his lips. They quietly cuddled together and watched the colorful surface as they soaked together.

Levi didn’t know why he felt so stupid for being vulnerable earlier. Being with Eren, he never felt judged or that he had to be big, bad Mr. CEO. He could just be… himself. Levi. The man obsessed with soaps and a quiet night in with some bourbon.

So simple.

Yet… so complicated.

But Eren knew this. And much like Levi knew all his boyfriend’s layers, including his weird, slutty playfulness on its occasions, Eren knew that Levi had a mushy, soft interior beneath all those strong muscles and stoic demeanor.

He just wanted to hold and caress and soothe this man as often as possible.

Levi Ackerman deserved so much love and tenderness. And luckily for him, Eren Jaeger had an excess of it to offer.


	78. A Work of Art

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our boys only fall more in love every day (*heart eyes*)
> 
> (And thank you all for such sweet comments last chapter! It really made my day!
> 
> Please leave a comment when you're done reading the chapter and tell me what you think!)

After the bath, Eren allowed Levi to comb and style his hair before bed.

Levi enjoyed doing it, too. It might just be a new relaxation ritual.

And in return, Eren turned Levi over to give a little pre-sleep back massage.

He pressed his palms into the base of Levi’s spine, earning a pained cry muffled into the pillow.

“You’re going back to the chiropractor as soon as we get home,” Eren instructed firmly. He began using soothing, careful rubs now to ease sore muscles.

When Levi was sufficiently massaged, they so very slowly crawled beneath the unfamiliar covers, and Eren tucked himself beneath Levi’s arm for some quiet tablet-browsing time.

While he was scrolling through his social media, Eren could notice Levi taking deep breaths near the top of his hair. He looked up and smiled.

“Do I smell good?”

“You do. I can’t get enough.”

“I taste pretty good, too.”

“I think I want to taste your neck.”

“Neck’s off limits. Too sensitive,” Eren explained.

“But that’s your most delicious part.” There was the tiniest hint of disappointment in Levi’s voice.

“You are one weird soul, Mr. Ackerman.”

“I’m weird?” Levi wondered, and a smile pulled at the corners of his lips before he crushed Eren’s shoulders with his arms. “I’m the weird one?”

Eren giggled, and even more so when Levi lay some kisses on his freshly-washed hair.

“Weirdo husband,” Eren teased. “It can’t be helped.” He returned his focus back to his tablet.

Levi watched the screen along with him, and he couldn’t stop inhaling the scent of lavender that clung to Eren. “Keep being mouthy, and I might have to punish you, my dear.”

“Your punishments hardly discipline me, though.”

Levi sighed in defeat into Eren’s hair. “That’s true.”

The night was calm and cool in this hotel room that was way too big for two people. And Eren just loved how small and protected he felt in Levi’s presence.

“Oh, my God, Levi!” Eren exclaimed after a while.

The sleepy scent from the bath was beginning to lull Levi and he opened his drifting eyes at Eren’s comment. “Hm?”

“I made the dean’s list!” He showed Levi where the email was pulled up on his tablet, and Levi began to skim through the congratulating message from the head of Eren’s department.

“Wow, wow, wow,” Levi breathed. He squeezed Eren lovingly. “Look at you, sweetheart. I’m so incredibly proud of you. I knew you would.”

Eren basked in the praise unashamedly.

“So brilliant. So hard-working. I could not be prouder of you, Eren. Really.”

“I’m proud of myself, too,” Eren admitted softly. “I really buckled down this year. Last year I was unfocused and directionless, but I feel like I actually know what I want with my career now.”

And with an even softer voice: “My parents will be so proud of me.”

Levi’s heart warmed. It never failed to surprise him to see Eren’s more innocent side. “Of course they will be. We’ll call them as soon as possible to let them know the news.”

 _What a great way to end the night_. And he found out while scrolling through his messages that Armin made the list, too. Although, that was a given.

“Umm…” Eren began mischievously.

Levi looked down at him expectantly.

“I do believe my husband promised me a yacht if I made the list this semester?”

Levi smiled gently. “I did, didn’t I?” he asked lowly. “Then, we’ll get you a yacht.”

Eren’s eyes sparkled. “Even after all this time I thought you were joking about that. I’m seriously getting my own yacht! Thank you, thank you, Levi!”

“Have I ever denied you, Eren?” Levi fixed a stray chocolate lock and tucked it behind Eren’s ear.

“You haven’t,” Eren admitted. “You’ve never denied me. Even when I make ridiculous requests.”

“I’m in it for the long run. Anything for my darling boy.”

They got back to browsing Eren’s tablet.

-

“Oh, the music video was released a little while ago. I didn’t even notice.”

Eren waited for the video to buffer. “I’m not sure what to expect. I didn’t even see half the scenes while they were being shot.”

“I’m quite curious now, too.”

The music video opened up with a helicopter shot of Trost’s beach, with its ferris wheel and gorgeous skyline in view. Its teal waters were empty of people this time of year.

It panned to a brick wall, and a familiar blond appeared on the screen.

The fun, bouncy music began the track, and the brick wall zoomed closer into focus.

It turned into a heavier, rhythmic beat; an old-school, steel-drummed beat.

And flawlessly, Armin looked into the camera as he rapped along the verses. The carefree, almost bragging lyrics was so unlike him, which made Armin that much cuter.

Eren rapped along to the video, and then commented. “Aw. Look at my little baby bird right there.”

The song was from the actual rapper’s point of view, Li’l Biggs, talking about how hard he balled during his youth. The producer probably chose Armin because he looked like a younger version of the rapper.

Armin talked about girls, cars, guns, money, alcohol, all while hiding his big blue eyes under a big, black fur-lined jacket.

And suddenly, he flipped his hood off and grinned at the camera before the beat dropped!

The scenes flashed between different groups dancing; together, then separately.

There was one with Eren in it—a girl holding him from behind, and another girl in front of him holding his arms around her waist as they moved to the beat. An “Eren sandwich”, of sorts.

Levi laughed at that one. “You look great on camera. Those girls seem to be having a good time with you, too.”

“I didn’t even get that much action compared to Armin. Wait and see.”

Sure enough, the shot panned to a wide-view of Armin sitting in the middle of the couch, absolutely surrounded by stunning, voluptuous, and very scantily-clad women. They seemed to be vying for his attention, using their manicured fingers to twirl and toy with his blond hair. The one sitting immediately to the right of Armin blew her bubblegum and let it pop near his cheek.

But Armin sat there and pretended to be uninterested—a complete badass.

Eren and Levi laughed out loud together at the sight of Armin like that.

“He was drowning in pussy that day,” Eren explained. “I wonder how Erwin’s gonna feel about that. Although, he doesn’t seem like the jealous type.”

“Erwin’s probably in for a surprise when he sees this,” Levi agreed.

“Hey, look, it’s me again!” Eren pointed to the screen, where there were about three seconds of him playfully dancing along to the beat at a house party scene.

Levi couldn’t help but fall in love just a tad more. Even when he didn’t intend to, Eren had a way with his body that seemed to capture him.

Now was a scene where Armin was back in his huge fur-lined coat, and he was leaning against a low, curvaceous, cherry-red sports car that was unbelievably expensive. The beat was heavy again, and Armin rapped along flawlessly.

“They offered to let Armin drive that car when the shoot was over,” Eren told Levi. “But he turned it down because he’s still terrified of driving. Poor thing.”

Levi remembered Erwin telling him about getting his boyfriend a chauffeur. Now it made sense.

“That’s a sexy-ass car, isn’t it, though?” Eren breathed while he stared at the car behind Armin.

“It is. I had one very similar to that one, previously.”

“What did you do with it?”

“I sold it back. I didn’t find the need for a second car, even just to admire the aesthetic. I found it wasteful.”

“Hm. Waste not, want not, huh?”

“Precisely.”

“I admire that quality about you, Levi. You’re so savvy and minimalist.”

“Thank you for saying that, dear. Frivolity becomes difficult to avoid at a certain income level. It’s important to stay grounded.”

“Agreed. That’s something my Pop would say.”

The beat became fun and festive and tropical for the last full dance scene, where everyone just seemed to let loose and turn it up.

The same girls that Armin pretended to ignore from the previous couch scene now received their much-craved attention from him, and they giggled as they took turns dancing with him. Among the gorgeous ladies who towered over him in heels, Armin looked like a tiny middle schooler. So fucking adorable, Eren thought, to see his bookworm of a little friend receive that kind of attention.

The camera showed a magnificent shot of Trost’s beach again, and the director’s name appeared on the final black screen.

Levi raised his hands and clapped quietly. “Very well done. You were absolutely adorable, Eren. And Armin did a fantastic job as the star.”

“Thank you,” Eren gave a theatrical little bow. “Honestly, the shoot was super fun, but seeing the final result really made it worth it.”

He clicked off his tablet and placed the cover over it. “But now,” he sighed, “I think we can both use some sleep.”

Levi took Eren’s tablet to his side of the bed, where the nearest outlet was located to charge it. He turned out the lamp light. “I couldn’t agree more. We have a busy day tomorrow.”

“I can’t wait to see what you have up your sleeve,” Eren smiled. He threw the thick, puffy covers away so that Levi could crawl back in.

Much like that girl did in the video, Eren guided Levi’s hands around his waist to form a protective hold around him as they lay down. The ideal situation for this bona fide little spoon.

“I’m telling you, Levi. Everything in the world is gonna be okay when I have your gorgeous arms around me at the end of the day.”

Levi pressed Eren even closer to his chest, as if that was even possible. “And I love having my little baby boy in my arms at the end of the day,” he replied, his dreamy, baritone voice melting into Eren’s ear like chocolate.

“I’m glad we could work out an arrangement, then, Mr. Ackerman,” Eren whispered mischievously.

Levi chuckled a bit, and Eren’s smile stretched as he felt Levi’s chest vibrate against his back. “Good night, Mr. Jaeger. I love you very much.”

“I love you, too.”

\--

Upon waking at a deliciously cozy hour, Levi managed to coax a sweet, sleepy Eren out of bed to begin the day.

Using gentle hands, he also managed to dress the boy. Eren was a bit of a slug before his morning fix of caffeine. Luckily, he didn’t mind stripping naked and letting Levi take the wheel while he willed himself to be more alert.

Levi didn’t mind. Frankly, Eren still smelled of lavender and inhaling his scent was heavenly.

He took Eren’s cheeks in both hands. “Ready, sweetheart?” he whispered.

Eren placed his hands over Levi’s and nodded sweetly.

Arm-in-arm, they took to the streets again.

-

Walking for about half an hour, Levi found a nice little café that was open early. It was pleasantly empty, which was a relief since cafes in this part of the city were packed to the brim with people during the day.

And, because they were one of the only customers in the shop right now, the staff was more than willing to give a special treatment and aid in Eren’s French practice.

Eren read the menu while holding onto Levi’s bicep. His eyes sparkled: “Oh, café-au-lait! We have that at the coffee shop back home! I know what that means.”

“Mm… I think you know more of this menu than you think. Don’t sell yourself short.”

“Now watch me embarrass myself while I order.” Eren let go of his arm and sat up straight for the approaching waiter.

Levi hid his growing smile behind clasped hands.

-

With a gorgeous breakfast spread now on the table, Eren found it fitting to take his camera out of his backpack and film the display.

And while he was at it, he vlogged to the audience a little bit.

“Hey, y’all,” he smiled warmly. “We’re here at this awesome café with hubs.” He panned the camera to a sign with the café’s name, and then back to his own face. “I wanted to sit outside for breakfast, but Levi said it was a bit too chilly and he doesn’t want me catching a cold. But he already promised to bring me back during the summer so we can enjoy the outdoors more. It’s all good in the ‘hood. We’re all about compromises, right, Levi?”

He turned to Levi’s handsome face, adorned with charcoal sunglasses even though the sun was very mild this morning. He was slowly warming up to being on camera, although he still felt a bit awkward.

“That’s right, baby,” Levi agreed.

Eren scooted closer to him, and just kind of stared into his face lovingly.

Levi took a sip of his tea and gazed back. He noticed the camera was still rolling. “What are you up to, Eren?”

“Nothing much. I have a mighty need to give you a kiss right about now.”

“You want to cash in your good morning kiss now?”

“Yeees~” Eren drew out slowly. They shared a knowing smile.

Neither of them knew why this particular smooch was so momentous, as if it could only occur once per day. Eren kissed Levi about 500 times per day, unashamedly, and with so much love. And Levi definitely made sure to receive his fair share as well.

“Alright,” Levi said. He took Eren’s chin with his fingertips, and he gazed at those pretty pink lips before going in for a chaste, picturesque kiss.

There was an inch of separation before Levi went back in for a playful little peck. “Good morning, Mr. Jaeger. I love you.” He casually went back to what he was doing.

“I love you, too, Mr. Ackerman.” He redirected the camera back to himself, and he noticed in the viewfinder that he was biting his lower lip bashfully. _When did that happen?_ “Isn’t he the best? He’s so hot. I’ll make sure to play with him later.”

That comment made Levi laugh out loud.

-

After sipping espresso and café-au-laits (and taking turns eating each other’s croissants even though they had their own), they started for the next part of their journey.

He waited for Levi to help him into the backseat of the taxi like a gentleman, and as soon as Levi boarded himself, Eren reached to lace their hands together.

Levi quickly told the driver the destination’s street name and they were on their way.

“Where are we going now?” Eren asked.

“We are going to the Louvre,” Levi pronounced it perfectly. “It’s a monument-turned-museum. It has some wonderful sights.”

“Oh, cool,” Eren breathed. “The only museum I’ve been to is the one in Trost near the beach. Armin pretty much lives there.”

“I think it’ll be fascinating enough that you won’t become bored. I know you get restless when you aren’t stimulated enough.” He brought Eren’s hand to his mouth and kissed it softly. “I know you prefer to make your own art.”

“Nothing is boring when I’m with you,” Eren whispered back. “And… I think museums are pretty unnecessary because I live with the greatest work of art there ever was.”

“…Eren.” Levi couldn’t help but feel humbled and totally flattered at the comment.

“Your face is that of gold and luxury and all that is spectacular, Levi,” Eren recited dramatically, just low enough that the cab driver couldn’t hear. “With a jawline and abs sculpted by the gods themselves…” he began stroking Levi’s knee sensually.

“Are you flirting with me, Mr. Jaeger?” Levi’s voice was even lower.

Eren leaned into his ear to whisper his response: “Duh. Who else will flirt with my husband besides me? It’s my job. It’s how I make my money.”

“Professional flirter, huh?”

“Yes, sir.”                                                                                                 

Levi chuckled softly. “If we were not in the back of a cab right now, Eren, I think I would have to take you right here and now.”

“My gorgeous work of art can do whatever he pleases; let the cab driver watch if he wants.” Eren kissed the shell of Levi’s ear, one of the quickest ways to rev up the engine of his libido.

“Such a handful. And he says _I’m_ the weirdo husband,” Levi chastised quietly. He grabbed Eren’s face and lay a hard, aggressive kiss on his forehead before checking his connections on his tablet.

He reveled in Eren’s adorable giggles while climbing down from his performance. _What a playful thing._

…But, while he quietly tuned into his work, with Eren tucked firmly under his arm, the words seemed to float around within his thoughts:

_“I live with the greatest work of art.”_

To be cherished and held up on such a pedestal from the likes of his sweet little boyfriend…

He looked down and petted soft chocolate hair. Maybe his touch would do the talking.

\--

The entrance to the building was a massive stone courtyard guarded between two symmetrical palaces. In the center of the yard stood an odd, hollow pyramid sitting atop a shallow pool.

It was prime footage. And for once, Eren didn’t feel to strange whipping out his camera, since a handful of tourists around him were doing it as well.

And when he was finished, Levi took his hand to enter the museum.

It had an old-money, classically untouched air to the interior.

“It’s like I can _feel_ the history in the air,” Eren told Levi quietly. Between these spacious walls, his voice seemed to be drowned out.

They were presented with the option of a selection of guided tours or the option of free reign to look around.

“Which do you prefer?” Levi asked.

“I’m in a learning kinda mood. Let’s go on a guided tour.”

“You got it.”

With his glasses on to better see the distant artwork, Eren followed Levi to the group for the tour to begin.

Eren was so glad Levi chose them an English tour instead of a French one. He still had a ways to being fluent, and the museum sounded complex enough without having to decipher it in another language.

“You’ll have plenty other opportunities to practice if you want to,” Levi encouraged.

 _So considerate…_ Eren thought.

And based on the relieved look on his face, Levi couldn’t help but notice his gratefulness, too. He pinched Eren’s cheek softly before the guide began speaking.

-

“…And heeeeere she is!!” the gushing guide ushered. “The original Mona Lisa, in the flesh! Isn’t she a beaut’?”

The small group whipped out their photography equipment and rapidly captured the iconic lady before them.

“Yes, yes! Take pictures!” the guide grinned. “But no flash and no distribution!”

He launched into a quick, but effective explanation about the painting; how the subject’s name was just Lisa (‘Mona’ was just a title, like saying ‘Madame’), and how the painting’s French name was _La Joconde._

And a long while ago, Eren once told Levi that history bore him and that he needed _maximum_ stimulation to be interested in something. But when Levi managed to sneak a glance at his boyfriend, emerald eyes in awe as the guide explained how the famous painting was stolen from the museum in 1911 by an Italian patriot…

 _Well_ , he thought with a small smile to himself, he didn’t believe that to be so true anymore.

Although, it was in Eren’s nature. He loved romance and adventure and classic tales of crime as old as time.

He loved being whisked away into different worlds and places.

So long as Levi was by his side.

\--

“How is it so far, love?” Levi asked over lunch near the gardens. “So far, so good?”

“Levi, I’m having such a good time! Why didn’t you bring me here sooner!? I can’t wait to walk around with you more! …Remember the story of the Mona Lisa thief!? Do you think six months was enough prison time for him?”

Levi sipped his tea while he thought. “Hm. For its time, I think it was appropriate. But remember what the guide said, that the painting only began gaining popularity after its theft? Perhaps that Italian smuggler did more good than harm, all things considered.”

Eren listened intently. “Ohhh, yeah! That’s beyond black-and-white thinking; I like that!”

“I’m so glad you had a good time at the museum. Exploring with you is such a treat. I’m learning a lot, too.”

“Now I see why you love those history documentaries. Some of these stories are way more exciting than textbooks make them.”

“Well, that’s just it. Perhaps you enjoyed the Mona Lisa because you were right in front of her. You felt like a part of the history when you learned her story. Reading from a textbook is dull and unstimulating. I know my Eren needs to be “part of the action”, as he would put it.”

Eren rested his chin happily on Levi’s shoulder. “You know me so well.”

“I like to think so,” Levi said, pretty cockily.

Eren took one of Levi’s tea biscuits and munched it teasingly.

\--

They spent the rest of the afternoon hopping from one part of the city to the next; at some times walking, at some times taking a cab.

And along the way, they met a very enthusiastic couple—not tourists, but locals—that told them about a certain bridge enchanting bridge that all lovers should visit together: the Pont des Arts.

Upon arriving to the bridge, Eren’s heart dropped. When he did his small bit of research on his way here, he learned that this was the same bridge that couples would chain padlocks to the bridge’s railing for it to dwell for all of eternity.

A literal metaphor for endless, unshakable devotion.

But when he spoke to someone that was gazing out into the water, he found out that the city has outlawed that tradition due to infrastructural reasons.

Eren couldn’t help but feel a bit cheated. When he was looking up things to do in Paris, he really only had two things on his priority list: To be atop the Eiffel Tower, and to chain a lock with his and Levi’s names to the bridge.

Levi tried to comfort a pouty Eren. “Baby. Why so upset?”

“We’re not allowed to chain our love lock here. I brought one just for the occasion and everything.” He hated that his mood was soured after such a lovely day, but he couldn’t help it.

Levi took them to a bench to see if they couldn’t talk about it. “I know you were excited, but it’s quite alright, Eren,” he soothed gently. He stroked Eren’s cheek with the back of his knuckles gently.

Eren looked up hopefully.

“We can make our own traditions,” Levi said. “I’m sure we can think something up. The bridge doesn’t have to be our only mark here.”

Eren slowly reached for Levi’s hand as he thought about it quietly. “Yeah. I guess you’re right. We’re a pretty creative couple.”

Levi felt restored when he saw that charming smile peek out again. “Yes, we are. The world is yours, Eren. Just because one thing doesn’t work out, it doesn’t mean you can’t find a way to make it even better.”

Eren looked up and lifted his arms for a hug, which Levi gladly accepted. “You always know what to say. I’m not so bummed anymore. I’ll find a new place to put our lock.”

“That’s my boy.”

Eren sighed contently into Levi’s shoulder.

And when he lifted his head again, Levi spoke again: “..May I have a kiss?”

Eren giggled lightly through his nose, and he leaned closer to give an innocent peck on the lips.

“Mmm.” Levi seemed even doubly content.

“If you want something a little more risqué, we can wait until we get somewhere with a little more privacy.”

“That’s fine. I just wanted a little fix of my Eren. Just a little something to hold me over until dessert.”

“Levi, you’re so silly.” Eren laughed and helped Levi up the bench to explore the bridge.

Levi laughed, too. Well, at least he managed to get that sweet smile back.

He felt that it was his personal duty to preserve that smile no matter what.

\--

After such a momentous day of city-crawling and shopping, Eren figured the Eiffel Tower visit deserved a different night all its own.

But for now, it was time to decide what to do for dinner.

“What are you in the mood for?” Levi asked.

“Honestly, I just want something quick and dirty. The food is amazing in this city but every meal is such a big performance and I’m really not in the mood for it tonight. I want something casual.”

“We can do casual.”

Levi figured this would happen at some point. Eren, despite the lifestyle they shared, never got tired of the occasional informal habits. Sometimes, he just wanted sub-par food and experiences. It was humbling.

Levi didn’t mind it, either. Excessive public exposure and having to look a certain class wore him out, too. Sometimes he just wanted to share a quiet, relaxed meal with Eren.

Tonight was one of those nights.

“Let’s just walk until we find something,” Eren said.

Eren happily held Levi’s hand as he filmed the approaching dusk of the city. The lights were beginning to come alive, romantic fountains would soothe hearts, and distant music started to play.

Eren pointed to a familiar pair of golden arches, “Levi, look, they have McDonald’s here!” He seemed so excited for what was often considered a scummy fast food place.

“It looks like we have a decision, then.” Levi led him inside.

“Whoa, this is so different than Trost,” Eren breathed solemnly.

The interior was very unlike a fast food restaurant. The tables were nice and the lighting was warm and welcoming. Even the floors looked polished.

There was even a whole part of the store dedicated to the restaurant’s café menu. It looked like a miniature coffee shop.

Leave it to France to elevate a fast food joint into a quality experience.

While ordering in French the best way he could, Eren found out that they called it “MacDo” here. He liked that.

And, he absolutely made sure to document and vlog his experience at French MacDo on camera.

\--

“Levi, are you okay? You look a little worn out.”

Levi opened his eyes from where he was lounging back on the cushy seats. He was just waiting for Eren to finish his third order (the portions here were terribly small compared to Trost, so he needed to order a third meal to get full).

“Oh. I’m fine, doll. Just a long day.”

“We’ll go straight back to the hotel after this. I can tell you just need a good night of sleep. Maybe the jet lag is finally starting to catch up to you.” Eren bit into a burger with concern in his eyes.

“Thank you for asking and being worried. I can never truly believe how sweet you are.”

“Of course. It’s my job to protect and cherish my man. And part of that means making sure he’s eating and sleeping enough.” He dipped a fry in some ketchup and held it in front of Levi’s mouth to watch him take a bite.

-

Now fed and becoming quite fatigued after a long day, the two decided to start heading back to the hotel.

The outside of the MacDo was a quaint little spot, with dark foliage (probably fake, considering the conditions this time of year) and outdoor seating, as well as a black-painted metal fence that curled at the crests.

“We’ve basically just combined my two favorite things,” Eren said. “McDonald’s, and you, Levi.”

“Your obsession with this fast food chain is one that I will never understand, Eren.”

A grin stretched on Eren’s face that was full of determination. “I think I know where I want to leave our mark.”

Eren shrugged off his backpack and reached into it for a metal object—the padlock he didn’t get to use on the bridge.

The square, silver lock had a message etched in permanent marker that Levi didn’t get to see before:

_E + L_

_Together forever_

There was a little heart drawn underneath their initials.

“Eren, this is lovely,” Levi admired the short, but wonderful message that Eren wrote.

“I would’ve written more, but there’s wasn’t much room,” he admitted. “And, to be honest with you, I don’t think any amount of words can properly describe the love I have for you. So… I kept it short and sweet.”

For about the millionth time since he’s met Eren, Levi’s heart was pierced by Cupid’s ruthless arrow—a direct hit, really—because what in the hell did he ever do to deserve his precious boyfriend?

Eren fastened the lock near the conjoining corners of the metal fence: not close enough to the fence’s gate that anyone would find it on first glance, but hanging just near the winding, viney plants that it was romantically secluded from the world.

It was close enough to the brick wall that Eren felt satisfied. He took the key and locked it with a finality.

“It’s done,” he smiled as he shrugged on his backpack. “I’ll get rid of the key on our way back to the hotel.”

At that moment, Levi felt a mighty need to give Eren a hug.

He wrapped his arms around him, full of strength and comfort simultaneously. He couldn’t even give a shit that they were hugging in the middle of a McDonald’s terrace on a winter night at a street that anyone could walk by and see.

Eren gave a little sigh as he wrapped his arms tighter around Levi’s neck. He closed his eyes and breathed in the scent of musk and sandalwood.

_Home._

“I love you so much, Eren, did you know that?” Their voices were muffled into each other’s coats.

“I know. And I love you, too.”

“I’ll always protect you and cherish you, just like you do me.”

Eren smiled into Levi’s shoulder. “You’re getting sappier every day, hubs. I think I’m rubbing off on you.”

“I think you are.”

A long few seconds passed in silence, still trapped firmly in the embrace.

Eren’s soft voice broke the silence: “…Levi Ackerman, you’re such a good man to me. You’re gonna make me cry.” At those last two words, his voice cracked.

“Please don’t cry, baby boy,” Levi stroked the back of his chocolate locks, “please don’t, because my heart would shatter.”

“Okay, fine, I won’t,” Eren whispered back. “But then you need to calm down with all this adoration of me, because it’s overwhelming.” Even through his romantic melancholy, the mischief that seeped from his core shone through his voice.

“I’ll never stop adoring you, Eren Jaeger.”

Eren felt his tip-toes leave ground, because with a quick jump, he managed to wrap his legs ‘round Levi’s waist, and he laughed as they spun around in the glittering Parisian winter night.

\--

_McDonald’s had significance to Eren._

_It was where he and Levi had the first serious “marriage talk”. It was a fond memory of all those nights that Levi would come home extremely late from work, and he would bring back McDonald’s for a second “late” dinner (primarily because it was pretty much the only thing still open), and they would eat on the couch while they cuddled and watched movies. And they would both fall asleep before they actually finished the movie._

_It was an example that no matter how rich in monetary wealth they became together—no matter how glamorous their lifestyle—the most important thing they had at the end of the day was each other. Money never meant much to either of them. It was sharing all the small, seemingly insignificant things that was._


	79. Drunk in Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren and Levi, just two simple baby boys that are just so full of love that neither I, the simple messenger, nor they, know what to do with it.
> 
> Enjoy this red, floaty cartoon heart-infested chapter while our boys continue taking Paris by storm. 
> 
> (Happy 4th of July if you celebrate it! Please leave a comment after reading and tell me your thoughts!! I especially enjoyed writing this chapter!)

Getting back to the hotel that night was a relief and a disappointment simultaneously—the two lovebirds were rather weary after a long day of exploring the city, but Eren kind of wanted to explore Paris nightlife a bit more.

But that could wait. They had a week here.

They popped another bath bomb (tonight’s was rose and vanilla), and prepared for their wind-down nighttime routine.

Levi didn’t recharge by sleeping (though Eren was working on fixing that). He recharged and rested by sitting or lounging on a comfy seat, albeit with his eyes closed, with a good cup of strong tea or hard ale.

Tonight was no exception. When Eren noticed that slight fatigue in Levi’s eyes back when during dinner at MacDo’s, he knew it was up to him to make sure that man got some sleep as soon as possible.

And just as Eren predicted, Levi was sitting on the edge of a couch in the main room, legs crossed, with a short glass of bourbon. He let the mindless buzz of the TV run in the background.

Eren curled up right beside him, and he tucked himself beneath Levi’s arm.

“Does this count as Quiet Time?” Eren asked cautiously. He knew Levi needed to be left alone to get drunk. “Let me know if you want me to go to another room.”

But Levi actually squeezed him closer. “No, baby.” His voice was deep and tired. “Stay. You smell lovely.”

“Okay,” Eren smiled. He took out his tablet and began messaging his friends.

The current conversation was with Armin:

_We saw the music video!! You looked so badass, IM SO PROUD OF YOU!!!!! MY LITTLE BABY BIRD._

Back in Trost, Armin grinned. _Thanks, Eren!! Erwin said I looked very cute!! And I think you looked great, too!_

_Lets just hope Ma doesn’t stumble across the video…_

_She would NOT be too thrilled about some of its contents_

_Like all your near-naked lady friends!_

_AMONGST OTHER THINGS!!!_

Eren laughed quietly.

Armin sent another one: _How’s Paris so far?? I saw your snap of the Mona Lisa- IM SO JEALOUS!!!_

_It’s fuckin amazing so far. We’re exploring a bunch of spots around the city, and he’s taking me to the Eiffel Tower tomorrow I think. I’m having so much fun, and Levi’s SUCH a great man!_

_That’s awesome to hear! You deserve a load off after working hard this semester. Take lots of pics and footage for me to see back home!!_

_WILL DO!_

Eren looked up and noticed that Levi finished his glass and was breathing deeply and steadily. He slowly stroked along his cheek, causing Levi to open his eyes.

“Ready for bed, Papa?”

“I’m ready.”

“Come on,” Eren whispered happily. He stood and took Levi’s hands to help him up.

Eren hopped into the bed and sat patiently for Levi.

“You’re so sweet, waiting for me to sleep.”

“I like to sleep with you. You comfort me. And I get way less nightmares when you hold me. It’s just scientific proof that I need you here, really.”

“Scientific, huh?” Levi asked humorously. “Come here and give me a good night kiss for science, then, you.”

“Yes, sir,” Eren giggled. He took Levi’s face with a firm hold and went in for a hard, firm kiss. Going in for a second one, he just barely asked for mental permission before diving in and licking around the back of Levi’s jaw. He could taste some of the alcohol.

And he also savored the surprised little grunt that escaped Levi’s throat.

They looked into each other’s eyes upon separation. “…That was a whole lot of tongue, Mr. Jaeger.”

“Maybe I’m trying to take advantage of you while you’re drunk,” Eren joked with a flirty wink.

“I didn’t take my little husband as such an opportunist.”

“How could I not get a taste of my delicious hubby?” He went in for another, sweeter kiss; gentler this time. A true good night kiss. “Good night, my luscious Levi. I love you so, so much.”

“I love you more, Eren Baby. My everything.”

\--

Breakfast was another gorgeous spread of tea, coffee, and pastries—but this time, Levi found a ritzy, exclusive little café on the Parisian countryside, overlooking a stunning coastline of a sound.

The sky was a muted, grayed periwinkle as the sun was making its way up. Tips of orange could be seen along the horizon, and a lovely morning breeze blew that could only be achieved near bodies of water.

Eren brought along his camera drone, and he let it fly a mile or so into the water’s edge to capture the beautiful morning.

When he brought his drone safely back to the table, he took out his handheld camera to vlog a little bit.

“Hey, y’all. I’m spending a quiet morning out here with a beautiful man.” He leaned back into Levi’s open arm, who seemed way more comfortable now with being recorded since the start of the vacation.

And pleased with Eren’s flattering words, he turned his head to meet Eren’s awaiting puckered lips, and took them solidly and possessively.

Eren sat back up straight on his seat, and proceeded to film the breakfast items. “Levi said I should calm down with the espresso shots, because he said that he’s the one who has to deal with me being hyper. But I’m not even satisfied. I’ve only had five shots.”

“Five is way too many,” Levi shook his head.

“I’ve developed a tolerance,” Eren clarified.

“But chances are, this is probably not going to be the only time today that you’ll have a caffeine fix. So I think you should pace yourself,” he explained gently while he sipped his herbal tea.

Eren huffed quietly into the viewfinder. “I hate to admit he’s right. Even at work, I pace myself two shots every three hours.”

“This boy has a serious caffeine addiction,” Levi squeezed Eren’s chin cutely. “Let’s hope it doesn’t get out of hand.”

“I don’t have a problem.” Eren’s words were a bit mumbly since Levi’s was now squishing his cheeks together.

“A common phrase amongst individuals that struggle with addiction,” Levi chuckled.

“Careful, Levi. If you keep teasing me, I’m gonna take another shot and you’ll be the one to deal with my caffeine crash in a few hours.”

Levi became the protective, attentive older boyfriend again: “One glass of water for every two shots while we’re here, okay, sweetheart?”

He figured if he had to deal with Eren’s caffeine crashes, he could at least make sure the boy was properly hydrated for all the walking and whatnot.

“So, five shots would be… two and a half glasses of water, huh?” he did the quick math in his head.

“Round it up to three. I want you to down three glasses before we leave this café.”

Eren sighed in defeat. “…Yes, sir.”

\--

Though they took a cab to the café, they decided to make their way back to the heart of the city on foot to walk off the big breakfast.

Eren was grateful for the opportunity to record more footage, anyway.

Walking grew tiresome after a couple hours, and Eren was elated that they were able to rest at a dog park.

While Levi took the much needed rest off his feet (his stamina wasn’t anywhere _near_ his boyfriend’s), Eren blew off even more steam by going around and meeting a bunch of stranger’s pups. It was good French practice, plus he got to film and meet a lot of cute dogs. A win-win, if he said so himself.

He had all that caffeine from earlier to work off, anyway.

When he’s finally had his fix, he joined Levi at a bench and sighed contently.

Levi looked over and fixed Eren’s beanie, the very same one he gave him at the beginning of their relationship. “Did you have fun?”

“Totally! A met a bunch of new people, too. And I met the cutest dogs.”

“I can tell,” Levi said. “You have a lot of stray fur on your coat.” He began picking at Eren’s clothes and brushing his shoulders off. He subconsciously looked to his side for his briefcase, where he always kept a lint roller on hand. Alas, his briefcase was back in Trost.

“Where to next?” Eren allowed Levi to clean him up a bit, and he put his cameras away.

“When I was doing my research last night, I found a few options that would be great this time of day. We could go see a live performance at the opera house, or I found a nice spot where guests can learn how to make macarons. Any of those sound good?”

Eren’s eyes lit up, “Oh, those all sound so cool, but making macarons with you sounds so fun! Let’s do that!”

Levi smiled. “I figured you’d go for that one. I know you like to get hands-on.”

“I do love to get down and dirty. And eating. And just about anything, as long as it’s with you.”

“Likewise, my sweet. We’ll take a cab there, and once that’s all over with, we’ll do lunch. Sound like a plan?”

“Sounds like a plan,” Eren confirmed happily.

\--

The cab driver took them to a new part of the city, one that was unfamiliar to Eren as it was far from the hotel.

There was still a bit of a walk to make it to the culinary school. But now that it was no longer early morning, and people took to the streets to add to the city’s sounds and excitement, life seemed way more colorful at this time of day.

The hustle and bustle was something Eren was used to, being that Trost Coffee was right near the city’s beach, otherwise known as the most popular part of the city, but here people spoke a new, exciting language, and it all felt so intriguing.

The artsy street they were on now was apparently a hot spot for street performers to gather. There were violin quartets; a unicyclist that juggled; a drummer who banged on steel pots; and a very stereotypical mime.

Eren made sure to get footage of each one, and he also made sure to leave them plenty of money in their hats and jars. Local, raw talent like this was becoming rare and obsolete nowadays.

Plus, where else in the world could he see a real mime!?

A little ways away, a cobblestone street was lined with craft stands nestled between small boutiques and shops. The stands advertised purses, signature leather articles for men, and nifty handcrafted antiques here and there. Levi said the term for these types of wares was _mercerie._

Eren had reached down to tie his undone shoelace while Levi was looking at some watches.

“Can you please hold my bag?” Eren asked while crouched on the floor. Levi absentmindedly took the strap as he kept talking to the watch merchant.

Laces freshly tied, Eren stood back up and gazed around at the lively street. He wondered how tough it must be to get art exposure around these parts, considering classic works as well as new visions were as widespread and common as bacteria here. Looking for a certain type of beauty in Paris was like looking for a needle in a haystack.

He hummed to himself as he thought about it. _Welp, thank God he wasn’t like, a real artist or anything. He’d stick to doodling in his notebooks, thank you very much. He was nice and safe there—no critics for his moody and over-imaginative artwork in the margins._

Suddenly, Eren heard a crowd cheering somewhere far off in the distance.

And a very strange-sounded instrument, too. It was accompanied by a mysterious, high-pitched song from a female’s voice.

Eren cocked his head to the side to try to make out more of it. It was… beautiful, by the sounds of it. But he couldn’t quite hear from here. He absentmindedly started towards the music.

He pushed through crowds at the stands, merchant booths; turned corners; walked an unidentified number of paces; was rudely brushed past by a couple of bike-riders and dog-walkers… but he seemed to be unbothered and entranced by the melody.

Meanwhile at the watch stand, Levi narrowed down his selection to two choices. He held it out to his left side, eyes still fixated on the watch faces. “Eren, what do you think…?”

“…”

The merchant looked at Levi strangely. There was no one there.

“Eren?”

Levi finally lifted his gaze and realized that Eren was not standing at his side.

Immediately he looked around his near vicinity. He saw other shoppers speaking to sellers, people walking their dogs, and a bunch of factors contributing to the noise.

“Shit,” Levi muttered. He took out his phone from his pocket and called Eren—fuck a text.

And then something near him started to vibrate.

With mild disgust, Levi lifted the strap of Eren’s backpack—that up until this point he forgot he was holding—reached into the front pocket,

and took out Eren’s phone.

He blankly watched his name on the screen.

_“…Fuck.”_

Levi turned his attention back to the merchant, who seemed weirded out by him. He often didn’t get customers that talked to themselves. In English, no less.

He quickly bought both of the watches, since he wasn’t really in the right mindset to narrow it down to just one choice. The merchant seemed pleased with that decision.

While the watch seller wrapped up the purchase in a tissue-stuffed bag, Levi began mentally strapping up and figuring out a rescue plan.

_Where did that boy go?!_

-

Eren Jaeger was fucking lost.

The music he blindly followed was long forgotten. After so many twists and turns, and changing blocks and crossing streets, he didn’t even know where he was anymore.

He patted around for his phone. And his heart sank to his fucking feet when he remembered he gave Levi his bag to hold while he tied his shoes.

The seeds of panic were beginning to take root in the pit of his stomach. _Why was he such a fucking idiot? Why did have to be so easily distracted, like some ADD-riddled elementary school student!?_

Levi would be so angry and disappointed.

Eren didn’t even know how to begin finding his way back. He didn’t know any of the street names, and even if he called a cab, he wouldn’t know which part of the city to be taken to.

Like a suspect brainstorm list, he began mentally plotting possible solutions. He could go back to the hotel and just wait for Levi, but Levi wouldn’t know he was there and stay looking for him in the city.

Eren aggressively clawed his bangs off his face and exhaled harshly. _What the fuck has he gotten into?_

-

Levi kicked from a walk to a near-jog, to a panicked power-walk. Where, oh, fucking _where_ has his boyfriend wandered off to?

He made his way back to the cobblestoned streets were the street performers gathered. Maybe Eren ended up back here in boredom.

But, no, he wasn’t anywhere in sight.

He looked for a black beanie on a chocolate brown head of hair. He looked for a tall, lean body and the navy, fur-lined coat that Eren was wearing today.

Nothing, nowhere.

He rapidly looked around and began making his way to a new street. Adrenaline kicked up like storm in his chest.

He was so fucking fixated on the intricate watch details back at the merchant stand that he didn’t even notice Eren slip away. _Fucking useless_ , Levi chastised himself.

This wasn’t like Trost, where Eren had access to taxis and Ubers and friends if he got lost. He didn’t have contacts here, or connections, or a snowball’s chance in hell to find his way back.

And without his phone, Eren was just that much more defenseless out here, posing yet another obstacle for Levi to find him.

And on top of all that, Eren’s French skills were basic, even at the standard conversation level. They were in a rather rural, artsy part of the city, where Levi reckoned not many people knew English—unlike the hub of Paris where their hotel was located.

He couldn’t imagine how worried Eren must be right now.

 _Okay. Don’t panic. He’s fine. He’s fine. He’s fine,_ Levi kept repeating to himself. He kept looking around wildly for that familiar silhouette.

-

Eren was on the verge of tears now.

He stopped a few strangers and began lousy attempts at asking for directions.

But it was fruitless, because he neither knew where he was or where he wanted to go.

And not many people in this area spoke English well, Eren realized.

In French, he tried to ask where the street performers were. Literally, “performers” on the “street”.

Eren wiggled his fingers and pretended to play imaginary instruments to show what he was talking about.

And he wanted to take his camera out to show footage of the performers, but his camera was in his bag, back with Levi.

“Pouvez-vous me montrer où ça se trouve?” Eren asked desperately.

The couple looked at him in confusion, and then to each other. “La musique…?”

“Yes, yes! Uhh…oui!” Eren encouraged. “La musique.”

The man nodded and began explaining in _rapid_ French where the Opera House was.

“Nooo,” Eren breathed. “Not the Opera House.” He didn’t mean to interrupt and sound rude, but this conversation was going nowhere.

“Thanks, anyway,” Eren sighed in defeat. He walked away from the couple feeling even more hopeless and alone than he already did.

He just wanted to curl up and hug his knees to his chest.

-

Levi continued to peruse the area, and though he was worried sick, he tried to remain optimistic. It’s what Eren would do.

He stood in place to take a breather and calm his anxiety, and he took out Eren’s camera.

He turned on the video and angled it up to his face while he began walking again.

“Hey, y’all. My darling Eren seems to have gotten lost, so now I’m looking for him. All his things are with me, so he has no way of reaching me, or I, him.

“I’m a bit of an idiot for not discussing with him what we both should do in this situation. But as Eren would say, ‘Live and learn’.

I don’t doubt he’s fine. These streets seem pretty safe, and it could be worse: it could be night. But language barriers are intimidating.” Levi sighed gently. “Poor thing. Where did he end up?”

He spoke once more before cutting the footage: “Alright. I will continue to look for him. He can’t have gotten too far.”

Levi shut the camera and slung the strap of Eren’s backpack over his shoulder before observing a new street.

He couldn’t have been walking for five minutes when he reached a mainly empty plaza that was marked by a fountain in its center.

Next to the fountain, his gaze fixated on a tall, lean figure wearing a navy coat speaking to stranger, gesturing with his hands a bit uselessly.

Levi kicked into a jog and relief knocked his joints weak as he willed himself to get closer and trap that body in his arms.

“Eren!” Levi called.

Eren looked up dubiously, almost as if he was hearing things. But when he saw Levi approaching, his eyes widened and his lips parted in pure relief. He quickly thanked the stranger for his time and ran for his life.

“Levi! Levi!” Eren cried, and he sprinted towards him, screwing his eyes tight when Levi crushed him in his arms.

“Eren. Baby, I’m so glad you’re okay,” Levi breathed.

“Levi, I’m so fucking sorry. I didn’t mean to get lost and worry you. I was so careless and stupid and I was scared shitless. I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” he began sobbing quietly.

“Eren. It’s alright. Don’t cry. Listen to me, love. All that matters is that we’re here now. We’re here, you’re fine. I’ve got you.” He squeezed Eren even tighter. “I’m just so fucking relieved I have you back with me.”

Eren got out of the hug and stood timidly. “…You’re not mad at me?”

Levi’s heart melted in pity, and he used the back of his knuckles to wipe away Eren’s tear-stained cheeks. “No, I’m absolutely not mad at you, sweetheart. Why would I be?”

“That’s a relief,” Eren laughed dryly. “I don’t know. If I was in your situation, I’d be pissed.”

“Everything’s alright, do you understand me?”

Eren nodded and took Levi’s hand: the warm, calloused, familiar hand that he so desperately needed to hold lately.

“Just stay close to me while we’re here, though, okay?” Levi asked. He gave Eren back his bag before anything else. “And you have your phone now. I’m not ready to get rid of my cute boyfriend just quite yet,” he said with a playful edge to his voice. “Let’s both be more alert, deal?”

“Deal,” Eren smiled.

They made their way back to a more populous street and called for a cab.

\--

At the culinary institute, Levi securely held onto Eren’s waist from behind as he squeezed the macaron crème circles onto the baking sheets. He couldn’t help but be a little clingy—but the idea of Eren getting lost in this big city worried him far more than he cared to admit.

“Levi, look how perfect these are!” Eren gushed at his own creation, apparently naïve about Levi’s still-lingering relief about the whole situation.

“It’s spectacular, Eren.” He seemed a bit preoccupied as these thoughts about Eren kept running through his mind.

And he was just glad be able to keep him safe again.

\--

Eren loved to walk around and explore the world and all it had to offer, buying tons of gifts and expensive clothes and cool gadgets along the way (and getting lots of kisses from his man for free as well), but honestly, nothing beat a nice, sit-down dinner with Levi.

And don’t get Eren wrong, he loved a casual McDonald’s meal without having to play a role or be “CEO Levi Ackerman’s Boyfriend” (not that he _minded_ playing that role—he actually took a lot of pride in it). But he also had very complex palate and a complicated personality, so he also immensely enjoyed dressing up to the nines for a lavish night out on the town occasionally.

The restaurant was large and exclusive, and decorated in excessive amounts of seductive reds and dark maroons, and it was a literal candlelit setting. Somewhere in the front of the house, a violinist strung out a sweet, soft tune accompanied by a sleepy pianist.

So, so romantic. And cheesy. And all that gushy-mushy shit that Eren ate up like cake.

Now, they were waiting for the next course, although there was no rush. And secretly, Eren wished they took all the time in the world, because it meant more time at Levi’s side.

Or rather, on Levi’s lap. He sat with his legs crossed over Levi’s thighs, his arm possessively around his broad shoulders, and his other hand toying with and rubbing Levi’s chest flirtily.

He actually wasn’t the drunk one. He wanted to save getting drunk for the Eiffel Tower later. Levi, however, sipped wine quietly.

Eren also loved gazing at the dark shadows that the candle casted on Levi’s already-chiseled face. It made him look so fucking dark and broody and smoochable. It was the stuff of silly adolescent wet dreams.

He stroked Levi’s jaw admiringly with his thumb. And in return, Levi gave Eren’s knee a little squeeze.

“Hmm…” Eren gazed across to the opposite wall thoughtfully. “What do you think; first date or affair?”

Levi met Eren’s line of sight and captured the scene at the distance: a young, hot couple were fervently making out at their table, just about a few seconds away from penetration, if it ever did seem like it.

Levi thought about it for a moment. “Definitely affair. It’s too passionate for a first date.”

“I agree,” Eren giggled.

They continued observing the couple, and Levi took another sip of his glass.

“You didn’t kiss me like that on our first date,” Eren said.

“I didn’t kiss you at all on our first date,” Levi pointed.

“…But did you want to?”

Levi turned his head to meet Eren’s gentle, soft eyes. The candle’s fire danced in his pupils mysteriously. “I wanted to so very badly.”

Eren paused the tracing of circles on Levi’s solid chest, and he cocked his head to the side. “Really?” he smiled, very clearly pleased by that confession. “Why didn’t you?”

“I was extremely nervous. I scored a date with just about the cutest young man I’ve ever seen in my life. I didn’t want you to think I was just in it for the hot sex, although that was one of the things very much on my mind.”

Eren’s sweet grin widened, and he buried his face in Levi’s shoulder from the embarrassment. “Leeeeviiii.”

“I figured you should know about my thoughts that night. Our first date. Seems like a long time ago.” Levi took another sip of wine while he thought. “God, I was _so_ nervous that night.”

“You were nervous!?” Eren almost hissed. “You should’ve seen me! Up until that point, you were my super hot, unattainable customer. I fantasized about you. I thought about you all through my shifts.”

That statement made Levi smirk. “Did you really?”

“I sure did. Even before the date, I remember I was shaking profusely on my way to the restaurant.”

Levi gently scratched Eren’s knee in comfort. “Sweetheart,” he breathed, “you had nothing to be nervous about.”

“I know that now. When I got to know you over dinner, I went home knowing you were the one. You made me feel so special and interesting. It was the first date of dreams.”

“I think so, too,” Levi agreed.

Eren sighed contently, and his eyes drifted back to the kissing couple across the dining room, who were was still going at it strong as ever. “For the record, I desperately wanted you to kiss me that night, too.”

“…How did you want me to kiss you?”

“Oh, I wouldn’t have been too picky. You know I value me my tongue-violations, but I’m perfectly content with romantic moonlight kisses, too.”

Levi looked at Eren’s pretty pink lips, then to his eyes. “I think I want to show you how I wanted to kiss you that night.”

Eren’s voice was hushed and rather shy: “Show me, Levi.”

Levi took his glass of red wine and led it to Eren’s mouth. When he received the slightest parting and permission, he tipped the rest of the contents down Eren’s throat.

“Mm!” Eren gulped in mild surprise. And just as suddenly, he felt Levi take his lips with a certain ambition and firmness, sucking possessively at Eren’s bottom lip, not even stopping for a second to breathe before giving Eren’s upper lip some attention.

Eren’s eyes melted in pure passion and he tried to keep up. He grabbed the fabric of Levi’s shirt to gain some control.

But Levi wasn’t done yet. He set the empty glass down and wrapped his hands around Eren’s back to press him closer. He didn’t mean for it to sound so desperate, but he growled and moaned harshly into Eren’s mouth—an animalistic, almost pained expression.

Levi missed his opportunity for the first date kiss, he now realized with a saddened pang in his heart. But now that Eren had given him an opportunity to redeem himself, he knew he wasn’t going to sell himself short.

He would very clearly communicate his roller coaster of emotions that night—from his inner monologue about lusting over the cute barista near the beach, to that unsatisfied feeling he had when he went home after the date that night, a feeling that could’ve only been appeased if he was able to see Eren again.

Eren shut his eyes and allowed himself to be carried away with the emotion. Yup, this man was bark _and_ bite. He wrapped his arms around Levi’s neck and dipped his head at an angle to deepen the kiss.

It wasn’t long before tongue was involved, too. Eren exhaled and giggled through his nose at the exhilaration of it all.

As they battled for tongue domination, the two of them almost forgot they were in a public restaurant. That fact made the situation that much hotter.

Levi took the back of Eren’s head and held it still to gain back some leverage. He just loved how Eren’s body just seemed to _melt_ into his, so fucking responsive and perfect.

The hot couple across the room had paused their charade for a moment to admire the two men at a distance. They certainly gave them a run for their money! It was _very_ impressive. And very noteworthy.

Eren and Levi ended the session with a final smooch of finality. Eren licked his lips and blinked, and Levi cleared his throat.

“Wowzers,” Eren whispered.

“’Wowzers’, is right,” Levi chuckled.

“So that’s how you felt about me on our first date, huh?”

“First date, or any date, really. But I’m glad I finally got to show you how I felt about that night, specifically.”

“I’m glad, too.” Eren smoothed back down the wrinkles on Levi’s shirt where he was clutching on for dear life during the kiss.

Levi adjusted the knot on Eren’s tie so that it was no longer crooked. “This is very cute tie, darling. You’re really starting to develop a style in evening wear.”

“Thank you, hubs. I’ve made leaps and bounds. Remember the good ol’ days when you had to explain to me what a cummerbund was?”

Levi chuckled. “I sure do.”

“…You’re such a good kisser.”

Levi pinched Eren’s cheek. “I had practice from the best.”

Eren laughed out loud and lay a sweet, loud kiss on Levi’s cheek before turning back to the table to look for a drink.

“I’m so fucking in love with you, Mr. Ackerman. I don’t think you realize.”

The waiter, who’s been waiting in a distant corner with their tray, saw an opportunity to come to the table. He’d been waiting for a good while for the two guests to finish kissing and didn’t want to make it awkward. There seemed to be a lot of couples kissing in his restaurant tonight, anyway.

“Messieurs,” he greeted quietly. He set down the plates on the table.

The two men, who were rubbing noses flirtily and whispering secret things, separated and looked up.

The younger-looking one with dark brown hair smiled happily. “Merci, merci!”

The waiter smiled shortly as he bowed, and he made his way to the back of house.

\--

Levi helped Eren off the metro and began towards the entrance to the Eiffel Tower.

Eren had his camera at the ready around his neck. “I’m so excited!!”

Levi couldn’t help but get pumped, too. He’d been imagining this moment for a long time.

As they walked closer, the golden-lit tower began flashing an electric blue-like strobes.

Eren gasped. “Oh, my God! How cool is that!?” He immediately took out his camera and filmed the show.

“It does that at the top of every hour,” Levi explained. “It’s gorgeous.”

“Ahh…wowwww…” Eren breathed absentmindedly.

At the ground floor, the tower wasn’t much of a spectacle. It was mainly framework and metal fixtures.

“Do you want to take the elevator or the stairs to the top?” Levi asked.

“Do you have enough energy to climb?” Eren returned the question.

“I don’t mind. Frankly, I could use the exercise.”

Eren squeezed Levi’s shoulders and biceps in a quick massage. “You’ve been neglecting these beautiful muscles, huh? Are you going soft?”

“A little soft, yes,” Levi admitted. “I haven’t lifted since I was here.”

“Let’s climb then, hubby.”

Because it was winter, the majority of the tower’s guests opted to take the elevator. Which was a relief. The stairs were a challenge enough without the congestion of other bodies.

It wasn’t all too bad. Eren aimed his camera upward to the sky, and he got amazing shots of the interior of the tower height-wise. It seemed infinite.

Finally, and with a huff, they reached the level where guests could pay to get transported to the top.

Eren was fine for the most part, but Levi was a little winded. Cardio was not his thing.

“How many flights was that, do you think?” Levi asked, shutting his eyes to regain his breath.

“Umm… 25, I’m guessing?”

“52,” Levi corrected. Eren reached into his backpack and took out a water bottle, prompting Levi to drink. He gratefully accepted.

When they’ve both had a chance to catch their breaths, they walked hand-in-hand to the elevator.

The small lift was cramped with people, and it was awkwardly silent. There was an odd mixture of strong perfumes and colognes in such a small space.

“Oh, my ears are popping,” Eren whispered into Levi’s ear.

“Mine, too,” Levi replied. “It helps to keep swallowing and unclenching your jaw like we did on the plane.”

When the doors opened, guests flooded out in relief. It was cold up here, really cold compared to the ground floor. The elevation was frightening and exciting at the same time.

But considering the lengthy climb of stairs, Levi and Eren were well-warmed up and balanced.

Eren dashed to the edge and breathed in awe. Levi felt his hand being yanked forward, as well.

“Woooooowwww….” Eren gasped.

If Eren felt that he’d had his fill of amazing views—from the top of the ferris wheel on Trost’s beach, to their view at the apartment, or even Levi’s office at Survey Corp—his current sight proved that dead wrong.

Paris at night was… simply ethereal.

The abstract-lined streets flowed with teals and yellows, and buildings twinkled with starlight from windows.

And because it was winter and there was absolutely no humidity, the night was crystal-clear, amplifying the luxurious city view.

Eren’s breath dissipated in light puffs of steam when he breathed, and he felt Levi’s arms circle around his waist from behind.

It was quiet save for the background voices of strangers in awe of the perfect view.

Levi’s deep voice was welcome and complimentary to the setting: “See that, baby boy? All this is for you.”

Eren trapped Levi’s arms there, and he smiled uncontrollably. _What a life._ A year ago, he didn’t imagine his life would ever be like this.

And now, here he was, with the man of his dreams at his side, the City of Lights sprawled out in front of him like a feast, and the whole world at his fingertips.

“Levi.” The older man unwrapped his arms and came around. “Let’s kiss.”

“I would be happy to,” Levi said.

He took Eren’s waist slowly and captured those awaiting puckered lips, slow and true.

Eren held onto Levi’s shoulders as he bit his lip shyly. “One more. I’m a sappy person.”

“Yes, sir,” Levi chuckled. He took Eren’s face and reached up to give a passionate, possessive smooch. He couldn’t give a damn that people around we watching. In fact, it strangely turned him on at this moment.

His hands made his way down to the back of Eren’s thighs and hoisted him up. With Eren off the floor and being carried easily in his arms, he deepened the kiss with a content sigh and began spinning Eren in a small circle.

Some surrounding strangers looked at them and laughed humorously. A few of them whistled and clapped. “Tchin-tchin!” “A votre sante!” “Cheers, mates!”

Eren hopped down from Levi’s hold and seemed very satisfied. “This is one of the best nights of my life!”

“And we’ll make it even better,” Levi went over to the stand where they were offering champagne, and he got a glass for both him and Eren.

Eren prepared his camera and documented the experience.

“To the love of my life,” Levi lifted his glass.

“To the man of my dreams,” Eren replied, and they clinked glasses before taking sips.

Eren took plenty of long shots of Paris, and with champagne downed, he wanted to take a few more pictures of the two of them.

Aiming the viewfinder once more on their faces, Eren took Levi’s shoulders close. “Let’s kiss for the camera.”

They shut their eyes and Levi offered a picturesque kiss, making sure not to separate until he heard the click of the shutter.

Levi turned and looked at the camera, a sexy, lovestruck smile still gracing his handsome face—and before he realized what was happening, he felt Eren’s tongue lick a solid, wet stripe on his cheek and the shutter went off once again.

Eren laughed maniacally.

“You dirty boy,” Levi chastised, and he wiped his cheek. But he, too, could not stop laughing.

“I know, hubby, I know.”

\--

Eren was still climbing down from the high as they got back to the hotel room. Tonight was the night of fairytales and storybooks, and he wanted to ride his buzzed ecstasy forever.

He climbed onto the bed and began jumping up and down like a child, laughing without a care in the world.

Levi climbed on, too, but he was nowhere near as hyper as Eren.

“Eren,” Levi called, and he smiled at Eren’s excitement. “Babe, calm down.”

“I _can’t_!” Eren stopped jumping and tackled Levi to the mattress.

“You know, usually people get quiet when they’re drunk. I have a little dilemma on my hands.”

“I’m not even drunk, my dear husband! I’m just buzzed! And high on life!”

Levi allowed Eren to bounce on him and straddle him to his liking. Buzzed Eren was a split atom of energy.

At that moment, a few pops could be heard outside the open window. Eren’s head snapped toward the sound, and he started towards the balcony. Levi followed close behind.

“Oh, look, fireworks,” Eren pointed toward the far horizon. Orange and reds flared in the air, fizzling out into hisses that crescendoed.

Having something to look at for a minute seemed to calm him down again.

“What’s going on today, do you think?” Eren wondered.

“I haven’t a clue. Perhaps they knew my darling Eren was in town.”

Eren looked at him with a mischievous grin. “You’re so cheesy.”

“Very hypocritical of you to say, my dear.”

“You want me to lick you again? I’d watch what you say to me.”

“If you lick me,” Levi warned, and he took Eren’s hand to guide them back into the room, “I might just have to take you over my knee and punish you.”

“That just sounds like a good time, really.”

“I asked once, and I’ll ask again: what in the world will I do with you, Eren Jaeger?”

Eren giggled and began taking his jacket off.

“I think it’s time to wind down for the night, don’t you?” Levi wondered.

“Bath time, for sure,” Eren agreed. “And we could Facetime my parents before bed. What time is it in Trost?”

“It would be early evening there.”

“That’s perfect. I have a lot to tell them.”

\--

With Eren properly bathed and calmed, and held securely in his man’s arms, he turned on his tablet and video called his parents.

While they waited, Levi buried his nose in Eren’s damp hair.

Carla and Grisha’s faces appeared on screen. Eren’s mother began gushing happily. “Eren! How are you, honey bunches? Levi, my dear, I’m so happy to see your face again!”

“Hello, son,” Grisha smiled, “it’s great to see you again, Levi.”

Eren waved and grinned. “Hey, Ma, hey, Pop!! Levi’s here, too!” as if they hadn’t noticed.

“I’m happy to see you both, too,” Levi said.

“I’m so glad to see you at home, Pops,” Eren admitted. He recognized the couch in the background. “I was worried you’d be working through Winter Break.”

Carla smiled mischievously, and she flirtily scratched the stubble on Grisha’s chin. “Nope. I refused to let this man work through Christmas. He’s trapped here with me.” She kissed his cheek unapologetically.

Levi chuckled at that. That sounded exactly like something Eren would say to him. Like mother, like son.

“Your mother has me on house arrest,” Grisha smiled. “But this is good for me. I need to sharpen the saw. Mental health is just as important as physical health.”

“Totally,” Eren nodded. And then his eyes sparkled. “Wait! I have something of utmost importance to tell you both!”

Carla’s eyes locked into the camera in concern. “What is it!?”

“I made the Dean’s list this semester!” Eren exclaimed.

Carla gushed and clapped happily. “My sweet, brilliant boy! I knew you would!”

“I’m _incredibly_ proud of you, Eren,” Grisha said. “I expected nothing less from you. You make me the happiest father in the world.”

Eren smiled shyly, which Levi noticed. “Thanks, Dad. Really, it means a lot. And thanks, Mommy. I had a lot of support and love from everyone.”

Levi squeezed Eren lovingly. “See, I told you they’d be proud,” he said lowly.

Carla returned her attention to Levi. “And how are you, Levi? How is Paris!?”

“It’s phenomenal. There’s something different to see every time, in this city.”

“Tell me about it! What’s your favorite part of the trip so far?”

“Well, tonight Eren and I climbed the Eiffel Tower. The view is unlike any other.”

Carla gasped in awe. “Wow, the Eiffel Tower… I’m so envious! How thrilling, and so romantic! You better bring back pictures for me to see.”

“Oh, trust me,” Levi said, and he rested his chin on Eren’s head, “Eren has that department well-taken care of.”

“It’s true,” Eren said. “I vlogged pretty much the whole thing.”

“’Vlogged’?” Grisha wondered.

“Video-blogging, Dad,” Eren explained.

“Ah,” Grisha nodded.

“Even I knew that,” Carla teased her husband cheekily.

“Yeah, Dad, get with the program,” Eren teased.

“I’m a bit out of touch with all these new terms,” Grisha admitted. “Perhaps I do need to get out more.”

“Working excessively is a missed opportunity to learn evolving terminologies,” Levi agreed. “It’s all a matter of open-mindedness, Grisha.”

“See, that’s something a man of wisdom would say. Unlike my wife and son who ruthlessly make fun of me.”

All four of them laughed.

“I should probably save this for when we sit down for our next talk, Levi, so not to embarrass Eren… but I really do you think you’re an excellent influence on him. You’re bringing out all his positive traits and I’ve never seen him happier.”

“I totally agree,” Carla said. “I’m so glad you’ve come into our lives.”

Levi squeezed Eren in his arms and shook his head. “I appreciate the flattery, but all of Eren’s success is of his own doing. I’m just there to provide moral support from the sidelines.”

“I wonder when you will stop being so humble!” Carla sighed in frustration. “You’re such a great man, dear, and you need to give yourself more credit!”

“Agreed,” Grisha said.

“Agreed,” Eren looked up with a small curl of the lips.

“You’re all so kind. Really. Thank you for saying that.”

“You’d better come see us when you get back!” Carla instructed.

“Most certainly,” Levi promised.

“Keep us in the loop, alright? Good night, Levi,” Grisha said. “Good night, Eren. I am and always will be proud of you.”

“Good night,” Levi said.

“’Night, Pops, ‘night, Ma,” Eren waved.

“Take pictures! And have fun! And be safe!” Carla squeezed in all her motherly formalities.

“We will, love youuuu!” Eren ended the call and put his tablet down.

“Aw. I love my folks,” Eren said out loud, although more to himself.

“And they love you, and so do I,” Levi opened his arms, and was pleased when Eren found his way into his lap.

“I love you, too, hubs.” Eren placed his hand on his cheek to hold him still, and he pecked a quick kiss on Levi’s jaw. “But now… I just want my man to hold me in his arms before we lay down to sleep together.”

“My little poet. Such a sweet boy.”

And he was happy to rock Eren to sleep, on this cozy winter night in Paris, where Levi was convinced his life with Eren was just one big, never-ending dream.


	80. Weird and Slutty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ajshhbuisbffwjen Go to church after reading this chapter.
> 
> (And once again, I apologize for the inconsistent uploads. You guys have heard all the excuses under the sun at this point, so I won't supply another. I promise I'll see this fic through to the end. Come hell or high water. Slowly but surely.)
> 
> Please leave a comment after reading and tell me your thoughts!! I've missed our community.

Eren woke up nice and early with a big smile on his face.

He slipped out from beneath the covers and quietly padded his way to the bathroom.

As he stared at his own drowsy reflection in the mirror, he thought about yesterday. The Eiffel Tower dream; Levi’s kisses. That feeling that even though they were just two people in the huge city, the world didn’t feel as big as it really was.

 _Levi was such a good man,_ Eren thought to himself as he continued brushing. Husband goals, for sure. The urge to tackle that man to the ground and smother him in kisses throughout the day was increasing more and more each day.

Levi was still sleeping soundly in bed, his arm draped over his eyes loosely.

He was wearing that pale blue shirt again. That shirt that clung to his muscles and was perfect for hugging due to its downy, soft fabric.

Eren, who was already dressed, crawled over his body and began laying some kisses along Levi’s jaw. When Levi didn’t wake up right away, Eren lifted his arm off his face and lay some more on his cheekbones.

Levi stirred and groaned softly. “Oh. Good morning, Eren.”

“’Morning, hubby-bubby.” Eren rubbed his chest soothingly. “I’m gonna go out into town today.”

Levi was fully awake now. He propped himself up on his forearms. “Should I get dressed?”

Eren shook his head and pushed Levi’s chest back down. “No need. I want to go on my own today.”

There was a quick look of caution on Levi’s face as he thought about it. Eren half-expected him to say no, not because Levi was controlling, but because after Eren got lost in the city earlier, both their senses were on heightened alert.

Levi remained quiet in thought for a second. He stroked Eren’s hair. “Alright. But take plenty of cash with you. And call me every once in a while so I know you’re okay. And tell me right away if you feel unsafe or lost.”

“I’ll call you every two hours or so to check in. Get some rest in the meantime.”

“Give me a kiss before you go,” Levi said.

Eren smiled and gave Levi a big smooch on the forehead.

“Mm.” Levi seemed content with it. “Have fun, baby. I’ll see you later.”

Eren pulled the covers back over Levi’s shoulders and made his way out the door.

-

It wasn’t that Eren didn’t want Levi by his side—actually, it brought him great anxiety to hit these unfamiliar streets alone. But it was necessary. Now that he and Levi were going to travel together more often, he should probably get used to navigating alone.

He mainly just wanted to get some Christmas/birthday present shopping done for Levi. That would lose its charm if Levi knew what he was up to.

Eren also knew the best way to learn a language was to immerse himself in the culture anyway.

When lunchtime rolled around and Eren checked back in with Levi, he found a café to settle in with his many shopping bags. He pushed through his order with broken French. Luckily, the waitress was very patient and gave him constructive criticism.

While he was vlogging, a girl who overheard his laborious order approached his table. She held her hands behind her back and looked at him strangely, although her smile bled curiosity.

“Anglais?” she asked.

Eren ushered her to sit and eat with him. He figured he could use a local to help him around these streets, anyway.

\--

Evening rolled around, and Eren burst through the hotel room door with a weary, relieved sigh.

Levi, who was in his robe and was watching TV quietly in the main room, put his tea down and came over to greet him.

Eren was just so glad to back in these warm arms again.

“I’m so glad you’re back in one piece,” Levi admitted. He eyed the plethora of bags at Eren’s sides. “Good. I love it when you spend money.”

“Why?” A smile curled on Eren’s lips, and, abandoning his bags at the door, he took Levi’s hand to lead them to the couch.

“Because you’re too frugal. And you hardly spend our money. I want you to know that you can have anything you want.”

“I’m still adjusting,” Eren admitted. “After I left my parents’ house and before I met you, I was living paycheck to paycheck. But I’m getting there, Levi. Slowly, but surely.”

“Slowly but surely,” Levi repeated, and he pinched Eren’s cheek gently. “Was it terribly difficult to navigate out there? I was a bit worried between your check-ins.”

“It wasn’t all too bad. I also made a new friend who tagged along with me for the second half of the day. She helped me shop and practice my French.”

“How kind of her. What’s her name?”

“Her name is Estelle. She’s two years younger than me. She said I’m the first person she’s ever met who’s from Trost.”

“Did you get her contact information? Let’s try to treat her to lunch before we leave here.”

“That’s a great idea! I’m sure she’ll love it. I told her about you, and she said you seem amazing. She appeared in my vlogs a few times, too.”

“I’m very relieved you had someone looking out for you today. Did you manage to have dinner?”

“No, I wanted to wait ‘til I got back to the room to have some with you.”

“Let’s get room service. I’m sure you’re tired of walking and venturing at this point.”

Eren was already halfway stripped out of his clothes and about to step into the shower. “You’re already a step ahead, my dear husband.”

\--

A glossy, red shopping bag with tissue paper hiding its contents stared at Eren and called his name.

While Eren managed to get a lot of Christmas/birthday presents for his dear Levi here in the city, he wasn’t completely finished yet and figured there were some things that would be easier to purchase when they got back to Trost.

However, this particular red bag that contained his purchases from a sex shop, would not have to wait until Christmas. In fact, Eren was fixing to use its contents tonight.

When Estelle followed Eren into the sex shop, she was both surprised and pleasantly relieved. She was right in her element!

And when Eren looked at his new friend, the mischievous, no-good sparkled in her eye told him everything he needed to know.

It was so unlike her. Estelle was the type of teenage girl who adored teddy bears and roses and precious French cakes with delicate chocolate curls.

So when Eren found out that she rivaled his own sexual intensity, he couldn’t help but laugh from the irony.

“Estelle!” he chastised her.

“Eh bien, que dire?” she said sweetly, and she picked up a flogger and smacked it against her palm.

It really was always the sweet and quiet ones.

But now that Eren was back in the hotel room and he and Levi were nicely fed and satisfied, there really were no better circumstances for playtime.

Eren realized they hadn’t had sex once yet since their arrival to Paris.

Which he didn’t mind too much. Like Levi, he also preferred quality over quantity when it came to sex. But Eren had to admit, the more time passed without them being sexually intimate, it only made the encounters that much more intense.

They lay on the bed and watched some TV absentmindedly. Eren took it upon himself to rub Levi’s stomach soothingly and trail his fingertips along his abs (it was something Levi enjoyed immensely after dinner, but Eren didn’t need him to tell him that for him to figure it out).

“Hey, Levi.”

“Hey, Eren,” Levi replied in the same tone.

Eren giggled. “I have an idea for tonight.”

“What’s your idea for tonight, sweetness?”

“Let’s just get fucking wasted.”

“Are you trying to get as much alcohol into your system before we go back home?”

“You always know my motive, daaaarlin’~” Eren drawled with his eerily accurate southern accent.

“I’m not opposed,” Levi said while he brushed Eren’s bangs aside with his fingers. “But I have to warn you, I’m a bit unpredictable when I’m drunk.”

“I like unpredictable,” Eren smiled.

“I know you do,” Levi smirked, and with a quick roll, he climbed on top of Eren and began tickling his ribs.

When he made sure Eren was sufficiently all tickled up, Levi got off with a little chuckle and headed towards the bar in the kitchen.

He brought back a small set of glasses and some wine and vodka to start with.

“Let’s ease into it, shall we?” Levi poured them each a glass of red wine.

“Cheers, Papa Bear.”

“Cheers,” Levi clinked his glass and took a sip.

Eren had already achieved two gulps and counting.

“Pace yourself,” Levi suggested.

“Fuck pace, I’m trying to get drunk!”

\--

“One more!” Eren squealed.

Levi poured Eren another shot of tequila. His own whiskey was starting to get him buzzed, but he had a very high tolerance so he would need a bit more to really let himself go.

Eren knocked it back and hissed happily.

Levi figured as long as they were in a country where it was legal, and Eren was safe in his sight and presence, getting wasted together wouldn’t be a problem.

\--

They’ve had enough drinks now where they were self-aware that they were drunk but didn’t care to do much about it.

“Levi…” Eren took a deep breath to center himself. “You’re… super, super handsome.”

“Thank you, Eren.” He was playing with the hem of Eren’s t shirt, trying to get a peek of that tight, toned stomach underneath.

“Do you wanna see my tummy?” Eren whispered. He put aside the drink he was working on and lifted his shirt.

Levi unconsciously reached to feel it, to run his own rough hand along that soft surface.

Eren’s face and ears were seared pink from his drunkenness. “Do you like it? I wish I had a six-pack like yours.”

“You don’t need a six-pack,” Levi said softly. He lay the drunk boy down on his back to properly lay kisses on that tummy. “I think you’re perfect just the way you are.”

Eren twirled Levi’s hair absentmindedly. The blood rushed to his head from lying down and he felt very woozy all of a sudden.

“Levi.”

“Mm?” Levi didn’t look up, because he was too busy placing kisses near his belly button.

“I like it when… you kiss me.”

Levi dipped down just a bit further, and with both hands he grabbed the hem of Eren’s pajama pants and began inching them down.

“Can I see more of you, Eren?”

Eren threw his head back and sighed heavily when he felt Levi’s hot breath edge along the sensitive skin of his navel.

“I’ve missed these juicy thighs you have…” Levi muttered lowly. “Just for me. Waiting to get marked up.”

Eren looked back down and realized through his fog of drunkenness that his pants were now gone and he was just in his boxers.

“What’re you up to…?” Eren wondered.

“I want to show you that you’re mine.” He picked a certain spot and sunk his teeth into the flesh there.

“Ah!” Eren cried.

“I’m hungry, Eren,” Levi groaned loudly between bites. “I wanna eat, I wanna eat.” His dialect began getting a little looser, just a little more… primal Levi. A little more of that punchy, foul-mouthed thug from his youth.

“Eat me, Levi,” Eren encouraged breathily. As strange and a bit painful the sensation was, the thought of Levi all over him like white on rice was the hottest fucking thing in the world.

Levi hooked his arms around Eren’s legs to entrap him, and with depraved, almost slutty moans for Levi’s nature, he began grazing and nipping his teeth along the curved print of Eren’s steadily growing length.

“Ooh, yeah, Levi!! You’re the best, you’re the best!”

“Say it, Eren.”

“You’re the man! Ooh, shit!” Eren tried to clamp his legs around Levi’s ears by reflex, but Levi pried them right back open.

Levi moaned into that pure skin, so delicious and salty and sweet and—

“ _Ow_ , fuck..”

Even Drunk Levi knew when he should proceed with caution. “…Should I stop?” Rather than waiting for a response, he just lay apologetic kisses upon the fresh bite marks littering Eren’s inner thighs.

The new feeling was a welcome, pleasant sensation on the sore spots, and Eren hissed in relief. “Mm. That’s better.”

“Look at this pretty little dick. You’re so excited.”

“I am. I’m a grower, not a shower.” Eren carded his fingers through Levi’s hair and giggled at his own statement.

“A grower, huh?” Levi eyed Eren’s bulge ravenously. And instead of engaging it or taking advantage of its current neediness, he buried his face into it silently. He seemed to have closed his eyes.

Eren laughed out loud. “You’re so drunk, Levi!”

Levi lifted his head and smiled a little. “You are, too.”

“But at least—“ Eren gave a tiny hiccup—“I’m not a weirdo.”

“Are you saying I’m a weirdo when I’m drunk or when I’m sober?” Levi was paying very close attention, as if trying not to zone out.

“Both. But I like my weirdo husband. He’s a hunk.”

“Eren.” Levi looked up in all seriousness.

“Yeah?”

“Marry me.”

Eren’s heart melted and a motherly warmth spread in his tummy. “Mmm… ask me again when you’re sober and you have a ring to offer me,” Eren patted Levi’s head in consolation and his grin widened uncontrollably. “And when you’re not three inches away from my dick.”

Levi collapsed his head against Eren’s navel and sighed in defeat. “…I’m so drunk,” he admitted quietly.

“I can tell, because you tried to propose to me.”

“You understand me, honey bunches.”

“’Course I do. I love you.”

“…I love you more.”

“Let’s pour some more, huh?”

“Even after all this? You’re not completely wasted yet?”

“Oh, honey,” Eren shook his head humorously. “You haven’t _seen_ wasted.”

\--

There was being buzzed, being drunk, and being full-on shit-faced.

Luckily, both Eren and Levi had impressive tolerances, so being this under the influence didn’t bring out the uglier side of consuming alcohol: vomiting, stumbling, etc.

No, instead, they seemed to have slipped into alternate personalities, or perhaps more hidden versions of their own.

The usually alert and collected Levi has become so passive and unusually relaxed this many drinks in. He would usually have a little chuckle over the strange things that his boyfriend would say, but now, he actually agreed solemnly.

And Eren. Oh, Eren. Levi figured he was right for trying to restrict his alcohol consumption until his birthday. Drunk Eren was way too playful for his own good. He was exactly as he described himself—weird and slutty.

“Levi, what if I got my dick pierced?”

“Sounds painful,” Levi admitted.

“You’re rrright,” Eren slurred just ever so. “But it would make blowjobs a lot more interesting.”

“I don’t think airport screenings would be all that enjoyable, either,” Levi stroked Eren’s hair absentmindedly.

Eren laughed into Levi’s chest. “’Sir, please step aside for a patdown.’ ‘No, you don’t get it! I have metal in my penis!’ …Could you imagine?!” Eren laughed uncontrollably, and then hiccupped.

“Eren, you’re extremely drunk and probably won’t remember this conversation in a day’s time.”

“You should take advantage of me while I’m in this state.”

“That wouldn’t be all too chivalrous of me, though,” Levi said softly.

“Chivalry can fly out the door for one night, though, right?”

Eren stared into Levi’s eyes intensely.

Even as unfortunately drunk as he was now, Eren’s eyes were as brilliant as ever. Levi took a moment through the fog of his inebriation to admire those jewels.

Such a gorgeous, bright, pure emerald shade. Faint golden-hazel specks near the irises. These familiar yet mysterious eyes pierced Levi’s heart every time. They _sparkled_. Levi hopes he never forgets this sight, no matter how much time passes by.

 “…Eren, you have… the most beautiful eyes.”

Eren smiled a little. “You already told me that before, you sweet man.”                                                

“I felt the need to remind you. These eyes are the reason I fell in love with you that first time.”

“Levi…” Eren kept eye contact as he smooched Levi’s chest in appreciation. “Stop.”

“Why ‘stop’?” Levi wondered.

“Because you’re making me shy.”

“Baby. Don’t be shy. It’s just me.”

Eren buried his face into the pec cleavage in front of him. “Yeah, but when you say things like that to me, it makes me blush. Because I admire you. And I can tell you mean it.”

“Eren. Come on, now. You know I love doting on my cute boyfriend. It’s my hobby.”

Eren looked up with a renewed smile. “Your hobby, huh?”

“Definitely. Arguably my full-time job.”

“So being CEO of Survey Corp. is just something to pay the bills?”

“Bingo.”

They dissolved into loud, uncontrollable laughter.

“My thighs sting,” Eren whined quietly.

“I’m sorry. But you were delicious as hell.”

“Don’t be sorry. It’s actually kind of hot. No one in the world is allowed to eat me ‘cept for my husband.”

“I’ll cherish that honor.”

“But I think now, I want to taste you, too.”

“What’re you planning, Eren?”

“I wanna play with you. Strip everything except for your underwear. And sit on this bed, n’ wait for me.”

“Understood.”

“Wait.” Eren held his index finger up and searched through the small collection of half-full and empty glass bottles sitting on the bedside table.

He found a short bottle of whiskey and hovered it in front of Levi’s mouth. With his long fingers, he held Levi’s chin and tipped his head back, and he poured some of the brown liquid down those parted lips.

Quickly, he locked his lips onto Levi’s, and slurped it right back out of Levi’s mouth. _Delicious._

“I want a sip, too.” A compromised Levi said.

“Only if you drink it out of my mouth.”

“Fair.”

Eren took a small swig and crawled forward closer to Levi on his knees.

Levi held Eren’s head still and similarly latched their lips together to siphon that lovely drink out of that lovely boy.

It wasn’t as clean as Eren’s method, but it did the job. A few drops fell onto the mattress between them.

Levi gulped it down. “Mm.”

“Alright,” Eren smiled. “Let’s reconvene here in a little bit. Follow my instructions.”

“Yes, sir.”

\--

Through his drunken haze, Eren managed to to unload the contents of the glossy red bag from the sex shop. He dressed in the bathroom so that Levi would have time to follow his instructions. He didn’t want to spoil the surprise.

Although he didn’t know who would be in for a treat more, himself or Levi. Personally, Eren hadn’t had some quality playtime with his man since they started traveling.

He missed those strong, sturdy muscles. That glossy black hair running through his fingers. That broad, toned back. Those low growls that escaped Levi’s throat when he was being pushed to his limits.

He missed those steely-gray eyes boring him animalistically. It gave Eren shivers just thinking about it.

And they cuddled oft and plenty, but aftercare and after-sex snuggling was such a private and intimate, and exclusively different experience. It was something Eren craved desperately.

Eren shimmied his hips to squeeze his way into the leather pants. They were more like leggings, and they were actually made for women. Dominatrices.

But Eren figured he could pull them off. He knew Levi had a huge kink for Eren in girls’ clothing. All the men’s fetish outfits at the sex shop were too edgy for tonight’s activities.

He didn’t want to torture Levi. He just wanted to push him over the edge. And Levi was used to working hard for everything he had, so it shouldn’t be too difficult for him.

With much work and struggle, Eren managed to get the liquid leggings on. Even though he was not erect at the moment, the outline of his bulge showed through the front. Women’s clothing didn’t accommodate for male endowment.

No matter. Eren put his robe back on. His chest was bare. It kind of reminded him of Levi’s habits at home. Upon waking up extremely early, Levi would pull his shirt off over his head, leaving only his pajama pants or shorts on. And then he’d wear his robe over his naked torso.

One of Eren’s favorite part of his morning routine is undoing Levi’s robe to place a firm smooch on that gorgeous chest, and then covering him right back up.

Now it was his turn to hide the goods.

Usually, Eren was a humble person. He didn’t like bragging and he didn’t like inflating his own ego.

But right now, in these super low-rise leggings that clung his legs like paint, he wasn’t going to lie. He looked fucking _good._

Good enough to eat.

-

He made sure to take his time sauntering back into the bedroom. It was partially unintentional. He was so drunk that making one movement too fast would cause him to stumble.

He brought the red bag back out with him.

Levi was good at following directions. There he was on the huge, still freshly made and pressed bed. He sat in just his briefs, and he was sipping his drink quietly.

Eren hopped on the bed and walked forward on his knees. First and foremost, he had to praise Levi for following directions so nicely.

“Good boy, bein’ so obedient. We’ll have so much fun tonight.” Eren took Levi’s chin and lifted it to place a quick kiss on the lips.

Levi’s eyes couldn’t help wandering to Eren’s legs. “What’re you wearing?” His curiosity reeked of excitement.

“Hush. You’ll see. But first I gotta make sure you’re all tied up.

Eren hopped off the bed and Levi followed.

A quick scope of the well-furnished room gave Eren many ideas. He found a chair with a wide seat and a hollow space in the armrests. _This’ll do nicely._

Eren took Levi’s hand and seated him.

“I think I wanna try some bondage today. A lil’ scene. That okay with you, hubs?”

“Sure, babe.”

“I wanna be the Dom. I have a few tricks of my sleeve.”

“My adorable boyfriend wants to be a Dom?” Levi mused. “Alright. Show me what you’ve got.”

“You can tolerate pain a lot more than I can, but I should remind you just in case. What’s our safeword?”

“Red.”

Eren smiled. “Good boy. So, so good. Now let’s tie you up.”

Eren took out some rope and looped it around Levi’s wrists to secure them to the armrest. He looped it through and tugged for extra security.

Eren stared at his sloppy work. “Is that uncomfortable?”

“No.”

“Mmm-k. Bear with me while I’m experimenting.  I don’t have much experience tying up hot men to chairs. Especially when that hot man is _my_ man.”

Levi laughed.

“And now the other hand.” Eren led the rope behind the chair to the other side, and snaked it like a vine around Levi’s wrists.

Next, he did the same vining method to secure Levi’s ankles to the chair’s legs.

Eren admired his work from afar. His work technique could use some work, but Levi looked super delicious all restrained like this.

“It’ll do,” Eren said mischievously. He reached into his red bag of items and pulled out a black felt sash that he’d use as a blindfold.

“Ready?’ Eren whispered into Levi’s ear. Levi nodded, and Eren faded his world to black.

Eren gave the sash one last tug to make sure it didn’t slip off his head.

Eren lined up all his tools for his scene. There was a thin little riding crop, perfect for giving little swats to disobedient, feisty subs; a gag that Eren didn’t think he’d use since Levi hardly made sounds anyway; a pair of fuzzy handcuffs; and lastly, a little cock vibrator that Eren would use to its fullest fucking extent.

Levi was silent for the most part. Admittedly, this is the first time he’d been tied to a chair. Or subbed for Eren. But he was optimistic and open-minded.

Eren took a deep breath. This is the first time he’s been a Dom. And Levi was so supportive and kind that he probably wouldn’t say anything if he did something stupid. So this would be a very experimental session.

“Everything okay, Eren?” Levi spoke.

Eren smiled. Not that Levi could see it.

“Yeah. I’m just…nervous. I don’t even know why.”

“You don’t have to be nervous with me, sweetheart. You know I won’t judge you.”

“That’s exactly why I’m nervous. I want to impress you and make this fun. How will I gauge how you feel? Also, don’t call me ‘sweetheart’. I’m trying to be a big, intimidating Dom.”

Levi chuckled. “Alright, I’ll stay silent.”

Eren undid his robe so that the cool air of the room hit his chest. It gave him a little surge of confidence to show off his toned chest. He couldn’t wait for Levi to see him like this.

He walked closer to the chair and let his hands roam those broad shoulders. He loved how Levi didn’t flinch. So trusting. He really has made leaps and bounds.

Eren leaned down and kissed the shell of Levi’s ear: “Are you gonna be good for me, Levi?” And with a sickly-sweet voice, “Are you gonna make your master happy?”

Levi nodded.

“Verbal response.”

“Yes, Master.”

“Good boy,” Eren whispered happily.

He went to his alignment of tools and picked up his riding crop. Slowly, he trailed the tongue of the whip along Levi’s jawline… down his throat, tracing his collarbones… admiring as he did so.

“What a good submissive you are. You’re willing to get all tied up like this for me? You’re so exquisite.”

 _Exquisite._ That was a word Levi would use.

“Look at all these fucking muscles…” Eren mused with a pout. He trailed the whip along Levi’s biceps; the occasional rogue vein that popped along the smooth cords. “You get all strong and buff and hot for what…? To end up my chair?”

Eren giggled. He could _not_ control his own mouth when he was drunk.

But he shook his head and got back into character.

He noticed he couldn’t see all that glorious endowment that Levi was blessed with. What a shame. He would have to make a quick fix to that.

With two sharp pats on Levi’s knee, he made his very first command of the night: “Spread ‘em.”

Right away, Levi spread his legs. Eren stepped back to admire the sight. Levi was just one _hell_ of a gorgeous man.

“Good boy,” Eren supplied absentmindedly. He traced the end of his whip along Levi’s inner thigh. “I’m gonna have myself a good ol’ time with you, my pet.”

He noticed Levi had ducked his head slightly. Not having his sight probably made him feel vulnerable.

Eren took the end of his whip beneath Levi’s chin, and lifted it. “Chin up. That’s an order.”

Levi licked his lips quickly.

Eren wanted to lick those lips, too.

He tapped his whip ever so slightly against those full lips, watching where the slight smack made the blood rush to the impact.

“Such pretty lips,” Eren stated. “They’d be even prettier wrapped around my dick.”

Levi grunted ever so quietly.

“Don’t you agree?” Eren smiled.

When Levi didn’t respond, Eren tapped the whip against his cheek in a quick swat. “Say it.”

“Yes, I agree.”

Eren nodded and ran his thumb over the red spot on Levi’s jaw. “Yeah. I thought so.”

Levi shifted a bit in his seat.

Eren continued trailing his whip down Levi’s chest, ever so slowly. “Hmmm. Nice chest.” He eyed his nipple and gave it light taps in succession. They grew pert in seconds.

“Oooh,” Eren mused lowly. “Does that turn you on…?”

“Yes,” Levi swallowed thickly.

“Yes, _what_?” Eren spat, and he made his taps a little harder.

Levi gasped. “Yes, Master.”

Eren was secretly so pleased that Levi made that sound. _God this is so hot..._

“Good boy,” Eren rewarded stoically. “Fuck, you’re doing things to me!”

Levi gulped.

“We gotta see how much more I can get you to do. Right?”

Eren waited for a good second.

“Yes, Master,” Levi said.

“That’s right. When I say something, my hot submissive needs to respond. Isn’t that right?”

“Yes, sir.”

Eren broke character for a second and leaned forward to give Levi a quick, full smooch on the lips. “Good boy,” he whispered within breathing space. “You’re so fucking sexy.”

Levi whined a bit. And his lips were still puckered after the kiss.

He wanted _more._

Luckily, Eren was just getting started.

He stood up straight again and trailed his whip further down Levi’s chest. He made sure to trace every groove and line of Levi’s abdomen.

“Do you get off on this, Levi? Do you like being all tied up? Not being able to see me? Does it get you all hot in your tummy?”

Eren smacked the whip in a small flurry against Levi’s stomach.

“Y-yes, Master.”

“Damn right,” Eren sang. Levi was reduced to stuttering now. “Do you know how much I just wanna lick these abs of yours? Just run my fucking tongue along your six-pack and moan into your skin?”

Levi pursed his lips and cried silently. It was obvious it was taking everything in him to keep his chin up.

Eren further spread Levi’s legs and stroked his whip down along Levi’s navel.

“Already, my pet? You’re already this hard? But I’ve just started…”

Eren smacked his whip against Levi’s bulge. He reveled in the little pained moans that slipped out of Levi’s mouth.

“Good boy, good boy,” Eren soothed. He set down his whip and held placed his hands on Levi’s shoulders. He lifted his knee and began grinding it into that neglected bulge.

Levi moaned and let his head fall back.

“Mmmm…” Eren agreed. “God, you’re rock hard. Do you want me to do something about it?”

Levi licked his lips again and managed a response: “Yes, please, Master.”

Eren continued grinding his knee into Levi’s erection, not really soothing it, and only further frustrating Levi. Precisely his goal. “Only I’ll decide what happens to you. I’m the only one who makes the decisions. Right?”

“Yes, Master.” The frustration was _tangible_ in Levi’s voice.

Eren abruptly tore away and went over to his table of tools. He picked up his handy little cock vibrator, a little bead attached to a cord, and at the other end- a strap to tie onto a submissive’s leg.

Eren hummed happily as he brought over his neat little toy to his tied-up plaything for the evening. Fully aware that Levi’s chest was rising and falling harshly, he made sure to take his sweet time peeling Levi’s briefs down and attaching the ring securely against the groove of his cock.

Levi managed to calm down for a second. As if trying to center himself and figure out what Eren was doing down there.

Eren noticed the energy shift, too. “You’re a curious thing, huh?” He strapped the battery to Levi’s thigh and stepped back to turn it on.

It took a minute or so to figure out the vibrator’s remote. “How do I get this to work?” Eren snapped. Suddenly, he managed the right setting and Levi jolted in his seat as he yanked against his restraints.

“Oh,” Eren stated anticlimactically. “It worked.”

Levi bit his lip and exhaled harshly.

“And that,” Eren looked between his remote and the vibrating bead that was torturing Levi at the moment, “Is the highest setting.”

He pressed the “lower” button a couple of times and the loud buzz of the bead became significantly quieter.

Levi seemed relieved, as well.

“Okay, now that I know this works, I can start playtime!” Eren gushed lowly. He picked up his whip again and tapped Levi’s knee with it again. “Oi. Keep ‘em spread. I’m not gonna repeat myself.”

Levi spread his legs all the way, and he clenched his fists against his rope.

“I know it’s frustrating, but you need to follow orders,” Eren explained. He stepped back and smacked the inside of Levi’s thigh. The sound of whip against skin resounded in the room.

“Next time you forget an order, it’ll be much harder than that. Got it?”

“Yes, Master.”

“Good boy.” Eren cranked up the vibrator’s intensity by two notches.

Levi’s breath harshened, and his stomach quivered with his difficulty. But he managed to keep his legs spread like Eren asked.

Eren walked behind Levi and like the sadistic, teasing Dom that he was, he ran his fingers soothingly through Levi’s locks. “How do you like that vibrator, pet? Is it making your life harder to deal with?”

“Yes, Master.”

“Good. That’s my goal,” Eren said. He leaned down and provided a little secret into Levi’s ear with a hot, breathy voice: “Because seeing you like this is making my life harder to deal with, too.”

He punctuated his confession with a quick nibble on Levi’s earlobe.

Then, a trail of kisses down Levi’s neck and along his shoulder.

“You’re good enough to eat, pet.” Eren sunk his teeth into the tender flesh of the crook of Levi’s shoulder, earning him a loud cry.

To soothe him, Eren suctioned his lips over the fresh bite mark and sucked at it tenderly. “Shhh, shhh.”

Levi shivered.

Eren made his way back around. The head of Levi’s cock was leaking a small dose of precum along the side of the shaft, wetting the cock vibrator just a little bit.

“What a naughty thing,” Eren grinned mischievously. “You like the pain. You get off on it.”

It wasn’t as if Levi could hide it anymore. Eren already discovered his telltale signs.

“Well, I have only one solution to that, then.” Eren cranked up the vibrator’s intensity to the second-to-highest setting.

Levi’s thighs quivered and he threw his head back again. When he swallowed, his Adam’s apple seemed stuck in the middle of his throat.

Eren sunk to his knees and began handling Levi’s balls lightly.

“Yes, keep going!” Levi accidentally blurted.

Eren cocked his head to the side. “Excuse me?”

Levi pursed his lips with much effort and he looked down.

“That’s what I thought. And I don’t remember saying you could speak.” Eren stood up and picked up his whip again. “ _And_ , I believe I told you to keep your chin up. You’ve disobeyed me.” He forcefully tipped Levi’s head back by grabbing a fistful of hair. “You’ve earned yourself a punishment, pet.”

Eren swiped his whip against the upright erection in front of him. And then again. And once more, making sure the bite of whip against flesh was audible.

Surprisingly, Levi released even more precum. He really was turned on by pain.

“ _Tsk_ ,” Eren shook his head. “I can’t even punish you properly because you’re turned on by it. Maybe you need something to look at.”

He stood up and pulled off Levi’s blindfold.

Levi blinked a few times as he adjusted to the room’s light. And then his eyes focused on Eren.

Eren made a quick show of shrugging off his robe aggressively and turning away to put his whip back on the table. He looked over his shoulder and smirked. “Like what you see?”

Levi gnawed at his lower lip depravedly and reclined against his seat. _Shit, shit, shit._ He tasted blood.

Eren sauntered over and just inches away from Levi’s reach, stretched his arms to the sky and flexed a little. “Do you like it, pet? Do I look good?”

“Y-yes, Master,” Levi grumbled.

“I know I do. You’re itchin’ to touch, huh?”

“Yes, Master.”

Eren hooked his fingers into the waistband of his leather leggings. And dragged them down ever so slightly, just to show off a bit more of that pure skin of his tummy.

Levi seemed almost angry as he looked up beneath his eyelashes. He might’ve gotten off from a little pain, but Eren got off on being untouchable and unattainable. _What a fucking tease._

“Well, guess what? You’re gonna have to work for it. Hm?”

“Yes, Master.”

Eren looked at his remote and turned it off completely. Levi gasped lightly.

He stepped closer and allowed Levi’s nose to edge along his groin. “Remember what I said about those pretty lips of yours being wrapped around my dick? I’m fixin’ to follow through with that plan.”

Eren shimmed his waistband down and pulled his semi-erect length out. “Here, I’ll even feed it to ya.” He guided the tip into Levi’s mouth.

Levi parted his lips to accommodate it.

“Suck,” Eren commanded.

Levi began work, flexing his fingers open and close against his restraints.

“Mm.” Eren placed one hand on his hip and the other planted firmly against the back of Levi’s head. He pretended to be bored—looking anywhere except down; humming absentmindedly; chewing the inside of his cheek while lost in thought.

He paid a cent of attention to his submissive to give one piece of advice: “Hollow out your cheeks.”

Levi followed his instruction.

“Mm… more tongue.”

Levi complied.

“Good boy. I know handless blowies are difficult. You’re doing great.”

Levi moaned against Eren’s length.

“Ooh, shit!” Eren giggled. “You’re givin’ me shivers with that.”

Eren pumped his hips ever so softly against Levi’s mouth. “I do love me a quality blowjob. But I gotta up the ante.”

Eren picked up his remote again and right off the bat, turned it to the highest setting.

Levi blinked in surprise and pulled away from Eren’s length.

“Ah-ah-ah,” Eren shook his head, and he forced Levi back down. “I didn’t say stop.”

Levi exhaled his frustration out through his nose.

“You can’t speak, but if you need to safeword, snap your fingers three times. Deepthroat me.”

Eren provided a few warm-up plunges, and he buried his length down Levi’s throat. Levi tried stay as still as he could. Eren was the Deepthroat King, not him, so it was taking every bit of control not to gag.

Eren screwed his eyes shut. “Shit…” he muttered. When he felt that Levi was at a healthy limit, he loosened his grip, and Levi collapsed backward in relief. His face was red and his lips and chin were shiny with saliva.

Eren wiped up the saliva dribbling down Levi’s chin and very grossly, but a bit arousingly, he licked it off his own fingers.

He could tell Levi would’ve said something about that in any other context, but now, he was a good sub and remained quiet.

“I know I’m slutty,” Eren read Levi’s mind. “But hey, you did good, pet.” He patted Levi’s head in praise. “You took me all the way down. Good boy.”

Levi licked at his swollen lips. He shut his eyes and tried to ignore the fact that he was so painfully fucking hard and was not in the position to do anything about it.

Without much else, he pulled his pants back up and walked away. He headed towards the bedside table to gather some more alcohol. His buzz was wearing off. And frankly, so was Levi’s.

Levi took advantage of the fact that Eren’s back was turned to greedily stare at his ass. _Where in the ever-loving hell did Eren find those pants!? Those should be illegal!_

Eren turned off the vibrator, so that the room was strangely mute. “I know you’re staring at my ass, Levi.”

That wasn’t Dom Eren talking. It was just regular Eren.

He came back with a smile and a short bottle of mango rum. “Lucky for you, I like being stared at.” He took about three swigs of the bottle, and with a quick yank of the back of Levi’s hair, he met his mouth to Levi’s and transferred the drink.

He stood up straight. “Drink.”

Levi swallowed it down.

Eren took three more swigs and gulped it down. He aimed the tip of the bottle against Levi’s lips and tipped the rest of the contents down his throat.

When he made sure Levi had swallowed it all, he nodded. “Good boy. Alright, I’m gonna undo your ropes now. But you still have to follow my instructions. You can’t touch me unless I say so. I’m gonna handcuff you. Don’t speak unless answering a command. Understood?”

“Yes, Master.”

“Good,” Eren smiled. He got to work undoing Levi’s ropes and pulling his briefs back over his neglected erection. He took Levi’s hands and helped him up.

And then he promptly fastened them into the fuzzy handcuffs.

“Follow me.”

Levi followed him back to the big bed.

“Lie down on your back.”

“Yes, Master.”

It was a bit uncomfortable to be on his back with handcuffs on, but Eren gave him ample time to figure out a bearable position.

Eren promptly began giving just about the best blowjob Levi ever received in his fucking life, or maybe he just thought that because he was drunk and his senses were heightened.

Eren drew Levi’s knees and popped off the tip. “Don’t you dare cum. That’s my order.”

Levi gulped. That would probably be the most difficult command to comply with of the night. The rate Eren was working his sadistic magic, an orgasm was within metaphorical arm’s length.

“…Y-y-yesss, Master.”

“Good boy.” Eren dipped right back down and resumed. His bangs swished off his forehead with every down-stroke.

Levi began squirming and groaning. He was about thirty seconds away from disobeying the command.

But Eren was in-tune enough with Levi’s body that he knew just how much to drag him along to the edge without pushing him over it. He just wanted to see if Levi would have enough self-control to hold out to the very bitter end.

Just when he felt Levi begin to swell in his hand and his breathing was coming out in harsh, jagged pants, Eren pulled away and observed Levi in this state.

He got a little surge of pride. He had a little image in his mind of Levi while he was working in his office—suit and tie; matching Rolex; carefully combed hair; stoic, calm expression.

And then, the sight in front of him: Levi was reduced a gorgeous, desperate mess.

Eren thought he was beautiful either way.

“Good boy, you did what I asked.” Eren could feel his head pulse with the alcohol freshly re-entered in his system. “…Holy shit, I am one _drunk_ motherfucker,” he mumbled.

Levi stifled back a smile.

“Ain’t that right, pet?” Eren sighed. He let his hands roam over Levi’s abdomen.

“Yes, Master.”

“So here’s the thing… I kinda wanna fuck the shit outta you.”

Levi didn’t know if that was a question he should respond to.

But then it struck him: “Oh, wait,” Eren breathed, and the softening of his eyes meant that he broke character. “You’ve never bottomed before, have you, Levi?”

“No,” Levi admitted.

“I’m your first boyfriend,” Eren continued piecing it together. And that mischievous grin was back and better than ever: “and your last! Because we’re gonna get married!” He giggled uncontrollably.

Levi chuckled. “I’m confused, are we still roleplaying?”

“Nah. I’m too drunk to keep up the control.”

“I’m too drunk to obey orders, anyway, so it works out.”

“Are you still okay with bottoming for me, hubs? It’s okay if you don’t, I’d totally understand.”

“No, I’m okay with it. If I’d experience it with anyone, it would be you, so why not tonight? While we’re both drunk messes.”

“Agreed.” Eren stroked Levi’s thighs up and down. “I gotta admit though, I haven’t topped since the summer of ’79.”

“You weren’t even born in ’79, you silly boy.”

“More my point,” Eren laughed. Levi’s heart melted. Eren’s smile and laugh were just irresistible, no matter how many times he experienced it, and no matter how drunk he was.

“I’ll walk you through it, okay, doll?”

“Okay. If I fuck somethin’ up, don’t be afraid to smack me around a little.”

“You’ll be fine. I’m adaptable.”

“Oh, I know that.” Eren climbed off the bed to grab some lube. “You made such a good sub. You! My darling Mr. CEO! Submitting to his slutty boyfriend like no one’s business! I couldn’t be prouder.”

Levi laughed richly. “Are you gonna untie me, though?”

Eren hopped back onto the bed. “Nope. I like when you’re all tied up. It turns me on.” He shimmied Levi’s underwear down and off his legs.

And just like Levi would do, he slathered the lube all over his fingers and rubbed them together to warm it up.

“Spread ‘em,” Eren grinned. Levi spread his legs open and Eren took hold of his length.

“I’ll take it one finger at a time. Tell me if it hurts even just a little bit-tle.”

“A little bit-le?” Levi laughed once more. “Eren, you are very slutty and weird when you’re drunk.”

“And sober,” Eren admitted seriously. “I already got one finger in you, how does it feel?”

“Feels good, keep going. In and out, slowly.”

“Yes, sir,” Eren looked down and began pumping his finger. With his other hand, he stroked Levi’s length up and down slowly.

“Multi-tasking?” Levi asked.

“Absolutely. Doing two things at once is the only way I focus.”

“True. I should’ve known that about you by now.”

“It’s ‘kay. We’re both drunk as all hell.”

“You can do one more finger.”

“Gotcha.”

It took Eren a significant amount of time to prep Levi. He wasn’t used to being penetrated. But Eren made sure Levi was fully comfortable and relaxed. Drunk or not, safety and happiness came first.

“Are you ready for my monster cock?” Eren asked sweetly.

Levi laughed uncontrollably. “Eren.”

“Fine. My penis.”

“…I think I prefer monster cock.”

Eren aimed himself into Levi’s entrance. “Monster cock seems very intimidating, though. Here, hold my hand. ‘Cuz this is an intimate moment.”

“I’m tied up, unfortunately, sweetheart,” Levi reminded.

Eren pouted. “Aww. Okay. I’ll just stare into your eyes lovingly while we make love.”

“Eren, stop spelling everything out.”

“I can’t help it, I’m drunk!”

Levi suddenly felt a surge of relief that it was Eren he ended up giving his heart to. He could never imagine being this weird and vulnerable with anyone else in the world. There was no judgement in this room whatsoever. No judgement in the fuzzy pink handcuffs, no judgement about not having topped since the summer of ’79, no judgement about monster cocks. Everything was just so natural and casual with Eren. Levi felt like the luckiest man around.

Eren smiled and held Levi’s legs in the crooks of his elbows. He sat on his own ankles, so that even before thrusting, he was extremely close in proximity. “Ready?” he asked softly.

“Ready.”

Eren eased himself in very, very slowly, and then pulled out. Levi held his breath.

“It’s weird, right?” Eren gave him a second to adjust.

“It is. I’ll admit.” He took a deep breath. “Go in again.”

“Ooh, yessir~!” Eren sang, and he eased himself in once more. This time, he went in for two consecutive thrusts, rocking his hips with precision and smoothness.

Levi gulped a bit, but he had to admit it felt kind of good. “You can go faster, babe.”

“You bet.” Eren corrected his grip on Levi’s legs and began rolling his hips a little faster.

“Fuck,” Levi shivered. “Eren, that adorable curve you have is doing wonders.”

“I’m so glad to hear it. I used to be super self-conscious about my curve.”

“I love your curve.”

“Yeah? I love everything about you.”

Eren was unconsciously going faster and faster, rolling his hips into Levi’s entrance.

“Mmmm, Eren.”

“I like it when you say my name. Say my name.”

“Eren. Eren, Eren, _Eren_. You feel _so_ good.”

Eren ducked his head for a second and clawed his bangs off his face. “Fuck, you’re so hot.” He reached down and began stroking Levi’s cock up and down.

Levi’s breathing began to harshen again.

“You mind if I come all over your chest? Or into your mouth?”

“Whatever you want, as long you take me there, too.”

“’Course I will, darlin’ hubby. I’ll never leave you hanging.”

Eren stroked him up a bit faster, and his hip rolling turned into staccato-like thrusts.

“I like when you roll your hips,” Levi said. “It’s cute.”

“You think everything I do is cute.” Eren planted his hands beside Levi’s torso and now that their eyes were less than six inches apart, Eren reveled in those _smack-smacks_ of skin against skin. “You think it’s cute when I’m fucking your brains out?”

“Absolutely.”

“Hm,” Eren bit his lip and looked away for a second. “Never change, Levi. I’m in love with you.”

“I’m in love with you, too.”

“Now I’m gonna make sure you have the best fucking cumshot orgasm of your damn life.”

“Take me there, Eren.”

Eren snapped his hips over and over and over and over and over and squeezed Levi’s cock all the while, waiting for that growl, that swell… and then he jerked Levi off to completion.

Levi’s muscles tightened and melted in strange patterns as his eyes rolled back and he groaned through his orgasm. “ _God_ …”

“Jesus,” Eren admired how thick and pearly and picturesque Levi’s cum splattered over his own stomach.

Eren giggled and he finally let go when he was made sure Levi was all milked out.

Quickly, he pulled out and crawled over Levi’s body so that he was practically sitting on his chest. “Open your mouth. I want you to taste me.”

Eren quickly stroked himself up and bit his lip as he edged ever closer. _Closer, closer_ …. “Oh, my God, fuck me _senseless_!!” he cried.

He aimed his tip into Levi’s parted lips, and allowed himself to crumble and melt and just let his world get rocked away.

Levi wrapped his lips around the head of that pretty little dick and tried to swallow down as much as he could.

Eren shut his eyes and he giggled in ecstasy. “Every last fucking drop, Levi.”

Levi gagged a bit, but managed most of it. Eren was sweet and salty and totally indescribable.

Eren unmounted him and collapsed onto the bed. “Leeeeviii….” he reached to clasp their hands together, but realized Levi was still handcuffed.

“Lemme untie you. We need to get cleaned up and cuddle ASAP.” Eren got up with a groan and suddenly very sleepy, he began the drunken cleaning process.

Sleep was calling both their names, a sweet, seductive siren, who spun her song through countless shots of tequila and vodka.

But there was work to be done.


	81. Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm back again! Let me show you what happens during our boys' last days in Paris. And then we're going back to Trost!
> 
> (Please leave a comment after reading and tell me your thoughts!!)

Eren wasn’t sure how he did it, but he managed to get Levi and himself into bed and asleep last night.

It was still dark when Eren opened his eyes. He could feel Levi’s back against his own. There was only one surface that was that broad and solid and familiar.

He didn’t bother checking the time when he rolled out of bed. As his feet dangled off the big bed, his head pulsed quickly from his hangover.

Looking behind him, Eren noticed the bulge underneath the many blankets that could only be his Levi. Eren knew that Levi slept best after a night of heavy drinking. It was like a secret that only he knew.

Eren slipped into a robe and paced around the suite for a bit. He was extremely thirsty. While he poured himself a tall glass of water, his eyes drifted away to the alcohol selection across the room.

He shook his head quietly.

Two, three, and then four glasses of water later, Eren wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and made his way to the living area.

He sat in silence.

And suddenly, he had an outlandish idea.

Why not give Levi something nice to wake up to?

Levi already promised a lavish spa experience before they left Paris, so a good-morning massage would be redundant. Breakfast? Nah. Eren could hardly cook anyway, even after all the advice and instruction Armin provided him. Not to mention there weren’t any ingredients in here to use. And anyway, they were in the culinary capital of the world. If he wanted to feed Levi nicely, he could just take him out into town.

Some voice in the back of Eren’s head chimed in. _How about a love letter?_

Eren pondered the thought. He wasn’t much of a writer. He had a soft spot and Levi called him “a romantic” a good many times. But pretty much the only time he picked up a metaphorical pen and paper was for his classes.

Levi would love whatever he received. Eren figured he could try his hand at it.

He looked around for something to write with. Atop the media unit near a phone, Eren found a pad of lined paper and a pen.

With a lamp illuminating his small vicinity, and his pen at the ready, Eren tried not to think too hard and just let his heart speak:

 

_My darling future husband—_

_Thank you for being such a wonderful man and lover. I love everything about you from your soft hair to your sexy jawline to your nice muscles to your warm hands to your beautiful soul. I’m so lucky that we were fated to be together. You’re beyond my boyfriend or other half at this point. You’re my soulmate. You were my missing piece all along. My life was going to take a confusing path if I kept hopping around like I did. When you entered my life, everything made SENSE. Everything is calm… everything is perfect. I love us together. I love spending every day with you. I can be so open and honest and weird with you, and you never judge me. I’m just the luckiest guy in the world that I have someone who makes every mundane activity so fun._

_I love coming home to you after a long day. You always hold me and protect me and soothe me. No one else in the world knows how to comfort me like you. No other soul can make me feel as safe as you do._

_You have proved that you love me unconditionally time and again. I sometimes become afraid that I don’t have what it takes to reciprocate. I want to provide for you just like you provide for me. You always tell me that I make you happy, and it warms my heart every time. You make me happy, too. I’ll keep you satisfied. It’s my number one priority._

_I’m so stupidly in love with you, Levi Ackerman. I’m fixin’ to marry you (but you already knew that, because I remind you every day ;) ). I honestly can’t imagine what my life would be like without you, and I don’t accept any other fate._

_Admittedly, I’ve become a cheesy sap once I met you. I want to feed you chocolates and give you massages after work and kisses when you least expect it. I love our traditions and plan to make even more._

_You’re everything I want in a man and more. You’re hard-working, you’re attentive, and you always know JUST what to say when I’m blue. And you’ve mastered the art of keeping up with my at times overwhelming need for touch and attention. You’re just perfect for me._

_Despite everything, you’re so generous and chivalrous and kind and just the perfect equal parts strong and vulnerable. I feel like I know you better than anyone, and I take pride in that._

_What we do behind closed doors, no one will ever know. I love our secrets and how we manage to maintain our privacy against the world. Our kind of lovin’ is so special and unique._

Eren doodled absentmindedly in the margins while he thought about the next part. He didn’t even realize he’d been doodling until he’d completed a sketchy but incredibly detailed picture of some cartoon man’s face. He continued:

_Levi, you’re my everything. Even when I’m away from you for one week or one day, I get severe separation anxiety. I really can’t get enough of you. I don’t WANT to get enough of you. You’re so sweet!! Ugh!! I love you so so so so so so so so so so sossososoososososoosososoooooooo muchhh, hubby-bubby!_

_Even still to this day, you manage to make my heart pound. She’s been broken a few times, but didn’t stand a chance against you. You patched her right up._

_You’re asleep when I’m writing this. I like when you sleep. Especially when it’s the same bed with me, and with your arms wrapped around me. There is no safer place in the world than your arms._

_And I want to hold you in mine._

_Hugs n kisses,_

_-E_

Eren put his pen down and exhaled. He ended up using three pieces of the pad paper. Gently, he tore them off and folded them in thirds. On the rectangular face, he spelled out the intended receiver of the letter:

_For a Mister Levi Ackerman._

Eren kissed the letter and went back into the bedroom. Levi was still heavily asleep. He needed to place the letter where he would see it.

So he went into the bathroom and placed it underneath Levi’s bottle of cologne that was sitting atop the sink counter.

And without much else to do at this time, he climbed back into bed and fell into a deep, all-consuming sleep.

\--

Eren woke up once more. It was definitely morning now. The peeking sun shone gently through the balcony curtains.

The other half of the bed was empty and not warm. Levi must’ve risen already.

The pounding in his head from his hangover in the middle of the night wasn’t as bad right now. He could move his head around without his brain feeling like it was pulsating.

At any rate, he put back on his robe, leaving it untied, and went to the bathroom to shower.

-

In the living room, there sat a familiar black undercut and stout body wearing a gray robe. In front of Levi was a table with a delicious little collection of  fresh breakfast and tea.

Eren slipped into the chair beside him and hugged Levi’s arm quietly.

Levi’s voice was so rich and gentle as it cut through the morning air: “Good morning, Eren. I was just going to come wake you up.”

“Mmm.”

Eren reached for a bowl of dry Corn Flakes and poured the contents of a white pitcher into it. The spoon was just centimeters away from his mouth when his grumbling stomach demanded he begin scarfing down.

Eren crunched quietly. And then his face twisted in mild disgust. “…That wasn’t milk. It was half and half.”

Levi stifled back a smile. He rubbed Eren’s back soothingly. “Here, lovebug,” he pushed forward his own bowl. “Have mine.”

Eren smiled at him sweetly. “Thank you,” he whispered gratefully.

Levi didn’t often eat much in the mornings, anyway. He much preferred a cup or two of tea and a light bite, like a bagel.

Eren knew it was because eating big breakfasts weighed Levi down during his morning workouts.

He ate quickly and silently, and Levi watched him eat while sipping tea.

Eren looked around the table’s contents. “Coffee, coffee… coffee…” he muttered, almost like a hopeful prayer. He found an intricate silver pot with a thin spout and flipped the lid off. The aroma hit him like a truck. “Oh, sweet caffeine~” Eren sang lowly.

He gulped it down and allowed Levi to stroke his hair. It was such a warm gesture. Talking was overrated.

“Last night was somethin’, huh?” Eren finally said.

Levi didn’t seem too all that shocked at the memory. “It sure was. I think I discovered a new side of you, Eren Jaeger.”

“I gave you a disclaimer, though. You knew what you were signing up for.” Eren giggled. “All you business-types say you need to read the contracts all the way through before signing.”

Levi chuckled. “The contract to experience Eren’s inebriation.”

“Hey, you were kinda weird yourself. I think you accidentally popped the question.”

“…Did you say yes?”

Eren ran his thumb across Levi’s lower lip. “It’s always a yes with you, Levi, my love. But I said I wanted a ring first, and I wanted to be wined and dined.”

Levi laughed. “That’s an arrangement I could very well put up with. I’m sorry you had to experience your first proposal while I was piss-fucking-drunk. I’ll make it up to you during the real thing.”

“I know you will, you gorgeous man. You never fail to impress me.”

Eren finished his coffee.

“Oi. I got your love letter this morning.”

Eren looked at him. “…Did you like it? I wrote it while I was still kinda drunk.”

Levi scooted his chair back to make some room. “Eren,” he spoke softly. “Come sit on my lap, baby.”

Eren grinned and took a seat on a familiar spot.

Their gazes seemed to lock within inches away. Steely-grays into vibrant emeralds. Levi took his hands to Eren’s biceps and began rubbing them up and down slowly.

“…Of course I liked it, baby boy. You’re such a poet. Did you mean what you wrote…?”

“I meant every word.”

Levi smiled and took his arms around this boy to hold him close. “I love you so much, Eren. You’ve turned me into a love-struck fool.  I was absolutely smitten by your letter.”

Eren smiled into Levi’s shoulder. “I’m so happy you said that.”

“I’m so relieved you’ve come into my life,” Levi whispered, just for these two souls to be able to hear it. “You’ve saved me, Eren. You’ve saved me.” Levi’s voice seemed to crack, and at that Eren lifted his head to look at Levi’s face.

“Levi…” Eren stroked Levi’s hair, carding his fingers in just the way he knew how.

“Eren.” Levi buried his face into Eren’s chest. “I’m so utterly in love with you, darling. I wish I was eloquent enough to put it into words like you can.”

Eren bit his lip shyly, and Levi separated from his body once more.

They met gazes once more. Levi’s knuckles found Eren’s cheek. “These eyes of yours are what made me realize I had first fallen in love. These bright green eyes. Eyes so gorgeous and curious, just like you, baby.”

Eren placed his own hand on top of Levi’s, allowing his cheek to cradle into Levi’s palm. _I trust you._

“Look how you always seem to melt into my touch,” Levi said. “So sweet and so loving. I think I was made just to love you.”

Eren turned his face to kiss Levi’s palm quickly.

Levi’s hands found Eren’s shoulders again, where he provided a small, soothing massage. “I’ll protect you, sweetheart. I will. Nothing will hurt you as long as I’m here.”

Levi’s hand found its way over Eren’s heart. It was fluttering. “You said in your letter that I patched her up, right? Well, you patched mine up, too.”

Eren’s heart panged a few beats. Levi felt it underneath his fingertips.

“You’re so incredibly honest and you have such a lovely soul,” Levi continued softly. “You do everything so passionately and whole-heartedly. No regrets. I always take notes from you.”

Eren felt his ears heat up. “You said you couldn’t put it into words, but I think you’re doing just fine. You’re making me blush…!”

“I’m sorry for making you blush. But I like it when you do. It’s very adorable.”

“It’s not supposed to be adorable!” Eren retaliated softly. “I feel all weird and hot.”

“You’ll always be adorable no matter what you do. You know this. And for the record, I thought you were extra-adorable last night as my dominant.”

“Was I intimidating and powerful even a little bit?”

“Oh, you were. You were a _mean_ little dom. But still adorable nonetheless. You’re the only one I’ll ever submit to.”

“That’s good to hear. If I ever found out you had some mistresses on the side, I would have to punish you. My husband is mine and mine alone. I’m territorial.”

“…What would your punishments look like?” Levi wondered.

“Wouldn’t you like to know, you closet masochist?” Eren grinned cockily. “I didn’t know you got turned on by some pain. I found that out last night.”

“I guess it does take a little more to stimulate me,” Levi admitted with a defeated sigh. “But you knew that already, didn’t you?”

“’Course I did. I know your libido is a bit more stubborn. Luckily I know juuuuuust what to do to rev up your engine. It’s my talent. You have nothing to be ashamed of, especially with me.”

“I’m glad you understand me. It’s such a weight off my back.”

“You’re such a sweet man. I love you.”

“I love you more.”

“I love you most!” Eren giggled. And his giggles turned into laughs, and then for some reason he could not stop, and had to clutch his stomach from laughing so hard.

“Now, what could possibly be so funny?” Levi wondered amusedly; although he, too, could not help but become infected and chuckle, too.

“I don’t know!” Eren finally forced himself to calm down and he took a steadying breath.

“You have the most lovely, beautiful laugh,” Levi told him. “It warms my heart every time.”

“It’s because you make me so happy all the time. I’m always laughing.”

“You’re giving me more credit than I deserve, then. I think it’s you who makes me laugh all the time.”

“Let’s just laugh our days away, then,” Eren offered with a big, bright smile. A smile that Levi couldn’t help himself from falling in love with all over again. He pulled Eren closer against his chest.

Levi groaned deeply while he squeezed his arms tighter. “Why are you so sweet, huh? Tell me.”

“I dunno. I must be infused with some sticky honey or something. It’s only for you, Levi.”

“I think I want to taste this sticky honey that you’re talking about. Where can I find it?” Levi snaked his hands into the hem of Eren’s shirt and began to feel around. “Can I find it here? Huh?”

Levi’s cold hands against his tummy made Eren giggle all over again. “Not there!”

“Where can I find the honey, Eren?” he ended his search and began tickling Eren’s sides. “Is it here? Maybe… here?”

“ _Leeeeeeeviiiiiiiiiii_!!!” Eren squealed loudly and tried to remove himself off Levi’s lap to escape to safety. But Levi made sure to keep him trapped while he finished his torture. “Let me go, you weirdo!!”

“A weirdo? Hmm… perhaps not the most flattering thing to call your abuser.” Levi dug his fingertips into Eren’s ribs, all over his chest.

“WEIRDO!!!”

Levi finally stopped his sadistic tickle torture session when Eren was on the verge of tears. Eren took deep, relieved breaths and his body was weak from being all tickled up.

“…Oi,” Levi spoke up. He tapped the side of his mouth. “Come give this weirdo a kiss.”

“You don’t deserve a single kiss after torturing me,” Eren pouted. His face was still red, but that signature mischievous smile peeked through. “But I’ll make an exception for my husband.”

Eren leaned forward and placed an adorable peck on the spot Levi indicated.

“Mm,” Levi’s content resonated deep from within his chest. “…One more.”

Eren placed his hands on Levi’s shoulders for leverage and placed firm smooch square on the mouth. He looked at Levi’s face to gauge his reaction.

“One more.”

Eren grinned and placed a hard, molding kiss into Levi’s plush lips. And then another, just for good measure. “I’m starting to think you want more than a kiss, Mr. Ackerman. What are you up to?”

“I always want a little something more from you, Mama.”

“And here I was thinking you’d be all fucked out after last night’s events.” Eren began squeezing Levi’s biceps absentmindedly. _Paris has been such a trip_. He almost regretted that they had to go home soon.

It was as if Levi could read his mind. “Finish your breakfast, lover. Then we’ll talk about how we want to spend the day.”

Eren smiled and got back into his own seat. “’Lover’. I like that one. You’re getting really creative with your nicknames.”

“Whenever I think I’m losing my spark, I turn to your mother for inspiration.”

“She gives me all these girly, cutesy names. I don’t even know where she comes up with them.”

“I like her names for you. You’re a sweet boy, so you deserve sweet names.”

“That’s how you feel?” Eren smiled.

“That’s how I feel, honey bunches.” Levi stroked Eren’s hair softly.

“Careful, I bite.” Eren stuck his tongue out mischievously. He took a bite of a scone. “I think… I want to spend the morning cuddling, Levi.”

“We can cuddle.”

“I just… want to be close to my man. Y’know?”

“I hear you. I have your spa experience set up for tonight, too.”

“You’ll join me, right? Getting pampered is no fun alone.”

“Sure, I’ll join you.”

“And I’ll call Estelle so we can treat her to lunch, too.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

Eren finished his breakfast and when they rose from the table, Eren opened his arms like a child, and he was quickly hoisted up into a pair of strong arms and away to the bedroom.

“Come on, my little angel,” Levi whispered into his ear. “Let me hold you.”


	82. Subtle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ...Our boys are anything but.
> 
> (Please leave a comment after reading and tell me your thoughts! A WinMin chapter is coming soon! <3 <3)

By the time they arrived back to Trost, Paris was one big, beautiful blur.

Eren felt a bit fatigued and acted quite lethargic after the plane ride. Levi, however, who traveled very often, was not. While Eren lounged around lazily at home and watched movies, Levi quietly slipped out and shopped around to grab some pick-me-ups for his boyfriend.

\--

Levi came back home a couple hours later, and Eren was still curled up on the couch under his beige blanket. He doodled in his sketchbook while the TV ran in the background.

“Eren.” Levi sat beside him and of course, Eren collapsed and melted immediately into his arms. He was still completely silent, and that was very out of character for him.

“Sweetheart,” Levi spoke into his hair. “You haven’t moved from this couch in a while. Everything okay?”

“Mm. I’m just super tired for some reason. I took a nap and it hasn’t helped.”

“Your body is probably still adjusting from the trip. We’ll see if it keeps being a problem later.”

Eren responded by lifting his head just long enough to peck a quick kiss on Levi’s jaw. He eyed the shopping bags nearby. “Did some shopping?”

“I figured you could use a pick-me-up.” Levi reached into one of the bags and took out a stack of three cucumber face masks.

Eren took them to read the packaging. It was the first time he’d smiled in hours.

“Levi… how did you know?”

“That you love cucumber treatments? It was hard to miss.”

“You think of everything.” He glazed over the instructions. “Hey, isn’t this Alyssa’s brand?”

“It is. I didn’t know much about treatments or skincare so I gave her a call. This was her recommendation.”

“I trust her expertise. I’m excited to try this. What else did you bring me?”

Levi brought over the other bags. “Just a few of your favorite things. I will put this chocolate ice cream in the freezer and I’ll make you lunch.”

Eren smiled gratefully.

-

While the food was cooking on the stove, Levi went into the bedroom and took a quick shower, and put on a fresh suit.

He brought over the completed tray from the kitchen and placed it on the coffee table.

“Tomato soup and grilled cheese!” Eren gushed. “Levi, I’m so happy.”

“I hope you are.” Levi took Eren’s head and placed a kiss on his bangs. “I want to see that smile again.” His voice softened with his admission.

Eren’s brows furrowed after a minute. “You got a suit on.”

“I’m going back to the office. I need to check in and see how things are going.”

“Aww. Okay,” Eren pouted. Even though they just got home, Eren could tell Levi was itching to get back to work again.

“Give me a kiss before I go?” Levi asked.

Eren shifted in between the sheets to end up on Levi’s lap.

“I love you.” He leaned forward to place a sweet kiss on Levi’s lips.

“I love you more. I’ll see you tonight.” Levi made sure to run his knuckles along his cheek. Low-energy Eren was not a good sign.

\--

Levi pulled his Aston into the polished parking lot with a feeling of ease. His company headquarters was his home away from home. When Eren wasn’t available to comfort him, putting in work was his second source of ease.

He didn’t bother taking off his sunglasses as he entered the building.

He didn’t know why he had an initial tinge of nervousness. Erwin ran an extremely tight ship, and even doubly so when Levi was away. He always half-expected people to frantically running around, his email overflowing with unfortunate updates about unfinished projects and events gone horribly wrong.

But, alas, that wasn’t the case. It never was. He pushed through the glass doors and looked around.

People were working as usual. The healthy low chatter resounded in the large lobby. His email contained punctual updates and schedules from Petra per norm. Just at first glance, he could see that the custodial team did a phenomenal job while he was away.

He took off his sunglasses and placed them in his coat’s inner breast pocket.

He approached the secretary desk, where Petra was writing into her monthly planner. She looked up and her smile immediately became radiant.

“Levi! You’re back!”

“I’m back,” Levi confirmed, a small smile pulling at his lips.

Petra clicked her pen shut and rested her chin on her clasped fingers. The maroon on her fingernails matched the color of her blazer perfectly. “How was Paris? Did you have fun? Did you go to the Eiffel Tower again?”

“It was gorgeous. The Eiffel Tower never gets old, even after a second and third time. I had an absolute blast with Eren.”

Petra placed her hands together and swiveled her chair a bit. “Ooh, that makes me so happy!”

Levi smiled a bit. He didn’t know why Petra and Erwin were always so excited when he went on vacations. The “workaholic” jokes were starting to evolve into concern.

“Tell me what I want to hear, Petra.”

Petra knew what Levi meant when he says that. “All good news, sir. All executives reported being on track with their projects. Erwin had a very productive meeting with the other CEOs for the regional conference. PR reported more activity than usual, which we know is always a good sign.”

Levi didn’t even realized he let out an exhale of relief until Petra smiled even wider.

“Levi. Everything was perfect,” she assured. “Flawless. Organized. On track. Everything my worrywart boss wants to hear.”

“I know, I know,” Levi chastised himself quietly. “I’m working on it.”

“I know you are,” Petra said knowingly. “You’re probably itching to talk to Erwin, now.”

“You know me better than I care to admit, Petra,” Levi said. He gathered his leather briefcase again.

She laughed and clicked her pen to get back to work. “It’s my job to be one step ahead, sir.”

“There’s a reason I chose you specifically, Petra.”

Petra was flattered. She hid her smile and continued writing in her planner. 103. Levi personally handpicked her out of 103 other women who applied and interviewed for this position way back when. She still sometimes wondered why.

-

Levi went straight to the executive floor and knocked three times on Erwin’s door.

There was a mumble of words through the door. He must’ve been speaking to someone on the phone. And now, with a clearer, commanding voice: “Come in.”

Levi entered and shut the door behind him.

Erwin continued talking and writing loose notes in his pad. When he finally looked up and met eyes with Levi, his demeanor changed instantly. “I’m sorry, I’ll have to call you back,” he told the person on the other end. He placed the phone back in its cradle and beamed that 1000-gigawatt smile.

“Erwin. How are things? How are you?”

“Things couldn’t be better. But I think I’m glad to have my best friend back to help me run the company. It was starting to get a bit lonely.”

Levi laughed. “You big, blond oaf. I wish I could show our employees what a softie you are.”

Erwin laughed, too. “I’m the softie? That’s rich coming from the man who took his boyfriend to an impromptu vacation to the City of Love and Lights. How do you Frenchmen say it? _La Ville Lumière_?”

“Oi. It was overdue.”

“Well, I have nothing but success to report to you, my friend. I want to squeeze in that meeting with the lawyers before we begin break.”

“Sounds like a plan. I’ll have Petra organize it.”

\--

 

Levi finally returned home a good handful of hours later. He set down his briefcase and made his way over to the couch, where Eren was awaiting him eagerly.

“Eren, how are you? Everythi— _oof_!”

Eren immediately pounced into his lap and wrapped his arms tight around Levi’s neck. The man was receiving a healthy flurry of kisses to the face before he even got to say anything.

“Oh, my,” Levi chuckled. He squeezed Eren’s waist while receiving his treatment.

“Levi… I missed you.”

“It’s hardly been a day, my love.”

“But that’s one day too many!” Eren hugged him with all his might.

“I can tell you’re feeling better. Did the soup help?”

“Everything helped. Lunch was delicious. I took another nap. And I used one of the cucumber face masks which was so fucking refreshing. I think I was just dealing with after-travel fatigue.”

Levi listened intently. “A very common predicament. I’m so glad you’re feeling better.”

“How’s work? How was the company looking?”

“Everything was great. They never give me anything to worry about. It makes my job of delegating and overseeing things more difficult. They’re all very self-sufficient.”

“That’s good,” Eren nodded. “I imagine they learned to be self-sufficient because they have a scary, intimidating CEO.”

“Are you talking about me or Erwin?”

“Erwin, too, but especially you.”

“You think I’m intimidating at work?”

“Intimidating in a good way. I can tell everyone respects you. People sit up straighter when they see you.”

“Really?” Levi seemed amused by the thought. He never really paid it much thought.

“Really, Mr. Ackerman,” Eren grinned. “I’m surprised you haven’t noticed.”

“I suppose I have a one-track mind. I don’t notice subtleties as much. That’s more Erwin’s area.”

“I think you can notice subtleties,” Eren disagreed. He began undoing his tie. “Like how you could tell I wasn’t feeling a hundred percent earlier today, even though I didn’t say anything. No one but my hubby could notice something like that.”

“I like to think I know you well enough by now that I can notice when you need a pick-me-up. You’re my everything. My goal is to make you happy.”

“Mission accomplished, then,” Eren purred. He took both ends of the loosened tie and wrapped it around his fists. With a quick yank, he managed to pull Levi forward a bit to meet their lips.

The moment was as magical and beautifully quiet as it was the first time.

“You taste so damn good, Mr. Jaeger,” Levi said lowly.

“And you only get finer with each passing day, Mr. Ackerman. You delicious man.”

They met with a sweet, contradictory hug. _I missed you._

\--

The next day, Eren put in a shift at the coffee shop.

Jean and Sasha were there, too.

While rushes were busier during the holidays, customers were a lot more cheery and definitely more festive, so working through it wasn’t as bad.

Sasha matched the customers’ cheers by wearing a Santa hat for the holiday season. And, she went all the way out by excessively marketing her drink.

The drink competition would wrap up today. The stakes were higher than ever. Everyone was very neck-and-neck. The difference was single-digits.

Sasha was assigned to the register today, and Eren was delegated to make drinks. Jean placed them there because that’s where they each shined—Sasha was an excellent communicator and her bright demeanor brought in tons of tips, and Eren excelled in keeping his hands busy and being able to multitask. The shift would be a breeze if everyone pulled their weight like they did now. Jean did behind-the-scenes work as the shift supervisor. He didn’t mind not having much face time with customers. Even though the $100 prize for the drink competition was appealing, he eventually got bored and said the game was stupid. Eren knew it was because Jean hated excessive celebration or events. The shop was too cheery for his liking.

But he also knew that even deeper down, Jean enjoyed the competition.

“You got four drinks on deck,” Sasha announced while placing the cups on Eren’s bar.

“Heard.” Eren didn’t even look up.

He finished his current round of drinks and smiled at the gentleman who ordered his signature. “You got great taste, my friend! You’re in for a treat!”

“Sasha told me it was good for the working man,” he agreed. He looked down at his business-casual outfit; slacks, button-up, tie, and all. “I guess I’m perpetuating my own stereotype.”

“I mean, hey, if it ain’t broke, right?” Eren managed to carry out his entire conversation while pumping out two more drinks.

They laughed together. The man dropped a single in the tip jar at the hand-off plane before leaving.

A young couple showed up to the register. Sasha was even doubly happy to see some her regulars. Not even Jean could help himself from catching onto her mirth.

\--

The rush finally ended, and Sasha and Eren breathed deeply together. There was no longer a line at the register, and the customers in the café were all very happy and chatting away over their drinks.

Jean looked over the store like a proud father. “Good job, kids,” he smiled. “Way to clear a crowd.”

Sasha began massaging Eren’s shoulders cheerfully. “Thank you very much! We’re a dream team.”

“Anything to appease our disgruntled supervisor,” Eren said mischievously.

“Disgruntled, huh?” Jean couldn’t help but laugh. “That’s a new one from you.”

“Do you prefer ‘bitchy’? Or… perhaps, ‘pissy’?” Eren’s grin widened. Annoying Jean was his favorite hobby.

“Heyyy,” Sasha pouted and poked Eren’s cheek. “Be nice, you. Don’t ruin the atmosphere we created today.”

“Yeah, _be nice_ ,” Jean repeated. “Or I’ll nix all of your breaks.”

“No! Please!” Eren cried dramatically. “I’ll get carpal tunnel! I’ll faint in the middle of making a latte! I’ll perish!”

“Then I suggest you demonstrate a little more respect for your coworkers, Jaeger.” Jean casually went back to doing inventory.

“I’ll do the final tally count!” Sasha volunteered.

Eren took a sanitizing rag and got to work cleaning his bar and surrounding areas.

Jean’s voice cut through after a while: “Sasha, what’s the verdict?”

Sasha slowly got up from her crouch and her big brown eyes went doe-like and her usual smile turned into a pout.

“Eren won. He got two more sales than me. Jean, you’re third.”

Eren pumped his fists. “Yes!! Yes, yes, yes!”

Sasha looked absolutely crushed. Jean pursed his lips in disappointment.

Eren immediately felt bad. Dirty, even. “…You know what? I’ll use my prize money to treat us to a good time. Let’s all go to dinner after our shift. On me. We’ve all worked so hard to make this happen.”

Sasha looked up with a newfound hope and she clapped her hands together. “Thank you, Eren! How kind of you!”

“..I’ll text Marco and Bertholdt,” Jean smiled at him.

Eren’s heart felt lighter after that. Levi would be proud of him for doing that.

-

With the excitement of a nice dinner in the near future, Eren, Sasha, and Jean made quick but efficient work cleaning and closing the shop, and they walked out the door together.

Eren watched Jean lock up the shop, and then pop a piece of gum.

“What, no cigarette?” Eren asked.

Jean shook his head. He shook the door’s handle to make sure it was locked before they continued walking. “I’m trying to quit. For Marco.”

Eren smiled into the night.

\--

Eren managed to get a nice group selfie during dinner of himself and all his coworkers, and he posted it to his social media. He captioned it: “Nothing beats a Slutty Monday!”

Jean watched Eren steal a fry off his plate: “Eren, I’m not sure why you still even work at the shop. You’re technically a rich man now.”

“It’s called getting _experience_ , Jean-boy. Not everything is about money, as much as you business majors think it is. Sometimes, it’s about doing the right thing.” They looked to where Sasha was ordering a whole other platter of appetizers for herself, and astounding the server with her contradictory choices to her demure appearance.

“Experience. I suppose you’re right,” Jean agreed.

“And independence is an important thing. You know that better than anyone.”

He was referring to the fact that Jean moved out of his parents’ house as soon as he finished high school. It wasn’t that Jean had a bad home life. His mother was kind. But all throughout his childhood, Jean couldn’t seem to get along with her. Call it a difference in values. Or personality.

Either way, Jean made it clear to the world that he was going to make it on his own. And he didn’t need anyone’s help.

Jean stayed silent for a moment. Not even Marco knew about that aspect of his life. Eren and Jean had a sort of quiet connection that couldn’t be explained.

“I know your situation makes money hard not to think about,” Eren told him gently. He tapped Jean’s chest with his finger. “But don’t forget your roots, Jean. Your good ol’-fashioned family values.”

Jean laughed.

“I know it’s in that deep, dark soul of yours somewhere,” Eren teased.

That earned him a healthy punch on the arm.

\--

Now that the night was through, Eren was antsy and anxiously climbed into his old blue car. He couldn’t wait to go home and maybe go to the gym downstairs to blow off some steam.

He cranked the music way high as he drove, tapping his fingers against the wheel. He would’ve rolled down his windows to feel the wind in his hair, but the winter night weather was encouraging him to otherwise.

Eren was humming along to the guitar solo and sped through the streets impatiently. And that was when his attention was drawn to the rearview mirror.

Flashing red and blue lights approaching behind him.

Eren groaned and let his head fall back against the seat. “Shhh _hit_.”

He turned the music down and drove into a nearby neighborhood to pull over.

Eren wasn’t afraid of cops. In fact, he considered most of them to be his friends, especially in this city. Despite having established good relationships with a good handful of officers, no one, not even he, was exempt from being pulled over.

Eren was irritated. He turned off his ignition with attitude and he pulled down his window while he waited.

The officer that approached shone his flashlight into the window. “License and regis—Eren?”

Eren looked past the flashlight. “Hannes?!” He immediately felt more at ease that it was an officer he knew. A family friend, no less. Whatever trouble he was in now, he could probably try to talk himself out of it.

Hannes exhaled wearily and turned off his flashlight. His demeanor crumbled into casualty, as well—resting his forearms against the window frame. “Kid, what’cha doin’ out here? Do you know why I pulled you over?”

“Uhh… my headlights were out?” Eren guessed lazily.

“You were speeding, kid,” Hannes corrected. “You were doing 70 in a 50.”

“No, I wasn’t. You’re exaggerating.”

Hannes’ eyebrow twitched irritably. “’Ey. Remember the predicament you’re in? I can write you a ticket.”

Eren grinned mischievously. “But you won’t.”

Hannes looked around before proceeding with his professional mistake. “You little shit. Are you challenging me? Go ahead, kid, I dare you.”

“Write me a ticket and I’ll tell the chief your little secret.” Eren didn’t like abusing his privilege of having a comfortable relationships with the police department, but he knew Hannes didn’t have it in him to write a ticket. This man has known him since he was a toddler.

“…”

“Your tendency to be drunk on duty. Just like you are now…?” Eren teased.

“You might have the chief’s ear, but ‘ey. I have an even stronger force to knock some sense into that thick skull of yours.”

“Lay it on me,” Eren leaned against his seat and smiled cockily.

“I’ll just tell your mom.”

Eren’s heart pounded.

Hannes smirked. “Doesn’t seem all that funny anymore, huh, now?”

Eren became desperate. “Hannes, please, don’t tell my mom. I’ll take a ticket. I’ll even pay it off right now.”

Hannes shook his head and clicked his teeth; he knew this kid all too well. “No such luck, kid. Your mom and I are like _this_ —“ he put his index and middle finger together for emphasis.

“She told me last time was my strike two. Pleeeease….”

Eren knew what happened after strike three. After strike three, his father would speak to him. And as much as Eren loved his father, he was _very_ intimidating when he was angry.

“So go ahead and play more games with me,” Hannes said. He was clearly very pleased with himself for coming out of this on top. If Eren wasn’t going to respect his authority as an officer, he would respect his access to his parents.

“I’m sorry, okay? I was speeding because I probably wasn’t paying attention.”

“Eren, you know the law. You study it. You know practically the whole force,” Hannes explained.

Eren huffed. “I know, I know.”

“Now imagine if anyone else were in your seat right now,” he said. “They’d get a ticket, no questions. You can’t rely on the fact that you’re one us, Eren. One day you won’t be so lucky.”

“…Yeah. I know.”

“I’m not gonna write you a ticket, kid. Just go home. And be safe, alright?”

“Fine,” Eren sighed. He started the ignition again and gripped the wheel shakily.

Hannes hid back a smile. He was the one who taught Eren how to drive. Hell, he even let Eren drive the squad car a couple of times. This kid was practically family.

“Bye, Hannes.”

Hannes reached in and squeezed Eren’s shoulder firmly. “Good night, kid. Go straight home. Don’t let us meet in these circumstances next time, hear?”

“Yes, sir.”

The familiar officer rapped his knuckles twice on Eren’s car before making his way back to the squad car.

Eren rolled his window back up and sighed deeply. Talk about dodging a bullet. And in the end, his mom might still find out. He wasn’t off the hook quite yet.

He checked his phone. Most of the notifications were alerts that people liked and shared his picture with the Trost Coffee gang during dinner. But there was also a text from Levi:

_Where are you, love? It’s past midnight. Everything okay?_

Eren replied:

_Yeah, everything’s ok. I was coming home from dinner. I got pulled over._

Just as he expected, Eren’s phone began immediately vibrating from a voice call.

“Hey, Levi.”

“Eren Jaeger, what happened?” the older of the two wasted no time cutting to the chase.

“I was pulled over for speeding. But I knew the cop personally, so I got out of a ticket.”

“…Eren. What would’ve happened if you got into an accident? If you hurt yourself or someone else?”

Secretly, Levi was just relieved that Eren wasn’t pulled over for drunk driving, but this was still serious.

“Levi, it’s midnight! Everyone’s speeding right now. Plus there aren’t as many people out now.”

“I know that, baby. I know you’re careful, but we can’t put all our faith in that. Do you understand me?” Even with the use of a nickname, Levi’s voice remained stern.

“I knowww. Hannes already gave me the lecture. I’ll try to pay more attention next time.”

“And you’re smarter than that. You know the law. Don’t let us down. Be an example instead of an exception.”

“Hm.”

“Come home to me now, okay?” Levi’s voice was gentle again. “Safely. Within the speed limits.”

“Yes, sir.”

\--

The next day at the office was a bit more stressful for Levi.

The team of lawyers presented a few issues that have arisen in one of the company’s latest projects. Now he had a bit of a mess to unravel, and an urgent meeting with the executives.

“Understood?” Levi wrapped up his meeting. When he and Erwin walked away from the session with the lawyers, Levi wanted to be the one to present the news. Erwin was effective, but he was also the mastermind. The brain. Levi was the brawn, and everyone knew it.

When Levi presented unpleasant news, that was when everyone sat up straight and fucking _listened._

“Yes, sir,” the group resounded.

“Get to work,” Levi instructed.

Everyone evacuated the room except for Petra, who was still wrapping up notes she was putting into her tablet.

Before Levi even realized it, he undid his tie and the top button and began unpacking his presentation- pushing in chairs, unplugging his tablet from the screen. He even produced a disinfectant wipe from somewhere and polished off some fingerprints from a glass surface.

Petra finally finished her inputs and looked up. She couldn’t help but smile.

“I’ll be in my office,” Levi began walking out.

Petra rushed towards him as fast as her pumps would let her.

Levi turned when he felt a hand on his shoulder, and he paused when he felt Petra’s hands on his shoulders.

“I can’t have you go out looking like that.”

Levi looked down and realized in his pack-up process that he began undoing his clothing.

Petra giggled. “I can tell when you’re stressed because you unconsciously start stripping.”

Levi chuckled.

Fast, trustworthy hands buttoned him back up and doing back up his tie. “Breathe, Levi. This is just a bump in the road for our project. We’ve had worse.”

“We’ve had worse,” Levi repeated.

“You’ve got a capable team. They’ll have it handled in a matter of days. You know that.”

“True. I just wanted to send everyone off to break on a strong, clean note. I hate having shit sprung up on me in the last minute.”

Petra nodded knowingly. “I know you do. But hey, Erwin’s already started calling around. And once you have your hand in it, it’s a wrap. Don’t add any more weight and stress on your shoulders than there already is.”

Petra tugged at his tie to make sure it was secure, and she took his suit jacket and held it open.

Levi put his arms through the sleeves, and now, he looked like a true CEO again.

Petra turned him around once more and brushed some lint off his shoulder, and smoothed the wrinkle in his collar.

“Thank you for keeping me grounded, Petra. I don’t know how I could’ve gotten this far without you.”

“It’s my job,” Petra smiled knowingly. She looked him up and down. “There. Now you look fit to carry on. Let me know if you get any new information.”

“Will do.”

\--

At home, Eren was surprised to see that he’d received a package, even though he hasn’t ordered anything online.

He opened up the box and in it contained about three dozen of the cucumber face masks that he so loved.

There was also a beautiful, handwritten card:

_My darling Mr. Jaeger—_

_Levi told me how much you enjoyed the face masks. I couldn’t be more pleased._

_Enjoy,_

_Alyssa_

Beneath was a classic red lipstick print, a personal signature that could only be from Levi’s ex.

Eren laughed. With this many masks, he should be stress-free for the next month.

Along with the masks were an instruction sheet on how to get the most out of the product, including placing it in the fridge before use for an extra cooling effect.

Eren was glad Levi had this many connections. This gift was both functional and enjoyable.

-

A bit later, Eren’s phone rang. It was Levi.

“Heyy, hubby.”

“Eren, how are you, my dear?”

“Pretty good. Are you still at work?”

“I just left the office.”

“I love hearing your voice. Is everything okay, though?”

“Everything’s fine. Work has me a little tense. I missed your voice, too.”

“Aww, Levi. My love. Come home to Mama and let me give you some sugar.”

“Eren, I’m fixing to do some awfully sweet things to you when I get home.”

Eren sprawled out on the couch and he bit his lip a bit bashfully. “How awful are we talkin’, Mr. Ackerman?”

“Mmm… let’s just say there’s only one kind of fix I need. And I think you’re the only one who can give it to me.”

“I won’t let you get it anywhere else, anyway. You got me excited, boo.”

“’Boo’?” Levi laughed.

“’Bae’ and ‘baby’ are getting kinda stale. Come home and let’s make love, boo-boo.”

“You don’t have to tell me twice,” Levi promised.

\--

Eren put in another shift at the shop.

When he clocked out, he prepared himself a hazelnut latte, and then an Earl Grey tea.

At the company headquarters, he waved to Petra, as well as Mike a bit later. He had a few items of business here today.

One was to drop into the Accounting floor to tell Hange and Moblit that he passed his financial literacy class with flying colors, and that he made the dean’s list. He could hear their thrilled reaction already.

The other item of business had something to do with his man.

-

Eren arrived to the executive floor, where Erwin was just about to enter his office.

He smiled when they locked eyes.

“Eren. It’s been a while. How have you been? Armin told me you made the dean’s list—congratulations. I’m proud of you.”

“I sure did! And thanks, Erwin. Although, I owe my success to a solid support system.”

“I feel bad that you’ve made the journey out here today. Levi’s actually away handling other business.”

“Actually, Erwin,” Eren led them into his office, and set their drinks down, “I came to see you.”


	83. Let Them Eat Cake!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What was Eren's secret meeting with Erwin about??? Let's find out!
> 
> (Please leave a comment after reading and tell me your thoughts! <3 )

“What would you like to talk about, Eren?”

Eren cupped his hands around his drink for warmth. “Well, as you know, Levi’s birthday is coming up. I wanted to get together with you and plan something for him. A little extravaganza.”

He was surprised when Erwin slowly shook his head. “Trust me, Eren. I’ve tried. Year after year. Big celebrations, even small, private ones. He doesn’t like celebrating his birthday. He thinks he doesn’t deserve the attention.

“For his birthday, Petra and I write him a card and I sometimes buy him new watches, much to his chagrin, but that’s about as much as we were able to do these last few years.”

Eren bit his cheek while he thought. “This year will be different. Maybe he just needs a different energy. He won’t expect it. He’s always giving. I’m trying to teach him that it’s okay to receive.”

Erwin smiled. “That’s very kind of you. I don’t know how he’ll react, but I’m willing to give it another try this year. What are your ideas so far?”

Eren leaned forward and smiled. The empty notepad between them was bursting with possibilities. “So I was thinking a surprise party. Exclusive, but full of life…..”

\--

Eren busied himself with video games and before he knew it, there was a familiar shuffling at the door and the click of the lock instantly cheered him up.

Levi hung up his coat, then his briefcase, and Eren could not stop smiling for the life of him.

Every time Levi came back home from work, it was the same surge of excitement. It was always the same lovey-dovey kisses no matter how much time went by.

Immediately, Levi came over and took Eren into his arms. They rolled around on the couch and Levi trapped Eren beneath him to nibble on his cheek loudly.

Eren laughed unabashedly and freely. And finally, Levi finished his greeting.

“How are you, baby?” he asked lowly, still firmly on top of Eren. Chest-to-chest flush together like this, Eren found the bulky weight very intimate and delicious.

“Pretty good. I was kinda bored without you, though.”

“Is that so? I was quite bored without you, too.”

“How was work?”

“I wasn’t at the office today. I had to visit another company to tie up some loose ends personally.”

Eren knew that, actually. Levi didn’t know about his secret meeting with Erwin for the birthday surprise.

“Did it go well?” Eren wondered.

“Very well. Some people are just difficult to do business with. They need to be wooed. Or whipped around. I like doing the latter.”

Eren giggled. “You’re _such_ a typical CEO.”

Levi chuckled. “I’m guilty of perpetuating my own stereotype sometimes.” He rolled off Eren with a groan and patted his lap for Eren to take a seat.

“What do you say…” Levi began squeezing Eren’s thighs, and when he felt Eren’s gaze drift downward, he lifted his chin back up with a curved index finger. Those green eyes were just too fucking gorgeous to not be visible right now. “…You put on a cute suit for me, and I’ll treat you to a nice dinner and anything you’d like after. And when the night is over, I rip that suit right off you and eat you up. What do you think, Eren?”

Eren smiled. “You’re supposed to save ripping my suit off for our wedding night,” he pointed.

“Hmm… I suppose you’re right.”

“But ripping suits off can be a routine event, right? We make our own traditions.”

Levi seemed hopeful. “Yes, we do.”

“Okay, my love,” Eren nodded. “I agree to your plan for the evening. On one condition.”

Levi’s heart fluttered like a drunk butterfly whenever Eren used names like that on him. “What’s your condition, sweetness?”

“You better eat me fucking _right_.”

Levi held Eren’s cheeks together and touched their noses. “Yes, sir.”

\--

The company crisis was over and dealt with in less than a week. Erwin made some concise phone calls and Levi’s intimidating presence scared the partnering company’s representatives straight. That, along with the Survey Corp executives making sure that all the employees were on track with assignments, and Petra being two steps ahead at every turn, well… It was hardly a crisis at all.

 _“That’s the Survey Corporation Way!”_ Hange had winked and cackled.

The last Friday before break was the free-dress code event that everyone always looked forward to.

Armin decided to drop in today. Erwin couldn’t be more pleased.

They waited until they were behind closed doors.

“Come to me, pumpkin,” Erwin grinned.

Armin ran up and jumped into big, strong arms.

In the large space of Erwin’s clean, polished office, they spun around in silence, and Armin pecked a few kisses on the tip of Erwin’s broad nose.

“Did Thomas drive you here?”

“Yup. I remembered today was a fun day at the office so I wanted to surprise you.”

“And you, my dear, are the best surprise any man could ask for,” Erwin said.

“Ever the sweet-talker,” Armin smiled into Erwin’s shoulder. His cologne was so incredibly intoxicating and the classic scent lingered in the office as well. It made Armin drunk with lust and love.

“Is it working?”

“It’s always working,” Armin agreed happily. “You have such a way with words.”

“Thank you, Armin.”

Armin lifted his head and pressed another delicate, sweet kiss into Erwin’s cheek. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

“Do you have any work left? Any more burning of the midnight oil?”

Erwin took them over to the desk and sat Armin on the edge. “Not at all. We worked hard to make sure all current projects were thoroughly completed before Winter Break begins. It was a success. No more working until the New Year.”

“Yay!” Armin clasped his hands. “I can have you all to myself now!”

“So possessive,” Erwin mused.

Armin fixed Erwin’s already-perfect hair. “I’m not even ashamed of it, Mr. Smith. Not in the least bit.”

Erwin laughed.

“Erwin?” Armin’s voice softened.

“Yes, my dear?”

He took Erwin’s large hand and pressed it against his own cheek. “Let’s disappear soon. Take me somewhere magical. When I heard Levi took Eren to Paris, I got kind of jealous.”

“Of course. Anywhere you want. Where were you thinking?”

“…Surprise me.”

“I didn’t take you as the spontaneous type.”

“Being spontaneous doesn’t seem so scary when it’s with you.”

“And you call me the sweet-talker,” Erwin beamed.

“You wanna push your limits, Mr. Smith?”

“Give me your worst.”

Armin quickly hopped off the desk and dashed behind Erwin to put him in a playful choke-hold. “You need to keep up, Erwin! You have a very, very, very demanding boyfriend!!”

Erwin laughed out loud and even more so when Armin began smothering kisses all over his face.

The silent joke was that Armin was probably the least demanding person ever. He was already extremely independent by nature and hated asking for help to the point of a fault. He still felt guilty when he received expensive gifts, and still attempted to pay for some of his own things. Erwin wouldn’t allow it. They were still working on it.

A voice cut through Erwin’s thoughts: “…Am I annoying?” Armin whispered cheekily into his hair.

Erwin pretended to ponder it, despite still being in the choke-hold. “Mmm. Arguably so.”

“Good.” Armin let go and hopped back on Erwin’s desk. “That means I’m doing my job.”

“Do you take pride in being a piece of work, Armin?” Erwin reclined in his chair casually.

“I do. No one puts up with me quite like you.” Armin found himself back in Erwin’s lap, and he rested his head on that broad chest. “I feel like I can really be myself around you. Annoying boyfriend and all.”

“Pumpkin, I was joking. I don’t think you’re annoying. I need you to understand that.”

Armin shut his eyes dreamily. A very large hand and expert fingers began sifting through his hair. “I know. I love you, Erwin Smith.”

\--

Much later after date night, Levi went into his office to make a few phone calls. Of course, Eren followed because he wasn’t finished receiving attention.

Eren enjoyed sitting on Levi’s lap. Attention to him could be fulfilled in multiple ways. It could be a cuddle session before bed… a date night… a phone call from Levi filled with sweet nothings and lovely promises… or that warm, calloused hand placed firmly over his tummy as per the current situation.

“Alright,” Levi told the person on the other end. “Thank you for being diligent. I’ll tell my Co-CEO. …The pleasure was mine. Bye, now.”

Levi ended the call, one of a small handful at this point. He shut his eyes and exhaled deeply.

“One more?”

“No. That was the last one.”

Levi shifted and they both got up off the chair. Instinctively, Levi fixed the hem of Eren’s shirt.

They found themselves in the kitchen. The Christmas tree in the corner of the living room was so gorgeous and twinkly, especially because the apartment was dim save for the kitchen track lighting.

There was also a sizable, small mountain of wrapped gifts for Eren beneath the tree. Levi took the opportunity to spoil Eren _very_ seriously.

 _It would take forever and a day to unwrap all his gifts on Christmas,_ Eren thought with a small smile. But, this set-up served him well, too. All the gifts he bought for Levi in Paris were safely hidden among his own. His older boyfriend was none the wiser.

In his distraction, Eren drifted away into the living room towards the tree. The sweet memory of the two of them decorating this magnificent tree played around in his thoughts. Even the music from that night—slow, trumpet-filled Spanish salsa—played in his mind’s ear. They danced that night. Levi was a surprisingly good dancer. He held Eren’s waist and pulled him right in. Hand to lower back, and conversely, two hands on shoulders.

Eren wondered where Levi learned to dance so classically. He didn’t ask. It was one of those fun little mysteries of his man.

His eyes fixated on a spot on the tree that he didn’t remember. It was a new ornament. Well, he assumed it was at least, since this spot was empty the last time he checked their tree.

It was… a small bird. Its wings were unfurled, its fur crafted soft and ruffled and a wheat-brown. While it looked graceful, it also looked a bit young and inexperienced. 

Eren thought about what it could mean. Levi obviously chose this ornament for a reason.

But one of the conditions of their game was that both could imply the meanings, but neither could ask the other what the symbols meant until after Christmas. It would all be speculation for now.

He let the bird fall from his fingers and stepped away from the tree. Christmas was just around the corner now. The excitement itched at him, no, _within_ him. That day had more than one significance.

Eren began making his way back to the kitchen. Levi was taking some pills and washing it down with water. He wearily slumped over the bar counter slightly.

He seemed fine previously. Now Eren felt careless for not noticing the signs, if there were any to be noticed during the phone call session.

He placed a hand tentatively on Levi’s shoulder blade. “Levi, are you okay? Why the painkillers?”

Levi sat up straighter. “..I have a migraine.”

Eren’s eyes softened. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I thought it would weather itself out in a little bit. It only got worse.”

Mama Eren’s instincts kicked right in. “Tell me more. Where do you feel it, how long has it been going on for?” A diagnosis was in the making.

“It’s not near my temples. It feels like it’s sitting behind my eyes. I would say I’ve had it for an hour.”

Eren helped Levi up and directed him to the couch. “I know this type of migraine. My dad told me how to treat it. It’s actually very fleeting. I’ll be surprised if you still have it tomorrow morning.”

Eren sat on one of the couch and prompted Levi to lie down length-wise to rest his head upon his lap.

“Let me make you feel better.”

Eren’s fingers found Levi’s face. “Close your eyes.”

Levi complied.

Eren felt around a bit. His fingertips tickled Levi’s chin. “Unclench your jaw.”

This particular action gave a telltale reaction. Levi unclenched, and he visibly relaxed while he exhaled deeply through his nose. A cathartic release.

“Good boy…” Eren seemed pleased. “That’s probably what caused it. You’re always clenching your jaw.”

Levi didn’t notice that he did that. But in hindsight, his boyfriend was probably right.

“Okay, this is going to feel weird, but just trust me.” Eren placed his thumbs firmly over Levi’s eyelids. “Relax,” he breathed softly. “I’ll give your eyes a massage.”

It was a nerve-wracking two seconds, but Levi knew that the most effective cures were often unorthodox. Rather than pressing down on the eyes, Eren firmly traced his thumbs up into the concaves of Levi’s eyes, near the inner third of the lid, and then releasing pressure as he reached the top of the eyelid. They were firm, slow strokes.

 _There must’ve been some medical basis to this,_ Levi thought. And he thought too soon:

“Here’s the orbital plate of the frontal bone…” Eren explained quietly while he worked. “And here is probably where the pain is occurring. Behind the supraorbital foramen.” He pressed a little firmer, and made wiping motions away from the inner eyes.

Eren’s knowledge didn’t come from thin air. His father told him that it doesn’t make sense to heal without knowing all the factors of the issue—and that meant learning the medical terms. It wasn’t unpleasant. Eren loved when his father passed on knowledge to him. In a different life, Eren’s nurturing personality would’ve probably led him to being a doctor just like his father.

Levi breathed out deeply. Whatever the fuck Eren was doing right now, it was actually working wonders to alleviate the pain.

He was also about to ask Eren how he knew the medical terms for those spots. But then he remembered his father was a doctor.

“It feels good, doesn’t it?” Eren mused with a small smile. “You’re so receptive. Keep breathing in and out slowly.”

Levi allowed himself to let go and let Eren’s touch do the talking. There was a quiet trust in the air. A soul tending to another soul. A Mama tending to a Papa.

Eren memorized the touch and patterns of Levi’s face that he stared absentmindedly at the tree while he worked. Levi was sighing deeply.

“Relax,” Eren whispered again. “Shhh, shhh……”

\--

It had to have been a long while later, because Eren looked down to see Levi’s chest rising and falling gently, and his lips were parted while he slept.

Eren smiled once more and he slowly stroked Levi’s cheek with his thumb. _Poor thing. He’s probably exhausted. This man could stay up for days at a time._

And as much as Eren enjoyed the vampire jokes at Levi’s expense, he actually worried about his lack of sleep.

So, he reached for the beige blanket draped over the couch and threw it over Levi’s body.

It wasn’t long before both of them were snoozing away.

\--

When Eren woke up the next morning, he was surprised Levi was still on him. The white-periwinkle sky was bleak but cozy through the glass wall.

Other than vacations and weekends, it was rare for Levi to sleep in.

Eren carded his fingers through Levi’s locks sleepily. “Levi, my love… good morning…”

He massaged Levi’s cheeks for a moment. Those steely-gray eyes opened slowly.

The first thing Levi saw looking down at him were quiet emerald eyes.

He slowly stirred himself up to a sitting position. Despite being on the couch, he felt extremely rested for some reason.

“Is your migraine gone?” Eren whispered.

“My migraine…” Levi thought. “Yes. I forgot I even had one. Your massage last night put me right to sleep. How about that.”

Eren smiled. “I do love making you feel better. And I love when you sleep on me.”

“Eren.” Levi opened his arms.

Eren immediately went in for the hug. Big, strong arms wrapped around his back so securely and warmly.

“Thank you for healing me, sweetheart. And thank you for being with me last night.”

“You’re mine to cherish and to protect. I’ll always make sure you feel better. I love you.” Everything Eren says managed to sound like a piece of a wedding vow. And Levi secretly couldn’t get enough of it.

“Such a romantic. I love you more.”

Eren pushed forward so that the hug collapsed into the couch. Now that he was on top, he placed a firm smooch on Levi’s plush lips.

And then another.

“Do you have any plans for this morning?” Levi asked. He played with the ends of Eren’s bangs playfully.

“Mmm… I think I’m going to make my man the strongest cup of tea imaginable… and then we’ll get on to cuddling, yeah?”

“I do love the sound of that,” Levi smiled.

“I always have the cure,” Eren rubbed their noses together and sighed.

“Always.”

Eren traced his finger over Levi’s lips seductively while he thought about last night’s migraine. “…You know what else cures headaches?”

“Tell me.”

“Orgasms.” Eren grinned.

“Oi,” Levi laughed and he dug his fingers into Eren’s sides for swift punishment. And as usual, loud squeals ensued.

\--

Though he knew everything was on track and according to plan, Eren couldn’t help but feel a bit nervous.

He wanted it to be perfect.

Tables of sweets and gifts and cards and fancy, wrapped-up candles were splayed out on the meeting tables of the executive floor.

When Eren told Erwin that he wanted to throw Levi a surprise birthday party for his thirty-sixth, Erwin was skeptical. Apparently, Levi had a history of ignoring his own birthday and feeling somewhat burdened when people acknowledged it or gave him gifts.

But Eren wanted to change that. If there was anything he knew at all, it’s that Levi told him that their fateful meeting at the coffee shop last summer rocked his world.

In Levi’s own words: _“You put color back into my life, Eren.”_

So, Eren took it upon himself to add color back into Levi’s birthday. Which also happened to be Christmas, but Eren made sure to treat both events as two separate entities.

He paced around nervously. A calming hand held his shoulder.

It was Petra.

“Eren, you have nothing to be nervous about. Everything is going according to plan.”

Eren’s shoulders hunched and collapsed in an exhale. “I know… but I don’t know how he’ll react. I really don’t. What if he hates it, and he ends up dreading his birthday even more?”

Petra shook her head, and her strawberry-blonde hair swished slightly. “Don’t think like that. If there’s one thing I’ve learned during all these years working for him, is that even above execution, he appreciates effort. The fact that you planned this entire thing by yourself will make him so pleased. I just know it.”

Eren stood up straighter. “Yeah. I think you’re right.”

The elevator dinged and everyone froze in their tracks. Eyes wide, hearts stopped. Levi wasn’t supposed to be here for another hour. That was the plan.

Two chrome-finished doors slid open to reveal….

A certain tall, brunette genius with glasses.

“Hey, everyone!! Sorry I’m late!” Hange called happily. “I had to put extra-special love into my gift!”

Petra blew air out through her lips. Erwin ran a hand through his hair stressfully.

“You foolish woman,” Moblit scolded her. “We thought Levi had come early. Do you know how worried we all were? How could you be so careless?”

“I’m sorry!” Hange pouted. “You can’t rush perfection!”

The chatter of the planning started back up after the mini heart attack.

This really did need to be perfect. Eren had to spin a web of intricate lies just to make this work.

Because Erwin and Levi rewarding their employees with three weeks of paid break for the holidays (most companies only did two, and they were unpaid), the executives were expected to be at home right now. But when they heard what Eren and Erwin were cooking up, they all wanted in.

Eren himself had to be especially deceptive. To make sure he had enough time to plan and decorate and call around for treat catering, he pretended to pack his backpack and told Levi he was going to spend Christmas with his parents. The understanding was that he would be back in about three days’ time.

_“Alright, baby, call me so I don’t miss you too much. Give me a hug.”_

He had swooped Eren up away into his arms, still to this day a pleasant surprise considering the man’s height, and he whispered some tooth-rottingly sweet things into Eren’s ear, wishing for a safe, fast return but also encouraging him to have a good time at his parents’.

And at the time, Eren felt guilty for tricking Levi like that, but hopefully the surprise will make up for the need to lie.

Furthermore, it was also a good thing Levi had a deep trust in him. If he pried into it, Eren probably would’ve crumbled under the pressure of it all and end up spilling the truth. He was not a good liar. His tone didn’t change, but his ears turned red and he fidgeted with his collar.

So at this point in time, it was to Levi’s knowledge that his boyfriend would be away for several days, and that all his employees were on vacation somewhere.

In reality, Eren’s been spending the nights at Erwin’s and Armin’s apartment. That was also where they baked and decorated the main cake together.

Well… Eren was pretty useless in the kitchen, and even more so when baking was the playing field. So, he did the prep work and allowed Erwin and Armin to bake the cake. He did make sure to take on decorating, at least.

Armin was arranging plates and cutlery near the cake at the center of the floor. He also laid out the lighter. “Yup. Looks good,” he confirmed.

He joined Eren, who was checking his notes quietly and making his way around the floor. “Eren. You’re so quiet. This is supposed to be fun, remember?”

“I’m aiming to please,” Eren confessed. “Everyone put so much work and energy into this that the fact that I don’t know how Levi is gonna react is stressing me out.”

“Don’t stress out. Okay, worst case scenario, he doesn’t like it,” Armin said candidly. “But at least you could say it wasn’t for a lack of trying. Levi has a soft spot for you, anyway. I doubt he’ll dislike this. Besides, who doesn’t like cake?” Armin pointed to the wide array of treats that they got catered.

Eren laughed dryly.

“Anyway, Eren, my point is: relax. You’re supposed to be our heliocentric host. If you’re down, the energy of the room just isn’t right. I want my best friend. The happy idiot. Where is he?” Armin poked Eren’s side. “Where is he?” He poked once more, this time in the crook of Eren’s neck. Both their grins widened. “Where is he?”

Eren pursed his lips and allowed Armin to get his kicks in before taking his smaller blond friend under his armpit for an aggressive hair ruffle.

“Erwiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnn!!!” Armin squealed. He was happy that he managed to get Eren to give that wolfish laugh of his, but being stuck in his armpit was not pleasant at all. He needed to be saved.

Erwin made his way over with a small smile. “Eren, kindly stop harassing my boyfriend.”

Eren let go of Armin regretfully, still smiling.

Armin went to Erwin’s side to catch his breath and fix his hair. But he continued staring at Eren mischievously.

“Besides,” Erwin told Eren with a beam, “we’re about to make the call.”

“Oh, shit.” Eren forced himself to breathe. “Okay.” He strode to the center of the floor and called out. “Everyone, be quiet!! Erwin’s about to make the call!”

Everyone hushed and listened in.

Erwin dialed and waited.

“Erwin.”

“Levi. If you’re not doing anything right now, would you like to meet me in the office? We can discuss some of the events happening after New Year’s. I bought drinks, too.”

The executives seemed in awe. This is how CEOs spoke to each other.

Erwin expected a yes. They did this almost every year, anyway. Working in a happy buzz was a loose tradition.

“…Alright. I just finished a workout. I’ll get dressed and I’ll be right over.”

“Excellent. I’m looking forward to it.” Erwin smiled at everyone listening to the conversation. The plan was a-go!

“Wait.” Levi’s voice brought his attention again.

Erwin’s heart panged for a second. Of course Levi had to realize that today was his birthday. Did he suddenly become suspicious about the meeting!?

“Yes?”

“…Did you bring my favorite?” Levi wondered.

Erwin almost sighed from relief. That was really damn close. His smile was evident in his voice: “Your Van Winkle 23 Year Whiskey. Of course. Anything less would be a travesty.”

“Now it’s a good time,” Levi agreed. “I’ll see you shortly.”

Everyone made sure to stay silent until Erwin ended the call. “A $2500 bottle of alcohol is enough to get that man to do anything,” he stated.

Now, a jaw-dropping price like that used to make Eren and Armin flinch. But now, it was pocket money for their filthy rich boyfriends if either of them were concerned.

“Okay. So assuming it’ll take him 15 minutes to dress, he’ll be here in 45,” Eren crunched the numbers. “Everyone make sure your gifts are perfect. And listen for my voice!”

-

It was a painstaking 45 minutes. Eren was praying to God that everything would go how he played out in his head.

The parking lot was not visible from any of the offices on this floor, which made the wait that much more insufferable. Levi could walk in quite literally any minute now and they would need to be ready for it.

Eren checked the time on his phone. “Okay, everyone. He should be here within five minutes! Turn down the lights!”

Erwin went over to a specific padlock and dimmed the lights. Everyone sat at the furthest edge of the floor.

Levi parked his Aston in his usual spot, next to Erwin’s Bentley. The far ends of the parking lot had some cars, but he just assumed that the custodians were doing last-minute deep-cleaning or people in the neighboring buildings took advantage of Survey Corp’s gorgeously cleaned and smooth lot. Much like everything about the company, the parking lot was done to perfection. It was lined with meticulously trimmed bushes during the warmer months, and during the cozier months, the landscapers hung up silver lights on the surrounding, evenly spaced-out trees. Levi even considered renovating to have a covered parking structure for convenience, but what they had now was still beautiful.

He entered the building, and Petra’s empty desk and the lack of sound in his lobby was a bit strange at first.

But he found himself being rather joyful. There was an odd sort of peace of being alone with Erwin in this huge building. He enjoyed sharing drinks together at the top floor and Erwin always had a fantastic selection lined up. This time of year was when they’d reflect on past successes and talked about their goals for next year.

And Erwin brought his favorite whiskey. It made Levi all giddy and excited inside. It didn’t quite replace Eren, but it was a distant second.

He entered the elevator and selected the button for the top floor. He could see that the custodial team did a great job of polishing the wood surfaces and the smooth metal holding bar in the interior.

The familiar soft _ding!_ of the elevator signaled his arrival to the top floor. He stepped out and looked down to take his gloves off when—

“SURPRISE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

For once in his entire life, Levi Ackerman looked honestly and truly caught off-guard.

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LEVI!” everyone sang.

Levi was still recovering from his shock when his favorite boy stepped out from somewhere.

Eren came over and took him into a hug. “Happy birthday, my love.”

Everyone else stepped out, too. Levi realized it was basically all his executives, including Petra and Mike.

Levi took Eren’s waist so that they were side-by-side. “…Did you plan all this, Eren?”

“Yeah, it was my idea.”

Levi smiled. A genuine, full smile. “You shouldn’t have. Thank you.” He seemed a bit at a loss for words, so instead he pulled Eren closer to kiss him on the cheek.

“Awww…” everyone gushed upon the sight.

Levi looked at all of them and stepped forward. His smile never left. “And you all,” his tone had an authoritative edge. “I give you three weeks paid vacation, and you all come right back here.”

Everyone laughed.

He looked around. They really did go all out. Black and silver balloons twisted across the wall in clean arches. In the far wall, shiny, holographic balloons held down by weights spelled out “HAPPY BIRTHDAY LEVI”.

He did have an affinity for black and silver. Eren knew him so well.

And on the tables pushed against the sides of the floors, dozens and dozens of sweets and champagne.

In the table nearest to him were wrapped boxes and tissued bags. He pursed his lips. “You guys did gifts…” he didn’t seem angry nor pleased. “You shouldn’t have,” he said to no one in particular. “I.. don’t deserve this.”

“Yes, you do,” Erwin spoke up. He stepped forward and presented one part of his own gift, Levi’s favorite bottle of Van Winkle, with a silver ribbon wrapped around the neck.

“Erwin.” Levi didn’t know what to say. Words failed him. He already discussed his distaste for having his birthday celebrated in the past, but when he was informed that Eren had planned this whole thing by himself and all his executives decided to attend despite being on vacation… well, he was pleasantly overwhelmed.

They embraced quietly, and Erwin clapped his free hand firmly against the swell of his back. “It’s not so bad, right?” Erwin said lowly, just between them. “Give it a chance. Eren planned this.”

“I will,” Levi mumbled just as low. They separated from the hug.

Armin smiled. “We made you a cake, too, Levi! Come have a look!”

Levi followed him to a gorgeous, two-story circular cake. It had precise black and navy stripes against white frosting, monochrome fondant, and an edible ribbon on the corners. A ‘3’ and ‘6’ candle were inserted on top, and beneath in sloppy but heartfelt icing: _Happy B-Day, Hubs!!_

Levi smiled. That was clearly Eren.

“This is a beautiful cake. What flavor is it?”

“German chocolate and pecan,” Armin said.

“That sounds absolutely delicious. Thank you for baking this, Armin. I can’t wait to try it.”

“..How do you know I was the one that baked it?”

“Because Eren is a bull in a china shop when it comes to the culinary arts,” he admitted.

“True,” Eren hugged Levi from behind, resting his chin on his shoulder. “But I’ve made leaps and bounds.”

“That you have, sweetness.”

“Wait!” Eren exclaimed, and all attention in the room was on him again. “Before we forget, we gotta keep it ol-fashioned! Let’s sing for my man!”

“Oh, Jesus,” Levi muttered a bit humbly.

“Haaaaaa~” Eren started and ushered his hands for everyone to join in, “-ppy biiirthdayyy toooo youuu!”

Levi didn’t know what to do during the song. He watched Erwin light the candles and he felt Eren hold his shoulders while everyone sang.

“Happy BIRTHday, dear Leeeeeeeeeeviiiii~” everyone drew out, and where everyone said “Levi”, Eren sang “Hubby-Bubby”.

“HAAAAAAppy birthday to youuuuuuuuu~” The song concluded and everyone clapped and cheered happily.

Eren massaged his shoulders and leaned down to Levi’s ear. “Make a wish,” he prompted.

Levi closed his eyes and thought about it. The heat from the candles warmed his face and soul. The floor went quiet.

He had everything. The best job, the best friends, the best secretary and executives, the best views and cars and whiskey, the best boyfriend and future in-laws. His life was near perfect. What else more could he want?

He searched his heart and found one more thing he wanted fulfilled. It was a bit redundant considering the rate things were going but…

He stated the wish in his mind before opening his eyes and blowing out the two candles.

“Yayyy!” Eren clapped again.

“Time to eat cake!!” Hange took hold of the knife with just a bit too much enthusiasm in her eyes. “I’ll cut!”

Petra was telling Levi something, and Eren scouted the floor quickly. _Good, everyone seemed happy._ And more importantly, Levi seemed to be embracing his newfound attention. It warmed Eren’s heart.

The distant elevator dinged and two more people came in.

“Aw, we didn’t miss much, did we!?” Isabel called.

Levi turned and immediately in his arms he found his red-headed childhood friend. “Oh, my. I didn’t know you two would be coming.” He chuckled and stroked Isabel’s hair softly.

Farlan finally pulled her off—she seemed to be enjoying herself too much while hugging Levi. He went in for a tight embrace. “Have we ever forgotten your birthday, Punchy?”

Levi laughed. No, Farlan spoke the truth. Even with how much they traveled, Isabel and Farlan always made it a point to do something for his birthday. And like Eren, they treated the birthday and Christmas as two separate entities: careful not to mesh the two together; not taking the lazy way out.

“I wouldn’t think you’d start now,” Levi agreed happily.

Farlan took Levi at arm’s length and gave his shoulders a quick massage. “And yet, you don’t age at all, my friend. You’re stuck in time.”

“Oi. Do you think I don’t get enough vampire jokes from Eren?”

Farlan grinned. “I’d assume. You’re the ideal man.”

“Where do we put gifts?” Isabel wondered out loud. She took hers and Farlan’s boxes and placed them along with others.

Eren came and pulled Levi away for a little bit. “And you’re just looking like an absolute treat today.” He eyed Levi’s dark navy micro-patterned suit; a matching handkerchief tucked into the front breastpocket, and perfectly form-fitted to show off Levi’s stout but gloriously muscular body.

“If you keep laying the honey on me like that, I don’t know how I’m going to act,” Levi warned with a smile.

“Had we not been surrounded by people, I would’ve tackled you to the floor already,” Eren held him close.

“In due time, my love.”

\--

Now that everyone had a slice, the floor was filled with happy chatter and Armin was basking in the glory of everyone praising his baking skills. He was bashful, but not-so-secretly loving the attention. Erwin was proud of him, too.

Eren even got to meet Mike’s wife Nanaba. She had a very kind but determined personality. She and Mike were perfect for each other.

But now, Eren had a seat next to Levi. And he very lovingly fed Levi his cake. Chocolate was the man’s guilty pleasure, anyway.

“How is it?” 

“It’s wonderful,” Levi said between chews. “It’s so rich.”

“I’m so glad to hear it.” Eren smiled. He massaged Levi’s thigh soothingly.

“Eren, I thought you said you’d be at your parents’ house for Christmas?”

“I had to lie to you to make this whole thing work,” Eren explained with a pout, and he ran his fingers through soft jet-black locks. “But I think it was worth it. And anyway,” he portioned another piece of cake with the fork, “ _as if_ my parents would even let me come home without you. You’re part of the family. My mom would send my ass right back out if you weren’t at my side.”

Levi laughed. The truth is, even though the theme of their relationship was “no secrets”, he was holding one of his own.

“Erwin told me you hated celebrating your birthday, but I just wanted to do something special for you,” Eren said. “I love celebrating my man. I hope this was at least a little enjoyable.”

Levi met their eyes more intensely. “Eren, my dearest, I absolutely loved it. I mean that. Thank you for planning and putting this together. I’m blessed to have such a loving boyfriend.”

Eren couldn’t help but blush a little. “Levi. That makes me so happy you said that. Kiss me.”

Levi leaned forward and met Eren’s puckered lips.

“You taste like chocolate,” Eren muttered lowly.

“German chocolate, I’ve been told,” Levi muttered back. He went in for another kiss.

“Mm.”

“I think I prefer a different kind of German chocolate,” Levi smirked.

“I got all the sugar you want, baby,” Eren whispered shyly.

“Are you flirting with me, Eren?”

“You flirted with me first, heartbreaker.” Eren hid the next smooch with a raised hand to block out onlookers.

“I did, didn’t I?”

When they realized where they were—still technically in public and not in the privacy of the apartment, they separated with the reluctance of two compatible magnets.

“Let’s finish your cake,” Eren said.

\--

Eren was glad the birthday bash was such a hit, as casual and low-energy as it was. He wanted to ease Levi into the idea of celebrating his birthday, and that meant not going all the way out—like taking Levi to a strip club like Kenny did for his 21st, or otherwise.

Sometimes all you need is cake and good company.

Slowly one by one, the crowd began taking their leaves, making sure to personally wish Levi the best birthday and a Merry Christmas before they left. Levi made sure to thank everyone back for showing up and for their gifts, as well carving time out of their own work vacations to be here.

It was regretful to tear down the decorations and push back the tables to where they were. But Levi said it was imperative that they properly pack the party back up because he didn’t want to add more to the custodial team’s workload.

Even during his birthday, Levi managed to think about others.

Eren hugged Armin tight. “Thank you so much for letting me stay and baking that bomb-ass cake. This party couldn’t have happened without you.”

Armin patted Eren’s back. “Aw, it was no problem. We loved having you over. And honestly, I needed to work on my pastry skills anyway. This party wouldn’t even have happened if you hadn’t stepped up and tackled it head-on. I admire you for that.”

Eren went to Erwin next, right from behind and clapped his hands on his shoulders.

Erwin turned and smiled.

“Erwin, thanks for helping me plan this. Levi said he had a great time. I couldn’t have done it without you.”

“The pleasure was mine, Eren. I enjoyed being part of the process. And we enjoyed having you over. Don’t be a stranger.”

Eren felt grateful he had such great people in his life.

When he went back over to the birthday man, he was still speaking to Farlan.

“We have an event tonight, but we’ll come to the apartment soon, alright? Happy birthday.” Farlan took Levi in for a tight, intimately firm hug before speaking into the top of his hair. “And Merry Christmas. I don’t want to hear that you’re working. Have fun with the boyfriend. Let your hair down.”

“I will,” Levi clapped Farlan’s back several times before they separated.

Next was Isabel’s turn. “Leeeviii~” she took his face and lay kisses on each of his cheeks. “You get more and more handsome every year.”

Levi chuckled from the flattery. “Thank you, Izz.”

“Farlan might’ve told you already, but we’ll stop by after Christmas. In the meantime, take a load off, alright? Relax and pamper yourself. And enjoy the boyfriend’s company. Eren’s probably deprived from his short, workaholic man vitamins.”

“Oi,” Levi warned, but he couldn’t stop smiling.

“Merry Christmas,” she grinned, and after giving Eren their good-byes, she and Farlan took their leave.

Now that Armin and Erwin left the building, all that remained were Eren and Levi in the top floor.

“It’s time for the birthday man to have lunch,” Eren said. “I found a place, and it’s my treat.”

Levi closed the distance between them. “Can’t I eat you instead?” he pinched Eren’s cheek softly.

“You can, but later. I want to rip you out of that suit and eat you, too.”

Levi trailed his hands down Eren’s form to take a handful of ass and squeeze it playfully, earning him a breathy gasp.

“But lunch first,” Eren finalized.


	84. Under Wraps

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another installment! Continuing a very special day ;)
> 
> (Please leave me a comment after reading! Your comments make my day! <3 )

Back at the apartment, Eren wanted to get on with presents.

But first and foremost, he pulled out a shopping bag: “Levi, I got us matching ugly sweaters!”

Levi took his, embracing the corny reindeer print splayed across the chest and the snowflakes and tree lights embellishing the navy cable knit fabric.

Eren got Levi one size larger than his own, because even though he was the one with longer limbs, Levi’s pure muscle mass alone warranted for bigger sizes.

Eren popped his head out threw the top, and now he was ready to proceed with presents. “I’m baffled how you still look good in something that’s meant to be ugly as hell.”

“You’re way too kind to me,” Levi said. In reality, Eren looked pretty cute in his sweater, too. “You’ll have to be a bit lenient with me today. I’m not too familiar with Christmas traditions.”

“How did you and Uncle Kenny do it when you were younger?”

“We didn’t do much. Kenny would buy me presents. Usually one item for my birthday and one item for Christmas. Admittedly, I didn’t want for much during the holidays because whenever I wanted something new during the year, he would buy it for me with no questions. Then during the evening we’d go to dinner. We weren’t too festive.”

Eren listened intently. “What kind of things did you want back then?”

Levi thought about it for a second. “New game systems… I enjoyed a new pair of boxing gloves, or a new punching bag. Sometimes I even asked for new music players.”

“Does Uncle Kenny still come around every year? Or was that just while you were growing up?”

“During my adulthood he’d still come by. I think it’s the only time of the year we see each other consistently. I wouldn’t be surprised if he came by tonight.”

“Ohhh,” Eren loved learning new things about Levi. He had a very strong, loving family, so when he talked to people like Levi and Armin who had only one family member, as well as Mikasa, it was a bit of culture shock.

Luckily all these people were part of his own family now, so it was time to make new traditions.

“What about you, Eren? How has your family celebrated in the past?”

“In the morning, we’d open presents together,” Eren explained. “Then my mom would make a huuuge breakfast, and we’d start a Christmas movie marathon. Then, we’d make gingerbread men and drink cocoa!”

Levi’s heart warmed, and he kept listening.

“And then my mom always said it was important to give to those who don’t have the same opportunities as us, so we’d spend a few hours making goodie bags and then drive them over to an elementary school in a lower-income city. Because a lot of the kids didn’t have healthy homes, they actually stayed in schools over break. They were always so happy when we brought gifts.”

“That is incredibly thoughtful.” Levi found himself falling in love with this boy all over again.

“It was my mom’s idea, but I have to admit it was a great bonding activity. My dad would make them so fast,” Eren laughed. “He’d take the bags and he was just a _packing factory_ putting the treats inside. We made it kind of like a race.”

“I can’t imagine your father like that,” Levi smiled, too.

“Me, neither! That’s what makes it so funny! He’s super competitive like me but he doesn’t show it. I always saw a different side of him when we made goodie bags. He’s so funny, but his profession makes him suppress it. But I know what he’s really like.”

“Different situations make for different demeanors,” Levi agreed.

“And finally, we’d end the day by going to dinner. My dad would always pick a really nice restaurant and we’d take pictures. At night, my mom doesn’t like it when people sleep in the living room, but I’d always fall asleep in my dad’s arms while watching movies. Christmas is the only day my mom would just leave us there.”

“Your family is so sweet, Eren. Christmas sounds like a great time with them.”

“ _Our_ family,” Eren corrected. “My parents are going to be your in-laws eventually,” he grinned. “And since your birthday also falls on Christmas, we’ll have that much more to celebrate. You’ll see, when we go back to the house tomorrow, you’ll have a blast. And we’ll even see Mikasa and I’m sure Armin and Erwin are invited, too. It’ll be like Thanksgiving but better.”

Eren crawled forward. “But now, we gotta get our holiday lovin’ on~.” He held Levi’s chin and kissed him tenderly.

“We’ll do yours first,” Eren said.

Levi didn’t even know he got more presents. The ones from the surprise birthday party alone were more than enough for him.

“Eren, babe, you didn’t have to,” Levi started when he saw Eren dig through his own gifts for some bags and boxes.

“Nonsense, my dear,” Eren shook his head with a smile. “You spoil me, I want to at least reciprocate. It’s a crime not to get any presents on a day like today.”

“What did you go and do now?” Levi eyed his gifts.

“Open them!”

Levi opened the smallest bag first. It was a bit heavy and the bag was stuffed in blue tissue paper. He tore through and found a mug.

Written in bold lettering along the side: _World’s #1 Husband_

Levi laughed richly. He turned the mug in his hands.

“It’ll be perfect for your daily tea,” Eren grinned.

“Eren, I love this. You always make me so happy.”

“That’s not even the tip of the iceberg! Keep going!”

The next was a bag from a designer brand that was distantly familiar. The name was French. Eren must’ve bought this one while they were in Paris.

He took out a luxuriously rich and thick winter scarf- the color was a fine pattern of charcoal and black. Even to the touch it beckoned warmth and coziness.

“Wow..” Levi felt the fabric up in his hands, then he pressed it against his face.

“I tried to get a color that matched most of your outfits,” Eren explained.

“Mmm..” Levi rubbed the fabric against his cheek absentmindedly.

“I’m starting to feel a bit jealous of that scarf now,” Eren giggled at the sight of Levi obsessing over the material.

“This is perfect, Eren. I’ve been meaning to get a good scarf. I absolutely love it.”

“Good. Keep going!”

He pulled out a box from probably one of, if not his _most_ favorite brand.

“Rolex,” Levi couldn’t hide his excitement.

“I had to take a picture of your collection to see which one you didn’t have,” Eren admitted. “I know how happy they make you. Erwin told me you love them.”

“I do.” Levi opened it up and it was almost as if holding a new child. The body was a rich, sleek black and the plating within the face was a stunning silver.

Eren knew Levi loved silver.

Levi couldn’t stop smiling, and he came to a realization. “This matches my scarf,” he placed the watch on top of the fabric. “Did you do that on purpose?”

Eren smiled. “Of course I did. Actually,” he held up the big bag with the Parisian brand that contained all the gifts thus far, “everything in this bag matches each other.”

“Eren, I need to pause for a second. I’m absolutely speechless at how much thought you’ve put into this. I’m overwhelmed. Thank you, sweetheart.”

Eren came closer to hold Levi’s face and placed a loving smooch on the cheek. “You’re welcome. I love you so very much, boo-boo. Now keep going.”

Levi happily continued. The next box was a rectangular and professionally wrapped.

He tore through it to reveal a gorgeous pair of perfectly round designer sunglasses with a straight metal brow bar and bold black frames. They were so vintage and handsome.

“Eren, this is beautiful pair. I don’t have anything like it. It’s not my usual style but I have to admit I’m very excited to wear them.”

“I took a picture of your sunglasses collection, too. I noticed you had a lot of aviators so it was high time for something new.”

Levi put them on and turned on the front-facing camera on his phone. He seemed very happy with them.

“So, so handsome,” Eren encouraged.

“I absolutely love them. In fashion as in life, you’ve always brought me out of my shell.”

“That’s my job!”

Levi kept his new shades on as he continued.

The final thing in the bag was a traditional manila envelope.

Now Levi was really curious.

He tenderly undid the clasp and pulled out the first thing his fingers touched. It was a small card.

Upon taking a closer look, it was an appointment card for a new men’s grooming store for a shoe shining appointment.

Eren also knew Levi was a classic man that loved having his shoes polished the old-fashioned way.

“Ah, wow…” Levi smiled. “Eren, this is great.”

The next thing in the envelope seemed to be heavier paper, almost like cardstock.

Levi pulled out… a drawing.

He took off his sunglasses to admire it further.

It was… himself. From behind—a gorgeous ink-pen sketch of Levi’s back. He seemed to be stretching, running his fingers through his own hair. Every cord of muscle and square inch of micro-scarred skin and beautifully mature skin; Eren seemed to capture it all. Not a detail was spared.

Underneath the drawing was a quick message:

_For the most beautiful man in the universe._

_-E_

Levi knew Eren was a bit shy about his art skills, usually leaving his talent behind closed and hidden sketchbooks… but this was un _real_.

“Eren… I’m—I’m at a loss for words. I-I’m…”

It was the first time Eren saw Levi tongue-tied like that. “…Do you like it?”

“This is the most exquisite piece of art I’ve ever seen. And to think my baby drew this. I’m so honored you hold me on such a pedestal.”

Levi kept staring at it, resting his chin in his hand as he did so. “The fact that your art isn’t in every museum should be illegal. We need to share your talent, lovebug.”

Eren found his way to Levi’s side. “Aw, don’t say that,” he giggled. “I’m still kind of nervous about showing my art. I didn’t even like showing my parents my work when I took art class in high school. You’re the only one I’ll willingly show.”

“Well, then, I’ll cherish that honor,” Levi took Eren’s head closer and kissed it. “I’ll hang this up in my office. I’m a sucker for your art.”

“I’m a sucker for you in general,” Eren said. He separated and prepared for round two. The presents before this point were for the birthday aspect of today. The next gifts were for Christmas. “I’ll be back!”

He ran to his room to pull out the rest of Levi’s presents from his closet.

He returned with a bag in one hand and an apparatus in the other.

“So… I know my man loves cleaning,” Eren started. He sat and pulled something out of the bag. It was a package of multi-colored dishwashing gloves. It was the kind Levi always wore when he scrubbed around the apartment.

Levi took them with a smile.

“You always wear just plain yellow. Time to shake it up,” Eren explained.

“Very thoughtful,” Levi agreed.

“I went to an aromatherapy shop and they recommended me new incense for you.” Eren showed Levi the various kits.

“…And finally,” Eren said, he reached in and pulled out: “your favorite chocolate!”

“Eren, I love you with all my heart,” Levi took the stack of rare chocolate bars, “but I’m convinced you’re trying to make me fat.”

Eren seemed unbothered. “We need to offset those huge muscles with something. Besides, if you get fat, I’ll have more to hold at night.”

Levi laughed. “So that’s how you feel?”

“That’s how I feel, big boy.”

“If I get diabetes, I don’t know if it’ll be from all this chocolate I have now, or how sweet you are, Eren.”

“Mmm.. both, probably.” Eren picked up the gadget that was too large to hide beneath the tree. This gift needed some preface, anyway. “I always see you on the floor when you clean. You probably think it gives a closer clean, but I want to get you off your hands and knees, Papa.”

Levi held the mop thing and inspected it.

“I went to an appliance store and asked for something that can clean floors thoroughly but easily. They said this one was the crème de la crème.”

Instead of using a usual mop, Levi usually got down to the floor and scrubbed prints off the floor by hand. Though he could very well afford it, he never hired a cleaner for the apartment. Cleanliness was a responsibility he took on a personal level.

And as much as Eren loved a man that wasn’t afraid to get dirty on his hands and knees, and as much as he loved seeing Levi’s back and biceps flex while he vigorously scrubbed things, all that contact couldn’t have been good for his knees, or back. Since Levi liked to do all the cleaning tasks himself, Eren wanted to at least help.

“Eren, this is such a good idea. I’m excited to give it a try. You really do think of everything. Thank you.”

Eren grinned. He was elated Levi was so receptive to his gifts.

“Come here and give me a big hug, sweetheart.”

Eren crawled over into open arms and embraced as tight as he could.

“Thank you for giving me the best birthday and Christmas ever. I love you so much,” Levi whispered lowly.

“Aww, you’re welcome. I love shopping for you.” He ran his fingers through Levi’s locks before separated once more. And Eren didn’t mention it, but he made sure to get every one of Levi gifts with the money he earned at the coffee shop. It just made him personally feel better about the whole thing. That account of his was untouched otherwise.

It’s not like Levi would’ve cared which account he used. He was elated Eren made the effort at all. And all his money was Eren’s as far as he was concerned.

“Oh, one more thing!”

Eren dug into his own gifts under the tree for an enveloped card. Written on the front was: _A Triple Threat for Mister Levi Ackerman_.

“A ‘Triple Threat’?” Levi asked amusedly.

“It’s a love letter, birthday message, and Christmas card all in one. Don’t read it now. Read it later.”

“Why can’t I read it now?”

“Read it... before you go to bed tonight. I like giving you something to look forward to.”

“Understood. I’m very excited to see what my poet of a boyfriend came up with.”

“Shakespeare’s got nothin’ on me,” Eren grinned and leaned forward to touch their noses together.

“I think Shakespeare was a playwright, not a poet,” Levi corrected gently.

“Semantics, boo,” Eren purred lowly, unbothered, and he met their lips firmly.

Levi chuckled into the smooch and scooped Eren up into his arms to continue their kisses while rolling on the floor.

\--

Eren said he would open his gifts on his own time later. It would take him a good handful of hours to get through them all, so he didn’t want to waste the day doing so.

But, Levi said he had one particular gift that he’d like for Eren to see now.

“Where is it?”

“It’s too big to hide underneath the tree” was the only hint Levi gave.

And, to make it even more dramatic, Levi used the same blindfold from their bondage scene in Paris to aid to Eren’s surprise.

He already told the receptionists of his plan, so they wouldn’t be surprised to a man walk Eren out of the building in blinds. Though, that would be a humorous scene.

They were down the elevator now. Eren should’ve been nervous, but the trust he had in Levi only warranted a light grip on his bicep.

When they walked by the receptionist’s desk, Stephanie winked at Levi. She knew exactly what was going on.

“Levi, I didn’t know you were into sensory deprivation…” Eren mused with a mischievous little grin. “That’s kinda hot…”

“Eren,” Levi chuckled. “Hush.”

Eren’s stride was a bit awkward, since he couldn’t see his path. Suddenly, he noticed a familiar temperature drop.

“Where are we?” Eren wondered. The air around him seemed to echo.

“In due time, lovebug.”

“Are you taking me to sex dungeon? Because I’m completely okay with that.”

“What in the world will I do with you?” Levi sighed lightly, but Eren couldn’t see the smile on his own lips.

Finally, they came to a stop, and Levi toyed with Eren’s blindfold, not quite removing it.

Eren reached to touch Levi’s body. “All of a sudden I’m super nervous. I don’t know what to expect.”

“Why are you nervous? Is this the same boy who was looking forward to a sex dungeon experience a few minutes ago?”

Eren laughed lightly. “I’m _mercurial_.” And with a proud smile: “I learned that word this week.”

“Did you, now?” Levi asked, still toying with the knot on Eren’s blindfold.

“Leeeviii. You’re killing me here.”

“I’m a bit sadistic. I kind of enjoy feeding off your energy.”

“You’re such a vampire.”

“Oi. Is that any way to talk to your eyes?”

“No, no! I take it back. I want to get it over with.”

“Hm, that’s what I thought. Okay, I’m taking them off in 3……2…..1…..”

Eren blinked a couple times to adjust to the light and as soon as his eyes focused on the subject before him, his knees went slack and he hung onto Levi for support.

It was a stunning electric blue Lamborghini, its shine blinding and its sleekness overpowering all the surrounding cars in the garage.

“Merry Christmas, sweetheart.”

Eren only got an eyeful for a second before he turned away in his shock and began screaming.

“YOU GOT ME A LAMBO!?!? OH, MY GOD, OHMYGOD, OHMYGOD, OHMYGOD, LEVIIIIIII!”

Levi, who despite thinking he’s experienced all of his self-proclaimed mercurial boyfriend’s range of emotions, has never seen Eren this excited and out of control.

“THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU!!!!!” Eren jumped up and down like an overpowered battery.

Levi chuckled and attempted to hold Eren to contain him. “You’re very welcome, babe.”

Eren went in for an extremely tight hug. And he screwed his eyes shut.

“Are you going to take a closer look at it..?” Levi wondered amusedly, but he stroked Eren’s hair anyway.

“If I look at it, it becomes way too real,” Eren whispered. “And I’m kind of in denial.”

“Don’t be in denial, it’s all yours.”

“Leviiiii. What the hell. I don’t deserve this.”

“Nonsense. Go take a look at it.” Levi punctuated his sentence by giving Eren’s butt a playful swat and a firm squeeze, respectively.

Eren giggled and finally let go to inspect his new toy.

As he gingerly walked closer to it, he damn near squealed like a little girl. His heart was rushing. It was like lifting the veil off a bride-to-be.

For good measure, Levi placed an obnoxiously large silver gift-topper on the hood of the car. Eren shook his head at how extra his man was becoming.

Much like when Levi showed him the Aston when they first saw it in the coffee shop back when they met, Eren circled the car with a bit of a bashful blush, and he ran his fingers along the surface. The touch made the experience real.

“We’ll get along just fine, gorgeous,” Eren whispered to his new ride.

“Oi. I think I’m starting to get jealous of your car,” Levi said when he overheard the confession.

“Levi, my love, I think of myself as a very frugal and simple man,” Eren began explaining. “I enjoy the finer things in life—like a good cup of coffee, a cuddle session, being in my husband’s arms…. But this? This is impossible to beat. What’s the model?”

“It’s a Lamborghini Aventador SV Roadster.”

Eren went back over to Levi, into arms that were already open and ready.

“Thank you so much for this,” Eren said sincerely. “I absolutely love my new car. You’ve given me the best present of my life.” He lay a grateful kiss on Levi’s cheek.

Levi, no matter how many kisses he received from Eren, was always reduced to humble fool with each one. “It was my pleasure. Your reaction was a present in itself. One more kiss for me?”

Eren grinned and placed another kiss on Levi’s cheek, a bit wetter and with more suction this time.

 _You’re sweeter than honey._ “Mmm…” Levi shut his eyes and smiled. “Perfect.”

“Did you tell my parents about this? My dad thinks you spoil me enough already.”

“I did, and Grisha told me the same thing. But I argued that it was a special occasion and I really wanted to pull all the stops. We finally came to an understanding.”

“Where’s my old car?” Eren wondered.

“I figured it had sentimental value to you, so it’s still here. We can drive it over to your parents’ house later.”

“Aww…Levi. You think of everything. Blue is my favorite color.”

“Of course I knew that,” Levi touched Eren’s chin tenderly. He produced a key from his pocket, its chain bare and teeming with possibilities for Eren. “Want to give her a spin?”

“Only if you come with me.”

“Absolutely.”

Eren took the keys and unlocked the car with a click of a button. “If you wanna be the best, you gotta drive the best, am I right, Levi?” he announced theatrically.

But Levi knew that even when Eren made jokes like that, he still remained humble and grateful for all that he had. It was actually one Eren’s qualities that he fell in love with.

“Exactly,” Levi agreed.

It was Eren’s first time having a car that had doors that lifted upward instead of opened outward traditionally. It was all still a dream, still a dream, and it was a dream that he didn’t want to end.

“Where to, Monsieur Ackerman?” Eren gripped the wheel, well, more like _groped_ the wheel in exhilaration.

Levi chuckled at the title, and he put on the sunglasses he received earlier. “Surprise me, Herr Jaeger.” He figured they could be culturally accurate based on nationality. The exchange actually reminded him of one of their French-speaking practices before going to Paris:

_“Levi, if we ever have kids, I want them to be trilingual.”_

_“You’re already thinking about kids, Eren? Let’s get married first.”_

_“Never hurts to think ahead, hubs. They’ll be the most gorgeous kids in the world. They’ll have your beautiful shiny black hair, and pure skin.”_

_Levi had laughed. “We can’t have children biologically, dear. Because we both have penises, it’s a bit incompatible. Your father is a doctor, so you already knew that, hm?”_

_“Yeah…” Eren grinned. “I know, but a man can dream.”_

_“But if we’re talking hypothetically,” Levi said, “I’d like for our kids to have your beautiful green eyes and your eyebrows. And especially your height.”_

_That last statement made Eren laugh._

After that conversation, they ended up having the long-anticipated children conversation that most couples had. Levi was indifferent to children. He figured balancing his work life and being with Eren was enough of a feat, so he didn’t really see adopting children in his future.

Eren was also a bit indifferent; he wasn’t totally dead-set on kids, but the idea of starting a small family with Levi was appealing. He candidly said he would rather have pets.

And here they were now, zooming through the wintry streets of Trost, Eren steadily climbing over the speed limit to feel the rush while Levi tried to rein him in—“Eren! Slow down or you’ll total your car on the first day.”

But Eren was carefree and happy and, despite his impeding heart attack over Eren’s driving habits, Levi was in the clouds, too.

\--

At home, Eren fixed Levi an outrageously strong cup of tea in his new “World’s #1 Husband” mug. Double-steeped, triple portioned. They had to see what the secrets of the ornaments were.

Eren turned the tree around to showcase each one.

There was nothing better than this, Levi thought as he took a sip. Sitting on the couch after a long day… a cup of black tea in hand… his boyfriend chatting away in front of him, the apartment extra warm from the electric heater near the tree and the Christmas decorations… he couldn’t really think of a time he was more relaxed than this.

“I’ve been meaning to ask you what this one meant,” Eren lifted the bird ornament off the tree with his fingers. “I couldn’t figure it out for the life of me.”

“Mmm… that one was a little less clear-cut than the others,” Levi explained. “You’re incredibly complex. Sometimes I have a playful monkey of a boyfriend. Sometimes I have a tongue-happy puppy of a boyfriend.”

Eren grinned.

“But I think you’re… similar to a bird, Eren. You’re optimistic and seek better winds. You want to be free to explore, but you like having a nest to go home to. You want to make it on your own. And I enjoy watching you take flight.”

Eren was surprised this little bird ornament had so much thought into it. Levi was able to guess most of the ornaments chosen for him. There was the money-stuffed suitcase, the married couple-complete with the groom and white-clad bride, the Dracula ornament Eren got quite the chuckle out of (“Ha, ha,” Levi told Eren sarcastically), and the teacup ornament, among others.

“Aw, Levi,” Eren rubbed his arm up and down. “You’re so nice to me.”

“How can I be anything less to you?” Levi asked. “Come here and give me a squeeze.”

Eren made his way over and cuddled close to the man, wrapping his arms tight around Levi’s torso. Levi lay a smooch on top of his chocolate locks.

Eren looked up. “Which one was your favorite?”

“Mm.. those boxing gloves might take the crown. What about yours?”

“I like… the coffee mug the most. Even though I’m the sweetest guy in the world in the morning, with or without coffee.”

“Is that what you think?” Levi smiled. “I beg to differ.”

“Don’t lie, Levi! I’m a treat.”

“You punch and kick me when I try to wake you up for morning events. Luckily I’m trained to defend myself.”

“Liar!” Eren seemed exasperated.

“Or if you’re not bordering violent,” Levi kept going, “you’re completely silent. That Eren is a bit easier to deal with, though.”

“What to do when your man is a liar…?” Eren muttered to himself, and he smiled into Levi’s body.

“I wish I was kidding. Caffeine is like your battery and tranquilizer all in one. I have it all figured out.”

“What’s your vice, Levi?” Eren lifted his head once more to ask. “Song, women, drink...?”

Levi laughed out loud. “You’re such a funny thing. Not song, no. I enjoy music just as moderately as the next man. Women… not so much. I’ve committed myself to a young man. He has my heart.”

Eren squeezed Levi gratefully.

“Drink; perhaps. I do enjoy drowning irritating experiences and enhancing festive ones with something strong.”

“I wish you’d let me drink with you more often. Paris was a blast.”

“You turn 21 in a minute, sweet-pea. Surely we can wait ‘til you’re legal.”

“Sweet-pea wants get fucking wasted again.”

Levi chuckled. “As much as I want to booze you up and have my way with you, I think I should do the right thing.”

“Ughh…” Eren groaned. “You’re too responsible.”

“Do you prefer a bad boy, Eren?”

Eren thought about it for a second. Most of his ex-boyfriends fell under the category of “bad boy”. They were dominating, misogynistic, in some cases emotionally abusive, and cocky.

Eren used to think he was attracted to that type of man. Then he met Levi.

Chivalrous, kind, generous, and able to knock someone out as a last resort if the situation called for it… that’s the type of man Levi was.

A man whose muscles only meant warmer hugs. The answer was clear to Eren now.

“No, I don’t think I prefer bad boys,” Eren said. “I like men who drink tea and wake up at 5 am to work instead of staying in bed.”

“And I like you, Eren.” Levi pressed a slow, long kiss into his hair.

Eren’s tummy flooded over with cozy heat. “…A little, or a lot-tle?”

“A _whole_ lot-tle,” Levi clarified.

“Levi Ackerman, let’s get married.”

Levi finished his tea and set the mug on the coffee table. “Get married? Tonight?”

“Tonight.”

They shifted around and Levi stood with his hand extended. “Come on, then.”

Eren stood and took his hand, and his waist was taken by able hands.

They shared an eternal, long moment, nose-to-nose. There wasn’t much more to say at this point.

Levi broke the silence: “…May I kiss my groom?”

“You may.”

Levi scooped the boy right off his feet and into a classic bridal dip, and managed to get his kisses through uncontrollable giggles.

There was a firm knock on the distant front door of the apartment.

Levi stood Eren back up. “I’m not finished with you yet, husband.”

“We should get married more often!” Eren made his way back to the couch.

Levi opened the door expecting the only person who shows up to his apartment on Christmas evening.

And sure enough, Kenny let himself in.

Without exchanging any words, they hugged quietly. Levi buried his nose in his uncle’s chest and inhaled cologne and cigars.

When they separated, Kenny ran his fingers through Levi’s hair. “You look just as bratty as ten years ago,” he stated.

Levi rolled his sleeve up and aimed a punch right at his face, fully intending for it to land.

But Kenny, who’s seen it all before, caught the swinging fist in his palm. And he laughed boisterously at the attempt.

“Oi. Switch it up on me,” Kenny advised. “Go for my gut next time.”

“Am I losing it?”

“Nah. I think you’re even stronger than last time. Focus on speed. That’s what men struggle with when they get older. Hear?”

“Mm.”

“Where’s your boyfriend?”

“I’m here,” Eren began making his way over. When he overheard the swing advice, he knew it had to be Uncle Kenny. No other uncle-nephew duo greeted each other by physically attempting to land a punch on the other.

He was also surprised when Kenny pulled him right into a hug. It was as if he knew Eren was eventually going to be his nephew-in-law.

“You treatin’ my shorty right?”

“Sure am,” Eren smiled.

“That’s good. He treatin’ you right?”

“Absolutely.”

“You two are self-sufficient,” Kenny nodded. “You even got the matchin’ sweater thing goin’ on. You’re makin’ my shorty soft, Eren.”

“Yeah, I realize,” Eren agreed. “But it’s tradition, Kenny. Surely you follow some traditions?”

“I like makin’ my own,” Kenny admitted. “Cookie-cutter ain’t my style.”

Eren wanted to say something a bit unrelated, and he figured now was the best time to do it: “Kenny, you should come around more often. Spend more time with us. I’m tired of hearing about you through stories.”

Levi actually knew Eren would say something like that at some point. Eren was extremely family-oriented. For most of the beginning of their relationship, Uncle Kenny was a myth and a legend.

Now, Eren just wanted to know Levi’s only remaining blood family.

“Come around…?” Kenny took off his hat and tucked it underneath his arm. “I’ll try.”

There was a mutual understanding as to why Levi and Kenny didn’t see each other all that often. To establish himself and his career, Levi drowned himself in work and for a quick moment, attempted to enter romantic relationships. The latter failed until he found Eren.

Kenny knew Levi was a fan of emotional distance and control, anyway. Apparently, not so much anymore.

Eren made him go “soft”.

That made Kenny strangely happy. His only condition was that Levi keep up with his training and keep himself fit. And his condition was fulfilled, based on their test a few minutes ago, so the boyfriend was alright as far as he was concerned.

Kenny opened up his coat and took out a two parcels wrapped up in a twill string from his invisible breast pocket. “Here, Levi, one for each.”

Levi took his Christmas and birthday presents and stepped closer to Kenny to be taken into his arm. “Thank you.”

Kenny patted Levi’s broad shoulder. “Join us for dinner, Eren. How’s that for tradition?”

“Sure!”

\--

After dinner, Kenny dropped them back off at Trost Tower and promptly prepared to go away again. But, he promised to try to swing by again soon, per Eren’s request.

“Every time we see him, I see how much you two resemble each other,” Eren stated. He waited for Levi to unlock the front door.

“In looks or in personality?”

“Both, but I was thinking of personality. It’s hard to explain. It’s more like… sense of humor.”

“Oi. We get that a lot.”

Eren took Levi’s hand to lead them inside.

“Now… what were we doing?” Levi asked.

“We were getting married!”

“That’s right.” Levi stepped forward and hoisted Eren up by his thighs. “Give me a kiss.”

Eren wrapped his arms around Levi’s neck and despite the wish for just a singular kiss, he littered Levi’s in wet kisses.

“Take me to your sleeping chambers.”

“What are you up to, Eren?”

“No good.”

“Mm, figured,” Levi smiled.

Levi lay Eren down on their bed and crawled over him.

“I have but one more present for you, Mr. Ackerman.”

“What’s that…?” The shadows of their faces cast on each other, their eyes locking into each other.

“Birthday sex,” Eren purred.

“I can’t say I object.”

“Traditions are important, Papa Bear. Old and new.”

“I agree, Mama.” Levi reached for the back of his own sweater and yanked it over and off his head.

It was just a sweater, and Levi wasn’t even naked yet, but just that action alone was incredibly hot to Eren.

And based on the giggly bite on his lower lip, Levi was aware of his effect, too.

“Let me see what you’re hiding,” Levi mumbled. He climbed off to begin stripping away at Eren.

“I don’t hide anything from you,” Eren reminded.

“Not these collarbones that are perfect for getting marked up?” Levi wondered, and he promptly went in to take the thin, sensitive skin there between his teeth.

“ _Shit_.” Eren craned his neck and licked his lips. His mouth dropped open when Levi began nipping playfully at his throat. “Levi—“

“Not this throat that my vampire ass needs to bite into?” Levi seemed to locate the exact spot of Eren’s warm jugular vein and wrapped his lips around it firmly.

Eren laughed at the vampire confession but tried to prevent himself from getting worked up too quickly. This was Levi’s game, as was his. Revving up the engine of the other, until it risks burnout.

Like almost-husband, like almost-husband.

“Not this cute face?” Levi said a bit more gently than his previous aggressions. He placed a charming, admiring onto Eren’s cheek. He smiled. “Let’s get undressed. I’ll get the supplies.”

“Supplies sounds so formal,” Eren shook his head with a giggle. “But don’t worry, I can translate: I got the slip and the toys.”

“The ‘slip’,” Levi repeated to himself with a chuckle. Leave it to Eren to create slang out of literally anything, including lube.

Ohh… Levi was giddy just thinking about tonight’s activities.


	85. Steamy and Dreamy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nothing like hot birthday sex for our Levi, right?
> 
> That's all this chapter is-- enjoy!
> 
> (Please leave a comment and tell me your thoughts after reading! Love hearing from you all! <3 )

“Do you want somethin’ special for your birthday, Papa Bear? Skirt, maid outfit, thigh-highs, garter?”

Levi edged his fingertips along the ends of Eren’s bangs. “No, I think I want my boyfriend how he is today. Nothing special.”

“Really? Don’t be shy; I’d do it all on a handstand for you. You know that.”

“And I know you would, Mama. But I just want my baby boy au natural. I’m a man of simple tastes.”

Eren squeezed Levi’s pecs a little: “Okay,” he whispered happily. “But don’t think that means I’ll dial it down any less. I’ll rock your world.”

“I wouldn’t expect anything less from you. I’ll pull my weight, too.”

“Mm.” Eren bent down to take Levi’s lips in agreement, hard and possessive at first, but a simple statement turned into a languid dance of tongues. It was Levi who originally knew how to write essays of love and lust using just his tongue (he was French, after all), but in an attempt to learn the new language, Eren was quick to learn how to make his tongue do certain things, too.

Eren wanted to get some tasting on. It wasn’t often that he skipped an opportunity to nip playfully at Levi’s full lips; to lick them and to kiss them and run his thumb along them during courting sessions.

So Levi allowed him. He rather enjoyed being a science project sometimes. He was interested to see how Eren would treat him. The boy never disappointed. Eren was always so curious and ambitious in everything he did.

Eren could not stop smiling through bites. Taking Levi’s lower lip between his teeth, dragging it out ever so slightly, and then letting go to see it bounce back into place. If he bit with just an atom more energy, he would break skin and Levi would bleed.

It was a dangerous, sexy game.

He did that a little bit, and when Levi’s lip was red and swollen from all the attention, Eren smothered it with cheerfully apologetic smooches.

“Having fun, there?” Levi’s voice was low and husky. He held onto Eren’s waist for just a bit more control.

“Yeah,” Eren spoke into Levi’s mouth, as if it was clearer and louder that way. “Love tasting my man. He’s delicious as _hell_.”

Levi responded by stealing a rough kiss, and he was pleased when Eren began that familiar rocking of his hips.

“I want to taste more of you. Every inch,” Eren clarified.

Levi had to be in a certain mood for sex. He was getting older. He couldn’t just jump into the action like Eren. But luckily, Eren knew how to warm up his engine and get it revving in no time.

He leaned closer into Levi’s ear to give a private confession: “You age like a fine wine, Levi Ackerman.” He nibbled Levi’s earlobe and ran his tongue along the shell.

The satisfied sigh from Levi’s lips was a hint for Eren to keep going.

He made his way down to that pale throat, thick and masculine yet delicate and vulnerable. Without further ado, and with not much explanation, he found that really warm spot beneath Levi’s sharp jaw and latched his mouth onto it.

“Mm-hm,” Eren murmured to no one in particular. He moved on to that juicy vein that pops out occasionally on Levi’s throat and exhaled some hot breath onto it.

Just that action alone made Levi shiver and squirm.

Eren sucked at the man’s throat with a very specific intent.

“Eren,” Levi whispered, “try not to give me a hickey because we’re seeing your parents tomorrow.”

Eren ignored him and finished his work. The result was a wet ring: pink now, but to be a deep purple in a few days. “Too late,” he whispered.

Levi sighed in defeat. The amount of times Eren has shown evidence of intimacy around his parents was alarming—for the sole purpose that he kept just barely getting away with it.

Eren lifted once more and he saw the mild look of concern on Levi’s face. “Relax, baby,” Eren consoled with a motherly pout. He kissed Levi’s lips again in condolence. “They’re not gonna notice.”

“But I just have such a slutty boyfriend on my hands. I don’t know how to be discreet about it anymore,” Levi’s hands wandered to Eren’s smooth back.

“Don’t be discreet, then,” Eren offered in that youthfully carefree attitude he had. “What good is birthday sex if we don’t have anything to remember it by?”

Levi’s hands wandered further down to squeeze that perfectly toned, round ass that was perched right on top of his midsection. “Every day, you lead me further down the path of sin. Did you know that?”

“Yeah?” Eren giggled. “Do you like that path?”

“With you, I’m learning to enjoy that path more than I’d like to admit.”

“That’s my job…” Eren almost growled. Something in his emerald eyes seemed to _ignite_. “Okay. We’re talking way too much,” he admitted with a light laugh, realizing how distracted they both were. His hands were still planted firmly on Levi’s chest, and he rubbed it soothingly. “Hush now, Levi my love. Let me pleasure you in peace.”

“Yes, sir.”

Eren smiled slyly, and he slowly stuck a finger into Levi’s mouth. Give that man something to suck on. Something to focus on.

Levi takes a finger well. He grunted a bit at the new action.

Eren shuffled down that amazing body to come face-to-face with that glorious chest. It was like something out of a fighting game—a chest so muscular and toned and firm that it looked fictional.

So, Eren thought, it was time to ruin it a little.

Eren provided a sweet kiss upon the surface, and he looked up for affirmation.

Levi was still there, a finger in his mouth, his heartbeat starting to grow excited.

Eren got to Levi’s nipple and licked a stripe right across it. He began flicking his tongue in and out, touching just the tip against the ever-perking nipple.

It was wonderfully hard now; erect and rosy-pink. Eren was pleased with this. He teased it with his finger a little before taking it quickly beneath his teeth. He made sure Levi had a second finger in his mouth before giving a quick bite around the spot in focus.

“Mmf!” Levi cried somewhere from deep within his throat.

“I knoww…” Eren purred sadly. “You’re so sensitive now.” He licked the fresh wound to soothe it a bit. Upon lifting his head again, he admired the new piece of evidence: a circular marking of teeth right around Levi’s abused nipple.

And from where his own hips were sitting on top of Levi’s midsection, he could feel that Levi was starting to get quite aroused.

“Hubby, hubby. You really do like some pain, huh? Such a naughty man.” Eren twisted his fingers around Levi’s mouth a little, and he liked that Levi responded by swirling his own tongue against them.

Eren trailed his free hand further down Levi’s torso- splaying it across that scrumptious area on Levi’s sides that were carved and sculpted like a Greek statue’s.

Eren always got a little kick out realizing that he was the only one that can indulge in Levi’s body like this.

He picked a spot on the surface before him at random and wrapped puckered lips around it. Levi was so pale that hickeys were so apparent and vibrant on his skin. The solution? Paint that man’s chest like the background of a middle school play.

“Gorgeous,” Eren whispered to himself, and he began work placing a few more wet seedlings of color across Levi’s chest.

He got to Levi’s other nipple, and, perhaps feeling a bit more feisty now that they were warmed up, and he suctioned it into his mouth to suck it harshly and draw all the blood to the surface. Listening to Levi’s lewd growls, he shook his head quickly to give a quick vibrating feeling. He even moaned into it a little.

Levi’s tongue was frantic against Eren’s two fingers.

Eren finished his stimulation by sinking his teeth into Levi’s areola, causing the man to arch his back in a tiny jolt and cry silently.

“It has to match,” Eren explained, eyeing the bite marks around Levi’s reddened nipples. And across his pectorals; a handful of scattered blotches that would evolve into hickies later. Across Levi’s once pure pale skin, only marked by micro scars that were hardly noticeable unless they were pointed out, the surface was now ruined in a lovely, possessive way.

Pleased with his work, Eren slid his two fingers out of Levi’s mouth slowly. Connected between the two were translucent strings of Levi’s saliva that seemed to glisten against the room’s lighting. It was gross shit like this that seemed to turn Eren on.

“Ohh, yeah…” Eren confirmed, trying to see how far he could drag his fingers away while trying not to break the saliva. He was distracted enough to almost not notice Levi’s harsh breathing and flushed face.

Eventually though, and to Eren’s regret, the saliva broke, and now all he was left with were wet fingers and Levi’s neglected mouth.

Which, he was quick to move to and take against his firmly. “You’re so sexy,” Eren moaned against the now-swollen lips. “I love you.”

“Any other part of my body that you want to leave your mark on?” Levi’s voice cracked a bit while he asked the question. Before giving a chance for a response, he leaned up and took Eren’s lips, in perhaps an attempt to regain the control that he lost.

Eren didn’t bother responding right away, but he did card his fingers through glossy black locks to return a kiss just as aggressively.

“Maybe, maybe not,” Eren eventually replied. “We’ll cross that hot-ass bridge when we get there.”

Eren lay his own chest flush against Levi’s, and he was surprised when he received a subtle reaction.

He smirked. “Do you like it when I rub my chest on yours?”

Levi swallowed a bit.

“Huh?” Eren asked again, and he began moving front to back to create some friction between them.

Levi felt like there was lava beneath his skin. It was all these damn hickies he had now. But Eren’s chest rubbing up against his abused nipples was rather soothing.

And there was also the friction in their groins, which was both prickly hot and frustrating at the same time.

Eren bit his lip and looked away as he continued doing his thing. Up, down… forward and back… he made sure every square inch of his own chest made sweet contact with Levi’s.

Levi sighed with what seemed like both content and frustration.

“I know what you’re fixin’ for,” Eren promised. “But be patient.”

Suddenly, Eren was hovering over Levi again, his head eclipsing the light. “Open your mouth.”

Levi parted his lips.

Eren salivated and stuck his tongue out, and the result was a clear trail of saliva spilling from the tip to land directly into Levi’s mouth.

Levi’s brows knitted in confusion and amusement. He waited for Eren to finish salivating. “Disgusting..”

“Aw, don’t be like that babe~” Eren laughed and stroked Levi’s cheek softly. “Ain’t nobody watchin’…”

“It’s disgusting… because you need to step your game up, Mr. Jaeger.”

Eren cocked his head to the side in confusion, and suddenly he felt himself being trapped in a pair of strong arms and dragged to the underside.

“If you want to spit in my mouth…” Levi said, pulling Eren up so they were both in an upright sitting position (he relished that “deer in the headlights” look Eren had on at the moment), “then you need to do it right.”

Levi held Eren’s face by the cheeks, and he hocked up some saliva in his mouth. When he eyed Eren’s parted pink lips, he spat it out right into Eren’s mouth in a precise little shot. Not a drop was spared.

Eren’s eyes widened and he swallowed it down. Levi let go of his face.

“That... was hot, Mr. Ackerman,” Eren said breathlessly. “Who knew a clean man would have such a filthy alter ego.”

“What can I say?” Levi’s eyes bore into Eren’s: “Ain’t nobody watchin’.” He finished his demonstration with a chaste, sweet kiss on Eren’s lips.

“Now that you showed me up, I need to up the ante,” Eren said. He patted Levi’s chest once. “I’ll be back.”

Levi seemed disappointed for a moment. “You’re not gonna leave me with blue balls, are you?”

Eren giggled. “Never. That wouldn’t be a very fun birthday. I promise I’ll be just a second.” He traced his finger across Levi’s lips, and was pleased when Levi gave his finger a little lick.

Eren hopped off the bed and ran to find the black blindfold—an item that was seemingly a container of memories at this point. There was the bondage experimentation session in Paris; the Lamborghini surprise; and now Eren was glad he had another tool in his arsenal in the event that Levi needed to be teased and deprived a little.

That man still got a bit too handsy at times, so Eren figured he needed to invest in some handcuffs, too.

In any case, he found the blindfold and returned to Levi.

He was absentmindedly palming at his erection while he waited.

“Levi Ackerman, did I say it was okay to touch yourself?” Eren asked as he slipped the blindfold over his eyes.

“No,” Levi admitted with guilt-free candor, “but if it makes you feel any better, you were the subject of my fantasies.”

“Ooh,” Eren purred. “That actually does make me feel a lot better.”

Now that the blindfold was secured in place, Eren was ready to begin his work.

He wanted to rile Levi up just a little bit more. He dipped down and took Levi’s mouth with firm possession.

They made out like they were both sixteen and desperate—Eren admittedly wasn’t that far away from that phase of his life—but it was so hot and loud and it really wasn’t long that Levi was releasing those pained, low growls from deep in his throat.

“Erennn…” Levi pleaded.

Eren went back in for a silencing smooch before giving a husky response: “Yeah, babe?”

“Please..”

“Please… what?”

“Please suck me off.”

“Okay, in a minute.”

Eren casually lay on top of Levi’s body, chin resting on his own hands as if admiring Levi’s writhing, hot state right now. He scratched Levi’s chin with his fingertips gently. “Such a hunk…”

Levi grunted a little.

“Look at you~” Eren scratched at Levi’s jaw as well, “I’m going to make you sooo happy tonight.”

Eren took Levi’s arms and guided them above, so that Levi could rest his head. Honestly, Eren just wanted a clear view of those flexed biceps.

He began pressing kisses onto solid bicep muscles. If Levi wasn’t used to being admired and worshipped by now, Eren was going to ease him right into it.

“You’re mine,” Eren said lowly between kisses. “Mine. Mine. All mine.”

“Very possessive,” Levi managed with a small chuckle.

Eren grinned, although Levi couldn’t see it due to being blindfolded. “How can I not be possessive about these huge fucking muscles?” he growled playfully, and he squeezed Levi’s wet smooch print-ridden arms.

“That’s all I have to offer, huh?” Levi asked. “Just some muscles? No spousal benefits?”

“Spouse?!” Eren acted surprised, and he paused his foreplay to take a seat on Levi’s chest. “I wouldn’t say that. You’re my… male companion that I keep around for worldly pleasures.”

“Worldly pleasures?” Levi chuckled. They both dissolved into a fit of uncontrollable laughter.

“Oi…” Levi warned. “You better not tease me too much,” he warned. “Otherwise this male companion won’t be so gentle when it’s his turn to take the wheel.”

“Are you threatening me?” Eren wondered cutely. He slid down to tease Levi’s still-sore nipple with his finger. It earned him a pained hiss. “That turns me on, Levi.”

Eren figured it was high time to give his male companion a long-awaited blowjob.

Now comfortably resting between Levi’s legs, he didn’t waste much time dragging the waistband of the briefs down and taking the neglected erection into his mouth.

Levi hissed gratefully, and he reflexively took Eren’s bangs in his grip for some control.

During a normal playtime session, Eren wouldn’t always be okay with that. But tonight, especially with how much he’s teased Levi, he wanted the man to indulge a little more.

“You wanna pull my hair, hubby?” Eren mused. He salivated all over Levi’s cock and began pumping up and down. “Mm… you’re so pretty. So fucking hard for me.”

He took the tip into his mouth and began pumping the shaft up and down firmly.

“Fuck..”

Eren moaned his approval—the sound a bit muffled due to a delicious girth in his mouth. Once he was a bit more comfortable with the adjustment, he began taking it further into his mouth.

Levi was almost rock-hard, which made Eren only that much more excited for when they get around to fucking.

“I’m gonna take you all the way down now, baby,” Eren announced.

Levi’s heart fluttered. Any nickname Eren used on him seemed to have that effect.

After a deep, steadying breath, Eren took Levi all the way to the back of his throat in one stroke.

Levi’s dangerously tight grip on chocolate locks only got tighter. “Oh, my God, Eren, yes. Stay there.”

Eren, having a non-existent gag reflex, didn’t plan on coming back up for a while, anyway. He managed to stick the flat of his tongue out a little, and he licked at Levi’s balls.

“Shit! Christ!” Levi cussed in pleasure. “Just like that, Eren, just like that.”

He didn’t realize he was bucking his hips subconsciously until Eren recoiled from the movement.

Eren enjoyed the feeling of having his throat fucked ruthlessly, and was more so enjoying Levi’s loud string of cusses.

Finally, Levi released the pressure on Eren’s hair, and he groaned deeply.

Eren gracefully slid back up and sniffled. Then he giggled.

“That felt good, didn’t it?” he asked while stroking Levi up and down.

Levi was still a flustered pile of goo as he climbed down from that experience. He still couldn’t see, so every touch and stimulation was wonderfully amplified.

“Talk to me, hot stuff.” Eren waited for a response, and he fixed his eyes on Levi while simultaneously running his tongue lazily along the length of Levi’s shaft.

“Eren… let’s do that again.”

Eren kissed the same shaft that he was licking—languid and smoothly like devouring a popsicle. “Yes, sir, another deepthroat comin’ right up.”

Eren filled his mouth and let the length go down his throat. He made sure his nose was buried in the soft patch of black hair beneath Levi’s belly button, and he felt Levi’s hips begin bucking against him.

“Fuuuuuuuck…” Eren heard Levi mutter against clenched teeth.

He began to feel his own face turn red. Levi was only swelling more and more with his arousal, and it was becoming more of a challenge to accommodate him.

Levi let go of his grip on Eren’s locks once he felt the need to provide mercy over his own pleasure, and Eren came back up with swollen lips and mildly watery eyes.

“You’re really giving my throat a run for its money!” Eren praised.

“I’m sorry, Eren,” Levi stroked himself up while he spoke (Eren placed his own hand over Levi’s to assist), “but you and that pretty fucking mouth of yours… how can I not take advantage?”

“You’re in luck, then. I like having you down my throat.”

“I’m a lucky man, indeed.”

“But I’m just warming up,” Eren said. “I’m goal-oriented. And my goal is to give you the best orgasm of your life tonight.”

“Of my life?” Levi asked with a chuckle, and he quickened his stroke.

Eren pried Levi’s hand away before he finished himself. “Of your _life_. Hands off. Let me do my thing.”

“Yes, sir.”

Levi rested his arms behind his head and shifted to relax a bit on the bed, despite how achy and red his cock was and how much more he was raring to go at any second.

Eren took hold of the base of Levi’s length for some leverage, hooking his thumb around the shaft and pressing his palm flat against Levi’s toned midsection.

He gently took the head into his mouth, suctioning his mouth to get some blood rushing into the sensitive area. He swirled his tongue along and around the groove between the head and the shaft (a tactic championed by Levi when he was giving Eren blowjobs, but Eren liked taking notes).

They were a little too intense just before this; Eren wanted to indulge his man as a birthday present—not to deprive him too much—but also pace the both of them so that they could last a while. They both knew how to manage a quickie: often an efficient but fast session before they separated for work and class for the day. But Eren didn’t want for tonight to be a quickie. He wanted Levi to melt like the rare dark chocolates he liked to enjoy with his wine.

When Eren was sure the head got enough attention, he massaged Levi’s balls in his palm by rolling them around tenderly. It was an action that immediately had Levi panting in low, hot pleasure.

And Eren knew it.

He also took his time sliding his lips up and down the sides of the shaft, up and down… up and down.

It was painstaking and maddening to the birthday man, like fresh lava oozing and flowing in the depths of his stomach. Eren understood his body so well. He was so lucky to have an eager thing like Eren to take care of him.

Eren knew which buttons to push, how fast or how slow to pace their activities, and which words to say that would inflate his ego. In the beginning of their relationship, Levi quickly realized that Eren craved sex very often, and that he needed to be satisfied in sometimes unorthodox ways. And in the beginning, Levi was worried that Eren would become bored and careless for his own middle-aged sexual appetite, but it was just the opposite.

Eren was very enthusiastic and ready to please Levi, and he knew that their varied sexual needs and skills only made their sessions that much hotter. Eren even stated that he loved the feeling of being taken care of by an older man (“Only you can satisfy me, Levi.”).

It worked out just a little too well. Because once Eren was in the zone, and he had a certain goal in mind (tonight’s goal was to give the best orgasm of Levi’s life), there was no way anyone was going to stop him.

Up and down… up and down. It seemed like eons. And Eren had no care in the world. He was indulging on Levi like a hot drink on a cold day. He would switch it up, too: running his lips up along the shaft, sometimes dipping down to suck Levi’s balls individually into his mouth, and then simply just sucking him smoothly with his tongue, moistening the surface.

He did make sure of one thing: To go as agonizingly slow as he possibly could.

Eren was also situated that he could look up at certain points to gauge how his man was feeling. He loved seeing Levi all blindfolded up and useless and breathing harshly in pleasure.

Levi’s hand found the top of Eren’s chocolate hair at some point—an illusion of control, since at the moment, he had none.

Levi’s had enough. He couldn’t think straight anymore. Eren’s mouth was grooming him and his world of black was only acting as an opioid for his fantasies and plans about fucking Eren. He just wanted to end the sweet torture.

Eren’s emerald eyes were boring sweetly into him, and while he continued laying the honey onto Levi’s length, he noticed that Levi sighed softly in impatience and his hands reached up slyly to remove his blindfold.

Eren took the length out of his mouth and reached forward to swat Levi’s hands away. “Mm-mm,” Eren shook his head. “Not yet,” he whispered. He smiled that his work was making Levi grow impatient.

Levi’s hands gripped the sheets instead. “Eren…”

Eren’s mouth was already preoccupied once more, and he continued sucking off the tortured man suuuuper slowly for a minute before pulling out to respond. “Be patient for me, Levi. You’ll get what you want.”

“You don’t know what you’re doing to me.”

“Yes, I do,” Eren retaliated casually. He licked Levi’s now-glistening length with thick shapes. And he thought about his tactic: It was to build Levi’s appetite up to overdrive during foreplay, so that when it was time for Levi to get on top, he would transform into that aggressive, profane, sexy alter ego that the rest of the world didn’t get to see from this polite, mysterious CEO in a suit.

Eren was in for it, now. Levi made a mental note to fuck the sassiness right out of Eren’s mouth later.

Eren ended his decades-long blowjob—or at least it seemed that way, to Levi—with a cute kiss on the head.

He crawled up Levi’s bitten and kiss-infested torso and his fingertips found Levi’s blindfold.

He peeled it up and off Levi’s forehead, and he tossed it aside.

Their noses were touching. The first thing Levi registered with his newfound sight were one pair of bright, curious green eyes with the pupils taking over, fast.

Eren held Levi’s face by the jaw to place a sweet kiss on the lips. He could feel the weight of Eren straddling his hips, that sweet little ass sitting on top of him, and the burden of the boy’s boxers ever-growing throughout the night. The feeling of this boy sitting on top of him always does a delicious little something to Levi’s testosterone levels.

“…Did you miss seeing me?” Eren asked within an inch of space.

That was the prompt Levi was waiting for. He was bursting at the seams with desire to finish what Eren started. He’s peaked. His stubborn lion of a libido was starving.

And Eren was the unsuspecting deer.

It was time to _eat._

Levi knocked Eren’s balance off his hips, and crawled over him with a primitive sort of demeanor.

“You’re in for a long, long night—teasin’ me like that,” Levi growled.

Eren’s heart accelerated whenever Levi got this way. Their hair brushed against each other, the shadows of their bodies overlapping.

Eren darted his tongue out to lick Levi’s nose playfully. Then he offered a deceptively innocent smile.

Levi pressed a hard, growling smooch onto Eren’s cheek. “I’m gonna eat you, babe.”

He began moving downwards, nipping at Eren’s skin as he went. Eren’s eyes followed, and he placed a hand on top of that glossy black hair.

Levi found the front of Eren’s boxers, and he ran his nose along the print.

Strong hands found the waistband over Eren’s hips, and he yanked them down in one harsh pull.

Eren’s erection was freed. Levi took hold of it, but didn’t stimulate it beyond that.

He lay on his own stomach and after wrapping his arms around Eren’s thighs, he pulled Eren closer with minimal effort.

Levi began attacking Eren’s inner thighs with the same wet kisses that Eren planted on his chest.

“Ah!” Eren squealed quietly, and he kept giggling.

“What’s so funny?” Levi wondered between fast pauses.

“I don’t know, sex with you is just so fun and exhilarating.”

Levi chuckled deeply. “I’m glad you think that way, sweetness.”

Then the inevitable—Levi began sinking his teeth into the wet spots, earning him cries from the young man in question.

“Now we match,” Levi stated, and he continued appeasing angry red teeth marks with soothing licks.

“Levi…” Eren whined, still panting from having his most vulnerable area abused like that.

“Mm..?”

“I’m sensitive.”

Levi couldn’t be bothered, though. He continued making sure Eren’s thighs looked the proper feast they were.

He eyed Eren’s length, and at the head were a few beads of precum forming and spilling onto Eren’s tummy. He reached for it and thumbed it off.

“You’re sensitive, but you’re also getting turned on by this, huh? Figured.” Levi went back to placing possessive smooches, and because Eren was trying to pry his legs back close, Levi made sure they remained spread as he growled loudly into his work.

His moans were almost loud enough drown out Eren’s whining.

Even after Levi finished his work, he crawled back up to face Eren, who took being eaten by a hungry man like a champ. He was still riding out the remnants of Levi’s attack with low hisses and sighs.

Levi touched their noses together. “Mine.”

“Yours,” Eren finished.

Levi liked that—he smiled and kissed Eren firmly.

“How’d I taste?” Eren whispered.

“You were a goddamn snack.”

“I do my best for you.”

“I’m just getting started.”

“Levi—I’m gonna be super frank with you: If you don’t give me the pounding I deserve right _now_ , I might just throw a tantrum.”

Levi laughed as he crawled up to his knees and positioned Eren. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you throw a tantrum.”

“Consider yourself lucky—I’m kind of a brat in that regard.”

“Now I’m curious,” Levi mused. He spread Eren’s knees apart and got an eyeful of his boy toy. The revving of the engine was starting back up.

“…Do you wanna use condoms?” Eren asked. “I don’t want to make you clean the sheets on your birthday.”

“Fuck a condom,” Levi rejected soundly.

“You’re right—I hate condoms anyway. I deserve to cum wherever I please.”

“What about me?”

“My aim isn’t as good as yours. I’m an abstract painter, not a sharpshooter… Levi! Enough small talk! Pipe me down already—I can’t take it.”

“Impatient, huh? Me, too.” Levi licked his hand ( _Damn,_ was all Eren could think) before crouching into position. “Good, babe?” His voice was as deep and mature and rich as it always was, and he thrust into Eren smoothly.

They moaned at the initial fullness together. It was a moment of pure bliss.

Levi pulled back out, and Eren wanted to scream. But he decided to stay civil: “Levi Ackerman, put it back in, or so help me God,” he said with eyes screwed shut and a clenched jaw.

“Uh-oh,” Levi realized he was being given an ultimatum, but Eren’s demand was admittedly not difficult to fulfill.

He adjusted his grip on Eren’s legs in the crook of his elbows and aimed himself back in. Only three more pushes were needed to get to that sweet “smack-smack” pace that Eren loved.

“Fuck, Erennnn…” Levi groaned. “I missed this. I missed you.”

“Just like that, don’t slow down,” Eren sighed. He began handling himself for a little more stimulation.

“Didn’t plan to,” Levi promised. He planked over Eren so that those long legs were resting on his shoulders. This position was closer and increased that hot electricity they both craved.

“Leviiii… yes, hubby, yes, yes~” Eren bit his lip and made eye contact. Levi’s marked-up chest was starting to develop a light sheen of sweat.

“You’re so good, baby,” Levi murmured.

“You’re gonna give it to me just like that? Bust me open just like that?” Eren was starting to grow incoherent and ecstatic. “Fucking destroy me.”

Levi placed a hand on the wall behind Eren’s head, and now he had leverage to go the pace he wanted. He pushed his hips so hard that Eren recoiled a few inches back with every thrust.

“Fuck!!” Eren’s voice went mute and he laughed breathlessly. He hooked an arm around Levi’s neck to stay grounded—if Levi kept going this pace, he was going to fuck him off the mattress.

Levi was silent for a minute; he ducked his head and tried to focus on the sweet pleasure of Eren’s walls. Salty sweat dripped down from his chin and his hair.

Levi hit that one spot that made Eren see stars. “Shit, right there, right there, don’t stop, don’tstopdon’tstop!” Eren cried.

Levi’s sweat and the remnants of the cologne clinging onto his skin created an intoxicating mixture that drew Eren like a moth to light. Somehow that smell—heady and raw and masculine—was a good way to describe the way he was feeling right now.

Levi couldn’t remember the last time he was this… out of control. He felt like he was being selfish, fucking Eren this hard to the ends of oblivion.

He felt Eren push his chest, and that was a prompt to switch positions.

Eren’s chest was rising and falling while he was coming to. He gulped and licked his lips.

“Okay.” He seemed to get his bearings and he untangled his limbs from Levi’s body.

Levi wasn’t done yet, but he was suddenly awash with a wave of fatigue. He collapsed onto the mattress onto his back. “Eren, come here and ride me.”

Eren was more than willing and able. He swung his leg over Levi’s body and clawed his sweaty bangs off his face. He tenderly touched Levi’s chest. “Aw. I love being on top of you. Your chest looks so hot like this.”

Levi reached for the small pile of toys nearby. “I don’t know what I want to use on you.”

Eren placed his hand on Levi’s face and turned it back to face him. “We have plenty of time, you can use whatever you want on me later. Sit back and relax.”

“Alright.”

 Levi guided Eren’s hips to align him properly. Just then, Eren’s anticipation must’ve caused him a little premature reaction.

And since they were both staring at it, they both laughed lightly.

Eren wiped it off Levi’s chest. “I totally just pre-came on your chest. That’s not attractive,” he giggled. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay, no need to apologize,” Levi squeezed Eren’s thighs soothingly. “You deserve to cum wherever you please. I suppose my chest didn’t get enough attention from you, anyway.”

Eren realigned his entrance with the tip of Levi’s length. Then, he guided Levi’s hands onto his waist and began bouncing up and down. “When I cum for real, it’s most likely going to be all over your chest. Unless you’re okay with a facial.”

“Surprise me.”

Eren laughed and bounced a bit faster. “My Levi’s into surprise cumshots… who knew?”

“Ride me just like that, baby,” Levi encouraged. “Bounce on it.”

Eren shivered and he stretched backward to rest his hand on Levi’s thigh. All stretched out and flexing like that, Levi thought that Eren looked the picture of grace and perfection, despite how sweaty and flushed he looked.

Eren made sure to stay fixed in place, so Levi picked up for the lost speed by flexing his hips upward into Eren’s ass.

Eren’s head fell back lazily. “Oh, God….” he sighed deeply and purely, still receiving an efficient pounding. “Leviiii… it’s so fucking deep….”

“You like that, lovebug?” Levi tightened his grip on Eren’s hips.

“You’re the one, Levi. You’re the only one.”

They both knew when Eren said things like that, it inflated Levi’s ego like a balloon. And it only made him stronger and faster.

Levi groaned loudly.

“Levi, Levi, Levi, Levi,” Eren chanted with every bounce.

“You keep saying my fucking name like that…” Spilling from Eren’s mouth, even his name sounded so sweet and exotic like a juicy fruit. It made Levi’s heart melt. He reached for Eren’s hands so he could clasp them together.

“I like to worship you, Levi,” Eren said sweetly. He sat all the way down, and reveled in the fullness of Levi’s girth against his walls.

With their hands clasped together in a push-up tag team style, Eren began bouncing up and down again. He was working up quite a sweat, too. And it dripped off his forehead right onto Levi’s chest.

Eren looked down at his own abdomen—the way it flexed with his movements and how deliciously crowded his midsection was.

Levi looked at the same area along with him, but for different reasons: he loved watching Eren take him so deeply, and not to mention—Eren had a cute tummy.

“Eren, let’s switch it up—I’m done being lazy.”

Eren slowly slid off his length, a disappointing tinge crossing his face when he lost that lush feeling. “Ain’t nothin’ lazy about being on bottom. I’ll ride you all night long, hot stuff.”

“You’re so lovely, Eren.” Levi maneuvered them back to sitting positions. He took Eren’s face in his hands, and he suddenly felt the need to taste that sassy, sweet mouth.

Eren returned Levi’s fervor, scratching at his undercut like only he could.

When he made his point, Levi began to pull away, but Eren took his shoulders and forced his way back into Levi’s mouth. Their tongues ran flat against each other’s, producing a messy little collection of saliva that’s fallen between them.

“Do you have to make everything so messy?” Levi asked gently. His squeezed his hands on Eren’s waist, wrapping around and feeling up Eren’s back.

Eren had that type of muscle; smooth and lean and young and strangely feminine. He wasn’t rugged and harsh. His body had so much comfort and mystery and plumpness that Levi didn’t know how to describe.

Levi leaned closer—Eren thought it was for a kiss, but as Levi’s hand inched up his spine, higher and higher, brushing past the nape of his neck and the hair that clung there from sweat…

Levi’s fingers curled into the back of Eren’s locks and yanked down sharply.

The sound Eren made from having his throat exposed just like that (“..!”) seemed to get stuck in the middle of his vocal cord.

Levi went in and licked a solid, possessive stripe starting from Eren’s collarbones to the underside of his chin.

 _This boy’s throat is delicious as hell. Maybe I am a vampire…_ Levi thought.

At any rate, he got in one more wet lick while he still had Eren paralyzed in his grip like this, and he finished by sucking a loud, fat smooch on Eren’s Adam’s apple, earning him a squeak.

When he let go of Eren’s hair, Eren met his eyes again with a lusted-over gaze.

“You’re blushing,” Levi chuckled, pressing their bodies flush against each other.

“Don’t make fun of my blush!” Eren chastised. “No one’s ever licked me like that. I was… caught off guard.”

“Are you saying everything we’ve done up to this point was a repeated experience?”

Eren reached a wandering hand between them, and he wrapped it around both their lengths. He stroked them up and down together. “…No, but my point is, you’re full of yummy surprises.”

“Yummy surprises, huh?” Levi smiled a little bit—the friction of his cock against Eren’s was just lovely.

Eren let go abruptly, and took Levi’s face to pucker his lips and leak some saliva into Levi’s mouth.

“Give it back to me,” Eren whispered down to him.

Levi, who had a mouthful of Eren’s spit, took Eren’s face, and let it leak down into his mouth.

Eren didn’t swallow it down, but instead took advantage of their height difference and connected his mouth quickly to Levi’s, resulting in the messiest, sloppiest make out of the night.

Saliva was dribbling down both of their chins when they separated.

Eren wiped his chin with the backs of his hands. “I like spit-swapping with you,” he confessed.

“Let’s keep this one between the two of us, hm?”

“All of our kinks are between the two of us,” Eren reminded with a wink.

“This is true,” Levi chuckled. “I’m not as ashamed as I think I should be.”

“Don’t ever be ashamed with me,” Eren comforted. “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.”

“I don’t think that’s what that saying means, Eren.” Levi reached for cock ring and strapped it on Eren’s thigh.

“I don’t know about you, but I’m so ready to blow a load for my man.”

“Eren, baby, you have no idea. I just want to make sure you’re enjoying it as much as I am.”

Eren got on his knees while Levi tried to figure out the remote’s settings.

When he turned it on, Eren’s eyes went cross-eyed and he collapsed onto the bed in mute, overkill pleasure.

Worry crossed Levi’s face. “I’m sorry, that was the highest setting.”

He fixed it quickly, and Eren drew himself back up to his hands and knees.

“I’m back on Earth,” Eren stated. “I know you like overstimulating me, Levi, but let me focus on you, too.”

Levi laughed and crawled forward to fit against Eren from behind. As usual, Eren’s ass was just begging to be spanked and palmed and his thighs were just so fucking juicy and strong.

Eren must’ve noticed Levi fantasizing back there, because he playfully shimmied his butt against Levi’s erection.

“I’m distracted,” Levi admitted, and he watched his length to slide past Eren’s entrance.

“You’re a visual creature,” Eren agreed, continuing his tease. “Most men are.”

Levi cranked the setting of Eren’s vibrator by just one notch, just enough to get Eren all heated and giggly.

He took Eren’s hips and slid himself in, once again reveling in that full feeling of Eren’s walls.

“Eren… you’re amazing…” Levi lost himself and began thrusting blindly.

Eren felt himself get all tight in the tummy when Levi said his name like that. “Levi… keep saying my name.”

“That’s right…” Levi remembered. “My boy has that little praise thing that he loves.”

He took Eren’s arms behind his back arrest-style, which gave Levi better access to both that delicious nape and the sweet sounds Eren was trying to suppress.

“Do you like it when I moan your name..?” Levi murmured into the back of Eren’s neck.

The question as well as the feeling of hot breath against his most sensitive body part had Eren shiver and go wobbly at the knees. “..Yes..” he breathed a bit breathlessly.

“Eren,” Levi made sure to enunciate it loudly near his ear.

Eren whimpered.

“Er-ennnn… you’re so sexy like this…” Levi moaned a little theatrically. He rolled his hips faster and faster.

Eren cock dripped with just a little more pre-cum. “Leviii…” he whined uselessly. The vibrator was not that powerful when it was in the palm of his hand, but against the head of his dick, it was like magnitudes and tremors emanating into his tummy and up his spine. Levi knew that, too.

“Eren…. Eren…. Erennnn….” Levi continued, making sure his voice was clear and desperate and full of lust and want.

Eren’s ears were going hot and pink and Levi was so fucking thick and his grip was so tight and---

“Erennnn…. I love youuuu….”

“Ah!”

Eren buckled down and his universe came apart, but luckily Levi was there to catch him with strong arms.

“Did you still want to come on my chest?” Levi pulled out and hit the bed. He waited for Eren to crawl forward on his knees, and he quickly detached the vibrating bead from him.

Eren looked just about ready to buck. His hand flew to his cock, and he stroked himself up quickly with short strokes, not really giving a damn to aim.

The result was translucent, pearly evidence splattering all over Levi’s already-ruined chest, all over his collarbones and chin, and even a little on his face.

Levi waited patiently for Eren to finish his orgasm.

“Oh, my Godddddddd!” Eren groaned breathlessly, and when he was finished, it was clear he just wanted to collapse onto the bed, but he wanted to make sure the birthday man got his, too.

He wiped his own cum off Levi’s face and helped him up. “Come on, baby, let’s finish you.”

They essentially switched; Eren on the bed and Levi aligning himself one more time.

“Go as hard as your heart desires. Treat me like a ragdoll and get up in these guts,” Eren encouraged.

Levi nodded and placed his hands next to Eren’s head before slamming himself in.

Eren squealed happily and laughed. “Yes, yes, yes!”

Levi’s shocking pace resulting in those staccato slaps of skin on skin, so fucking dirty and primitive and human, and the crescendo of his groan meant he was getting so close.

“Eren—Eren baby, you’re so good, you’re so tight.. I love you, I love you, I love you, shhhit… FUCK!!”

Levi’s head fell back uselessly and his eyes rolled to the back of his head. His back arched and he tried to hold Eren’s legs to stay stable… but nothing made sense right now, and all he could feel were ruthless explosions in his brain.

He couldn’t even tell when or how he finished, because when he was thrown out of heaven and his body was returned back to Earth, all he realized was that he was collapsed over Eren’s body.

Eren didn’t seem to mind, though, he was breathing heavily and stroked Levi’s hair softly.

A muffled “Mmm…” was all Levi could manage.

“Welcome back, lover,” Eren giggled.

Levi was able to lift himself off, but not before giving Eren a chaste kiss on the cheek. “Eren, I think I can say without a doubt, that was the best orgasm of my fucking life.”

“Mission accomplished.” Eren took his arms around Levi’s neck and returned a kiss. “Happy birthday and Merry Christmas, Mr. Ackerman. I love you.”

Levi wished he could describe how adorable Eren looked right now. His face was flushed and his ears were still pink, and his sweaty bangs were a bit stringy and bed-rocked, and his lips were red and puffy from all the kissing. His emerald eyes were all cloudy and lusted over, and they were sleepy and sated.

Despite how worn he looked, Eren just seemed to glow from within.

“I love you, too, Mr. Jaeger.”

Eren began shutting his eyes with a small smile. “Good night…”

“Whoa, no way,” Levi shook his head. He got up and managed to get a liquid Eren into his arms. “There’s no way we’re sleeping in a mess of spit and cum and God-knows-what. I have to draw a line, lovebug.”

Eren rested his cheek cutely against Levi’s shoulder. “Do what you want with me. I’m too tired.”

“I thought the older man was supposed to be a useless log after sex?” Levi mused as he carried Eren to the shower.

Eren only wrapped his limbs tighter around Levi. “We’re gonna be so fucking sore tomorrow,” he said regretfully.

“I’m _already_ sore.”

“You were great tonight, hubby-bubby. Not a day over twenty-five, you. You’re so handsome and you still got it.”

The warm water cascaded onto where they were sitting on the ledge.

Levi wasn’t sure if he had enough energy to get them through this shower. His arms felt like jelly and his eyes were dragging further down each minute.

He had to start somewhere. He quietly worked the water through Eren’s hair by running his fingers through it.

Eren’s eyes remained close, and he leaned closer to Levi while being cleaned.

Through the steam and the water, Levi just wanted to hold Eren for a second.

They were both too exhausted to share a sexy, post-coital back-and-forth like usual, but if there was anything that Levi learned from Eren, it was that words were overrated.

He held Eren in his arms under the streams of hot water, and with his nose buried in chocolate hair, who knows how long they stayed like that.


	86. Old-Fashioned Hearts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ahaha... hi. Long time no see ^^; 
> 
> I'm sorry for going on that uber long hiatus without a word of warning. I know a lot of you were probably wondering if this story was abandoned... it's not. I made a promise to finish it. My life got way busy ever since like October so I haven't much time to write. But I'll spare the details lol. 
> 
> In the meantime, here's what's going on with our blonds. This will probably be the last Armin/Erwin-centered chapter for this story, and then I need to finish telling you the fate of our other yummy men Eren and Levi, since the story is mainly about them. 
> 
> Enjoy!! Please leave a comment telling me your thoughts~

Erwin filled a kettle with water and got the stove going.

The few minutes before Armin woke up were oddly quiet and unfulfilling. The apartment itself seemed a bit lifeless, too.

One small boyfriend shuffled in from elsewhere and touched the small of Erwin’s back.

He reared and found his favorite person.

“Good morning~” Armin purred quietly.

“Hello, my little ray of sunshine…” Erwin wrapped his arms around and buried his nose into the crook of Armin’s neck.

“’Ray of sunshine’? I think you’re beyond the point of no return,” he giggled. “Who did this to you?”

Erwin sighed happily. “You did this to me.”

“Erwin. I love you. You’re the only one for me.”

“I love you, too.”

They separated slowly. And suddenly, Armin lifted his arms. “I want up, please.”

Erwin laughed.

It was becoming a bit of a morning tradition to ditch the dining table and eat standing around. Well, technically Erwin would be the only one standing around—Armin likes to be lifted up onto the kitchen table and kick his feet while waking up.

Erwin took hold of Armin. “One, two—“ Armin was effortlessly lifted up and away, and his butt made contact with the marble counter.

Now Armin was near Erwin’s height, and he felt like the king of the world. But then, he sighed a bit melodramatically as his oversized sweater slipped off his shoulder. “…Life is hard when you’re 20 but look 13.”

Erwin laughed once more and he took Armin’s hands within his. “If it’s any consolation, I love you just the way you are; deceptively youthful looks and all.” He kissed Armin’s knuckles admiringly.

“It gets us weird looks sometimes,” Armin watched Erwin kiss his hands while he mused. “Remember that guy who asked you why you were holding your grown son’s hand? He was _so_ personally offended.”

“I remember. Or the people who ask if you’re my intern. Or my sugar baby. Or some item in between.”

“It’s not even awkward anymore. I’m used to it. No amount of weird side-eyes will be enough to keep me away from you.”

“That’s reassuring.”

“Erwin.” He took hold of his older boyfriend’s face. And then he pecked a traditional, sugary-sweet, Armin-authentic smooch on the lips.

He loved that he always managed to draw out a content sigh from his man, so gentle and vulnerable. “What kind of tea do you want today?”

“Peppermint!” Armin almost interrupted. “I’ve been craving it since last evening.”

“Then, why didn’t you tell me last evening?” Erwin nestled between Armin’s thighs, and they shared delicious body heat. “I would’ve joined you right away.”

“’Cuz we were cuddling and watching the documentary… and you were so damn warm and safe and I didn’t want you to get up for even a second.”

“Mm,” Erwin nodded knowingly. “A silent sacrifice, apparently.” He scratched his own jaw a little and laughed.

Armin loved Erwin’s laugh. It was so genuine and that smile was enough to pierce the hearts of women and probably men alike.

“Sacrifices are a necessary evil,” Armin explained happily. “Keeping your man around for 4 hours straight, or, have him get up for all of five minutes and be without protection.” Armin shut his eyes dramatically and acted faint. “And to be helplessly vulnerable to the dangers of the world… To the scummy grips of evil and perversion… Gah! What fate!”

“Five minutes is that painstaking, huh?” Erwin tapped Armin’s chin playfully and went over to steep the tea.

“Can you serve mine with honey sticks, please, Erwin!?”

“I’ve never seen you this excited for a cup of tea.”

“I’m difficult when I’ve been craving things. Our nightly activities would agree.”

Erwin looked over his shoulder with a small smile. “Armin.”

“What?” Armin giggled. “There’s a new you in the bedroom, Erwin. Don’t be ashamed of it.”

“Oh, I’m not ashamed. It’s just delightfully contradictory to my profession and its expectations.”

“And that’s precisely why I’m in love with you.” Armin inhaled the scent of peppermint from the silver tray Erwin placed in front of him. “You’re so complex and you have enough presence to spread around like an oil slick.”

Erwin made his way around, and he leaned his elbows on the island surface. “Likewise, my secret dominant. I guess what they say is true: the best things come in small packages.”

Armin sucked the honey out of his stick with a mischievous sparkle in his eye. No matter how much Erwin looked for the honey sticks Armin asked for in the shopping lists, he couldn’t find any store that was selling them. So, he did what anyone would; he went online and bought them in bulk.

Long story short, Armin was set on honey sticks for the next three years or so.

“And now that you’re done with work for the year, you’re completely at my mercy! Hehehe!” Armin grinned cheekily.

“You’re beyond cute,” Erwin stated. “I have a few plans with you, as well.”

Armin sipped his tea— _damn, did Erwin steep a mean cup of tea_ —and he felt Erwin’s fingers run along the insides of his thighs.

It’s okay. Armin was patient. So was Erwin.

Even with their eyes locked, they played a silent game. Armin wasn’t really a “let’s get up and go RIGHT FUCKING NOW” kind of guy like his best friend, but he still loved being worshipped and spoiled with attention.

He loved their traditions. They’d always try to start their day together over a cup of tea. Erwin would read the newspaper, and Armin would sometimes work on a novel or watch TV. On a standard weekday, Erwin would explain his agenda for the day, and Armin would explain what was happening in his classes.

After tea was a large, extravagant breakfast. On Sundays, Lily would sometimes join them during this step.

And then, the world was their playground.

“Anything you want to do today?” Erwin asked, his fingers still ever-wandering. He sipped his own tea while he listened.

“Let’s go to the bookstore. And then that new fondue place you were telling me about!”

“Sounds like a good time if I ever heard one.”

Armin took another sip and sighed contently. “What did you normally do this time of year, before you met me?”

“This time of year…” Erwin mulled it over. “I liked to do wine or whiskey tastings with Levi. I’d go shopping, normally. This is also the time of year where I’d woo and work deals with potential partners. Winter and Christmas galas. Nothing that was too thrilling. I didn’t have anyone to spoil or indulge in traditional festivities with for a few years.”

Armin nodded. Erwin has had many women in the past several years, but they were all fleeting and unsatisfactory for Erwin. Erwin was surprisingly candid about his former relationships; it was something Armin respected and admired greatly.

“Well, you have me now, so it’s time to champion some new couples’ traditions,” Armin assured. “I’m still learning the Tom Ford lifestyle, but I’ll continue trying my best.”

Erwin laughed and put his mug down. “The ‘Tom Ford’ lifestyle?”

“You know what I’m talking about! Going to events where no one drives anything cheaper than a BMW, or gamble with Rolexes instead of pocket change. Or people calling me “sir”. Or people talking about how much they just secured from their latest deal. Numbers that are so high my brain struggles to visualize it.”

Erwin rubbed Armin’s calf soothingly. “You’ve expressed how overwhelming it is at times. I’m trying my best to ease you into it.”

“I know you do. It’s just a huge culture shock sometimes. A year ago, I was budgeting my wages from work to be able to get everyone Christmas presents.”

Erwin looked at him sympathetically.

“But now, money is the last thing I have to think about. You’ve given me a really comfortable life, Erwin. So one day when I’m a household name, and I’ve invented the vaccine to AIDS, I’ll spoil you, too.”

Erwin looked at his little boyfriend, who was sucking at another honey stick, and he felt oddly protected. “Armin, my sweet. You don’t need to repay me for anything at all. You _will_ become a household name—that, I’m sure of—but don’t feel like being comfortable means you have some sort of debt to fulfill. Your happiness is priceless. And I’d do anything for you. I won’t hear anything about you being undeserving. None of that.”

Armin thought about how Eren sometimes calls Levi “hubs” or “hubby”. Right now, he could see Erwin as husband material more than ever.

“Erwin, you’ll make a fine husband for me one day,” he said sweetly.

“Oh, what a relief..” Erwin seemed pleased. “No one has higher expectations than my Armin.”

“You’ve been… taken.” Armin giggled.

“What kind of wedding were you thinking?”

“Modern fairytale,” Armin answered without hesitation. He’s clearly thought about it before. “Just like the ones I read about, and just like the short-lived celebrity marriages I see on TV.”

“That’s right up my alley. I know how to do indulgent and extravagant.”

With tea out of the way, Erwin cleaned up and took the tray away.

And now all he had was one very cute boyfriend sitting on his kitchen island.

He wedged himself in between Armin’s thighs once more. Big hands found small, grabable hips.

He met sassy-sweet lips with a firm press.

“You taste so minty and sweet. God, I love it,” Erwin breathed. He went back in for a deeper taste.

“Taste me,” Armin eventually got to say. He wrapped his arms and legs around Erwin’s torso in entrapment, although considering his limited location on the kitchen island, his control was an illusion.

The kiss ended with closed eyes and fluttery breaths. “I love it when you don’t shave,” Armin confessed. He ran his nose along Erwin’s broad one in a sort of imprinting. “You’re so… rugged.”

“You don’t think I look like a lumberjack?”

“I may have a thing for lumberjacks,” Armin licked Erwin’s stubble playfully.

Erwin laughed for a second. “Looks like it’s time for a career change, then.”

“Looks like it,” Armin agreed. He took Erwin’s lips again, a bit aggressively. The older boyfriend’s stubble scratched and tickled against his own soft face.

“Erwin…” He felt a hand softly fist at the back of his hair and yank down. Erwin attacked his throat with possessive kisses.

“Your hair is perfect for pulling. I love having you in my grip.”

Armin planted his hands on the marble surface behind him.

“You’re mine, you hear me? Mine only.”

Armin melted against the warm hands that held his face. He could’ve responded with anything, about that. But, typical to sassy Armin nature, he said:

“Put a ring on it, then.”

“I’ll give you more than a just a ring, pumpkin. I’ll give you the world.”

Armin smiled and his hands found Erwin’s sides. “Good. You’re mine, too.” He stole a quick kiss; hard and fast yet sweet and decisive.

And then they met with a slow, firm hug.

Armin could spend all of eternity in the cozy quiet of Erwin’s hugs. It was the size difference. He just felt so safe and secure.

He toyed with Erwin’s undercut a bit.

Finally, they let go.

“Aw. You were so warm,” Armin rubbed his own arm absentmindedly.

“I can’t get enough of you. There’s just something about my sassy, age-ambiguous little boyfriend that gets me going.”

“One more hug, Erwin?” Armin asked sweetly. “For the road.”

Erwin took Armin in once more, this time holding Armin’s head into his chest. Armin damn near purred.

“So sweet…” Erwin admired. Armin looked ready to fall asleep.

When they separated for another time, Erwin’s large hands found Armin’s sweet, pure face. He got lost in those big, ocean-blue eyes.

“Erwin, do you want to have sex right now?” Armin asked point-blank. His tone was as casual as if he was asking to open a stubborn jar.

Erwin burst out laughing. “…I’m old, Armin. Give me a few hours upon waking.”

Armin nodded innocently.

“Unless you want to do it now and let me lay still like a useless log.”

“I’ll wait for my old man of a boyfriend to get himself into peak physical condition.” He found Erwin’s cheek and stroked it tenderly. “You don’t stand a chance against my plans today.”

“Pulling out all the stops?”

“I’m surprised you haven’t told me “no” yet. You’re very willing to indulge my fantasies. And I’m a very strange guy to begin with.”

“How are you strange, darling?” Erwin lifted Armin off the kitchen island and into his arms to carry him away. “Besides the fact that you crave sex at 6:30 in the morning.”

“Mmmm…” Armin thought about it as they began moving. “I’m unorthodox in the bedroom. Even in everyday life, I need new experiences or I get antsy and bored.”

“I’ve seen that,” Erwin agreed knowingly.

“And, Erwin, people have morning sex all the time!”

“Really? It’s not just people your age with erratic sex drives?”

“Really!”

“I’ll take your word for it. I personally think the ideal time for sex is after a light lunch, after a glass or two of champagne.”

“Oooh, you’re right!” Armin breathed. He was kind of glad Erwin let him drink when they were at home. Tipsy sex was the best sex.

“With the cutest little blond young man in my midst,” Erwin continued.

“You think I’m cute?” Armin smiled. They were sitting on the edge of Erwin’s bed now.

“Extremely. Almost unfairly so,” Erwin said. “You know how I feel about you.”

“Erwinnnn.” Armin hid his face to giggle.

Erwin inched a bit closer. “Mmm…?”

He felt his hands being gently pried away from his face, just like their first date. One of Armin’s favorite memories to this day.

“What do you say… I give you a blowjob to make up for my inability to have proper morning sex?”

“You don’t have a lack of ability. You just… don’t like to do anything without being one hundred percent ready for it. That’s what I’ve noticed.”

“You know what, I think you’re right. I’m just a cautious person. I took a very large risk confessing my love to you when we first met. You know me, darling.”

“Yeah! But I just want to tell you, it’s okay to be sloppy. If not at work, then with me.”

“Those are mighty comforting words. I hope you continue helping me loosen up.”

The whole time of the conversation, Erwin’s hand found the front of Armin’s pajama pants and began feeling around.

Armin planted his hands on the mattress behind him and his breathing hitched quietly as he watched.

It was something he appreciated about Erwin. He could be any version of himself. He could be the adventurous brainiac; the surprisingly aggressive dom that had an impressive collection of sex toys and devices; or just the cute blond that had an affinity for tea and the Animal Planet program.

Erwin’s seen every facet of Armin Arlert. And his love for the young man hasn’t wavered at all.

“Lie down, baby,” Erwin encouraged.

Armin crawled a bit toward the center of the bed and lay down on his back. The shadow of Erwin’s broad form loomed over his bottom half.

Erwin began quick and expert work.

“Damn..” Armin bit his lip and his toes curled a little.

Erwin made his tongue dance—hollowed out his cheeks and groaned lowly.

Armin rested his arm behind his head casually. “Yes, just like that.. perfect.”

The winter sun was beginning to rise now, and the light through the window was shifting through pastel colors. The birds that gathered around the complex’s private park began their distant chirping, and Armin had it all figured it out. As usual, the apartment smelled clean and cozy like a bookstore. He had this extremely powerful and influential man waiting at his every beck and call. Oh, and he could call that man his boyfriend.

Erwin could sense when Armin was getting close, because he began a quicker stroke and felt his boyfriend fill his mouth with warm pleasure. He swallowed it down.

Armin was still climbing down from his bliss. In the meantime, Erwin quickly went to the bathroom and brushed his teeth again.

When he came back, he sat next to Armin again.

“Okay, I’m ready to start the day now!” Armin placed his hand over Erwin’s.

“Peppermint tea and a blowjob is the recipe for success, huh?”

“Absolutely!”

“So cute,” Erwin stroked Armin’s bangs off his eyes.

“Do you want one, too?”

“Later,” Erwin said. “I’ll hold you to your word.”

\--

 

Armin walked into the kitchen, where Erwin was sitting rather quietly on the table.

“Good morning, handsome!” Armin wrapped his arms from behind and pressed three happy smooches into the man’s cheek.

“Morning.”

Armin was already looking into the fridge for breakfast ideas, but he shut the door slightly to peek out at Erwin. His tone was a bit more depressed than he cared for.

He came right over and sat next to him. “What’s wrong?” he asked firmly.

“It’s nothing.”

“It’s clearly something.”

Erwin sighed and seemed totally troubled.

Armin reached forward and lifted the man’s chin. “Is it work-related? Tell me, Erwin,” he soothed quietly.

“It’s… stupid.”

Armin almost rolled his eyes. “Erwin. Nothing that comes out of your mouth can possibly sound stupid. You can tell me.”

Icy-blue eyes that were normally piercing and intense looked muted and glassy when they met with Armin’s eyes.

“Tell me,” Armin pushed one more time.

“I… found my second gray hair this week alone. Call me sensitive, but it just reminds me how old I’m getting.”

Armin continued listening intensely. He was almost waiting for the _real_ bad news.

Erwin saw that the words didn’t strike Armin as profoundly as he was feeling. He sighed once more. “See? Stupid, isn’t it?”

“Erwinnn…” Armin scooted his chair closer and rubbed his bicep soothingly. “That’s not dumb at all. Why do you feel old? You’re not even 40 yet. Gray hairs are completely natural. During finals week, I started balding a little because of the stress. I was losing hair by the clumps. Don’t worry about one rogue hair or two.”

Erwin chuckled glumly at the prospect of his little boyfriend with the long, swishy hair outright balding. But it somehow didn’t make him feel better. “It’s not just one or two. I’m consistently starting to see more gray hairs. I can’t even keep up with you when you want morning sex. I just feel like I’m aging more and more every day.”

“People usually feel old because they feel like they haven’t accomplished enough in their lives. Or they haven’t seen enough of the world. Or something along the lines of unfulfillment. Erwin, you have no reason to feel like you’re old. You’re a successful, brilliant, kind man who has impacted hundreds, if not thousands, of lives. And to boot, you’re outrageously handsome. If anything, your gray hairs is caused by how much you stress and worry, and how much weight you have on your shoulders with your businesses. Not a soul thinks you’re too old. Especially not me.”

Erwin placed his hand over Armin’s hopefully.

Armin’s voice was a little softer this time. “People work their entire lives to amass the empire that you’ve created in just the last ten years. You’re stressing over nothing, Erwin Smith. Live in the moment. Age is a mental state.”

Erwin nodded. “..You’re right. It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy. If I spend all this time stressing about getting older; I’ll feel older.”

“Exactly,” Armin nodded firmly.

“That makes me feel a little better. If I can be honest with you, I think most of my fear of aging comes from trying and sometimes failing to keep up with you, darling.”

“You keep up with me plenty. You keep up with me more than anyone I’ve ever met in my life. As for the morning sex, don’t you worry about that. 6:30 sex is unrealistic for a lot of people. I’m just horny often.”

Erwin laughed.

“And Erwin, you’re the best playmate. You’re willing to push boundaries and cater to my every eyebrow-raising whim. And in our everyday lives, I feel like you’re so understanding and informed and receptive to new ideas. If those aren’t signs of youthfulness, then I don’t know what is.”

“And finally,” Armin stood up slyly and his fingers found Erwin’s uncombed (but still perfect) hair, “I… may have a thing for that middle-aged look. Silver hair is prettttyy attractive….”

Erwin could not contain himself. “You have a lot of “things”, Armin.”

“Mm-hm…” Armin agreed. “I’m just indulgent like that.” He ran his fingers through soft, pure blond hair. “Erwin, you’re perfect. Gray hairs or not, you’ll still be handsome as hell. It’s a win-win for me.” He punctuated his words with kiss upon the man’s head.

“Armin, thank you for such soothing words. I think I really needed that.” He waited for the boy to come around to share a proper kiss on the lips. “Thank you for keeping up with my mercurial thoughts. I’m glad it’s you, pumpkin.”

“It’s my job to make sure my man isn’t stressed. Otherwise, what good is he?”

They shared a knowing smile, and their hands lingered all the way to their fingertips while Armin was beginning to walk away again. “What are you thinking for breakfast, mister?”

“Surprise me.”

“Oooh, I love surprises,” Armin grinned. “Yes, I do the cooking~ Yes, I do the cleaning~ Yes, I keep the ‘nana real sweet for ya eating…” he began singing a song that Erwin didn’t recognize, and he hid a quick chuckle.

He made sure not to bother Armin in his element. Even though Erwin was more than willing to make breakfast every day, Armin wanted to buckle down and assume some household tasks, too. Armin didn’t like help. Even when Erwin was still aiding in teaching Armin how to cook like a professional, he kept hearing, “Okayyy, I got it! Let me try by myself!” followed with Erwin’s defeated, “Alright, pumpkin. Be careful.” But when he didn’t give the tiny blond enough distance, he got an impatient huff and an authentic “Erwinnnnnn!!”

Erwin waited for breakfast patiently, and he browsed through his laptop a little. Sizzles and sounds of Armin struggling to keep his hair out of his face as per norm made the morning come alive.

-

“Eggs Benedict and German pancakes today. Accompanied by a fresh fruit parfait,” Armin explained.

Erwin cut into the egg and watched it ooze perfectly. Armin was taking no prisoners.  Determined, blue eyes stared at him take a bite.

Erwin melted into a sigh contently. “Mmm… that’s the ticket.”

Armin unclenched his fists and grinned. “Yesss! I was so hoping for your approval!”

“I don’t know why you’re so nervous about impressing me. We’ve already established you’re the superior cook between the two of us. And I’ll eat absolutely anything you make.”

Armin was devouring his own parfait. “You’re just saying that to boost my ego.”

“Well, let’s think of it subjectively,” Erwin explained gently, in that sort of assuring, professional tone he used at work. “I’ve taught you all I know, and even then, you made my own recipes better than myself. And, you still surprise me with new ones. I would say your knowledge alone would warrant for the crown, no?”

“Yeah, but you can make those same recipes with your eyes closed, creating an email, giving me my morning attention, and making a phone call at the same time. You’re too humble for your own good.”

“Complimenting you is the hardest thing in the world to do,” Erwin said. “I’m trying to say that you’re a phenomenal little chef, Armin. Thank you for indulging me every day.”

“Always!” Armin grinned. “A man like you only deserves the best in life.”

Erwin picked up a strawberry piece from his parfait and held his fork out. Armin ate it gladly.

-

Erwin took a sip of his favorite Earl Grey tea. His eyes were fixated on a certain subject. “Armin. Come here.”

Armin looked behind his shoulder and came over.

Large hands found those familiar hips.

“Thank you,” he whispered.

“For what?” Armin wondered.

“Nothing. Everything. Thank you for being the sweetest thing. Thank you for feeding me.”

“Aw. You’re very welcome. It was seriously my pleasure. Everyone knows that the quickest way to a man’s heart…” Armin ran his along Erwin’s form as he stalked behind him, “…is through his stomach.” He rested his chin on Erwin’s shoulder and his hands rubbed his stomach soothingly.

Erwin laughed. “You have it all figured out already.”

Armin’s gaze went from looking down to slowly following Erwin standing up into the 6’3 tower that he was.

“There is another way to my heart, though,” Erwin said. “All you need to do is be a fantastic young man named Armin.” He swooped down and in one quick movement, he swooped Armin right off his feet and into his arms.

The thrilled squeals that Armin made when he was picked up unexpectantly was something Erwin never got tired of. Of course, Armin, being an adult that was often mistaken for a middle schooler, was subject to being swept off his feet and into the air without warning very often.

He spun the younger boy around, making the world feel like it was whizzing by.

“ERWINNNNNN!!! DON’T DROP MEEEEEEEEE!!!” Armin managed between laughs.

“I won’t drop you,” Erwin chuckled.

Erwin was thinking over the squeals and mild threats filling the air. He’s experienced a lot, but toying with the little blondie in his arms was the best reason to wake up in the morning. Truly.

\--

“I’m so thrilled! I love unlocking parts of your past.”

The question Armin asked earlier was “What was your first job?”; a job most people inquired CEOs first and foremost. For Armin and Eren, though, it was doubly important to know.

Erwin’s response was as casual and gentle as expected: “Well, why don’t I just take you there?”

They drove quite a ways to a more rustic part of the neighboring city. Here, life moved slowly and people were old-fashioned and traditional. It was Erwin’s hometown.

“You grew up here?” Armin smiled, and he looked out the window at the passing small churches and quaint houses.

“I did.”

And of course, Erwin’s shiny white Bentley stuck out like a sore thumb amongst the humble pick-up trucks and lack of… luxuries in this town.

“Was it hard for you to move to the big city when you were starting school and your career?” Armin inquired.

“Unbelievably so. I’ve gotten a taste of city life previously, but living in that environment at the beginning shook my small-town values to the core.”

Armin leaned back into his seat and pondered. _It must be nice… to revisit your hometown and feeling like you’ve outgrown it._ That was a true measure of success.

Of course, when you live in a big, bustling city like Trost, that milestone was harder to achieve.

“That was my high school,” Erwin pointed ahead.

Three seconds of driving later, “and that was my middle school.”

They laughed.

“Small towns are an alternate universe,” Armin said. “The high school and middle school are right next to each other!”

“It’s more convenient that way, isn’t it?” Erwin agreed. “Luckily, you won’t have to experience the transition to new places and ideas. City natives are already used to it.”

They passed a small strip of stores, including things like a bank, a barber, and a produce store. They were hardly any corporations or franchises here. Ma-and-Pop businesses ran this town.

“Did you like growing up here?” Armin asked.

It took Erwin a little while to reply. “I… didn’t hate it at the time. I didn’t know any better.” He continued choosing his words carefully. “But it wasn’t for me. In places like this, people are complacent. They don’t know much about the rest of the world. They don’t understand differing points of views. And frankly, they don’t care to. There was no room for growth in these confines.”

Armin looked over with curious ocean blue eyes, his lips shaped in a soft ‘O’. It was the way he always looked when Erwin spoke at length. When Erwin looked over and noticed that cute face staring at him, he pinched Armin’s chin in adoration.

“How did your family and neighbors react when you told them you were going to pursue being a businessman?”

“They were not happy,” Erwin said. “In the country, money is considered the root of all sin, and even more so when you’re actively seeking it out as a profession. The city is a breeding ground for bad choices and a surefire way to forget the word of God. The people in my life were, as you youngsters say, ‘shook’.”

Armin giggled. Erwin didn’t really talk much about his past. And the more he spoke about it, Armin knew why. Erwin was not a supported boy in his youth.

“…And your father?” Armin asked gingerly.

“I think he was the most displeased with me. I always asked more questions than he was comfortable with. It frustrated him that I was bold in the way I seeked answers. He was a very quiet man and avoided controversy like the plague. I feel like… he respected my choice to get out of town and start my career, but he also resented me for it. Fear of the unknown, perhaps.”

“Sounds like you had a complicated relationship with him.”

Erwin sighed softly. “’Complicated’ isn’t even the half of it.”

“If it means anything from me,” Armin said. “I respect you so much for pursuing your dream. You’re so inspirational. I’m surprised that someone like you came from a place like this.”

Erwin held his hand out for Armin’s and provided a chaste kiss on the knuckles. “Thank you for saying that, darling. I don’t regret a minute of it. I needed to venture out of my comfort zone to expand myself and live the life I wanted to live. And besides, my choices thus far resulted in me meeting you. And what’s my life without you to share it with?”

“Do you wish your dad could see you now?” It was in Armin’s nature to ask the hard questions—but also the questions that were lingering in the air, answered.

“Honestly?” Erwin thought about it. “Who doesn’t want to show their parents that they made it against all the odds? But, by the same token, I don’t really care much for what was his opinion would’ve been. It was because I didn’t really agree other people’s opinions that I was able to find myself. When my father passed away, I was devastated, but also strangely liberated. It’s been eating away at me for years that I felt that way.”

Armin let Erwin’s words sink in.

Erwin glanced over for a second. It wasn’t often that Armin was out of questions. “I don’t mean to depress you, Armin. Like I said, I don’t regret anything.”

“Your words got me thinking. I’m lucky I didn’t meet much opposition in my life. And as much as I love my grandpa, I always wonder how life with my real parents would’ve been.”

“That’s right, Eren’s parents practically raised you, didn’t they?”

“They did. And they always supported me as if I was their own. My grandpa was willing to raise me after my parents died, but he was already frail. I don’t know where I’d be without the Jaegers. Your story just makes me grateful that I’m surrounded with good people.”

“Family is by choice,” Erwin said. “That’s what I think.”

“’The blood of the covenant is thicker than water of the womb’,” Armin recited. “I’m glad you’re part of my family now, Erwin. I can’t wait to get married someday.”

Erwin laughed. “Me, too, darling.”

They were now moving away from the residential part of town, and moving towards what was the city equivalent of “downtown”. There were more restaurants popping up, and even bars and jewelers and gun shops.

They pulled up to a rustic but bustling restaurant. The building was strung with rainbow, blinking Christmas lights. The parking lot was awfully crowded and the people heading in were bubbling with excitement. They seemed like tourists—their styles and mannerisms were wildly different than that of the countryside with the small houses.

“This is it?” Armin asked happily. “You worked at this steakhouse?”

“I did. My very first job.” Erwin took Armin’s hand and led them in.

The inside was loud. Glasses clinked and men laughed boisterously. Large families huddled over wooden tables, too engorged with the food for small talk. It was no frills, and the perfect level of casual and quality.

And the smell of the most delicious grilled meats… Armin shut his eyes and his mouth watered considerably.

“Just two today?” the hostess asked.

“Yes, please.”

The hostess picked up two menus and winked. “Follow me, boys.”

Armin was seated and he tucked some hair behind his ear.

Erwin sat down and thanked the hostess.

“Were you a chef here?!” Armin gushed. “The food smells delicious!”

“I started as a dishwasher, and ended my time as the head chef.”

Armin was in awe. That’s the Erwin way. Good, old-fashioned hard work to climb to the very top.

“So _that’s_ how you learned to cook! It was such a mystery for me up to this point!”

“This was where I learned to cook _meat_ ,” Erwin corrected amusedly. “Everything else, I learned just like anyone else.”

“Order for me.” Armin shut the menu that he hardly looked at. “I’ll eat whatever you recommend.”

Erwin smiled. “I know just the thing.”

-

The server set down huge plates of steaks along with vegetables and potatoes on the side.

It was the biggest cut of meat Armin has ever seen.

“It’s huge!!” Armin gushed. His mouth was watering all over again. He took hold of the serrated knife and began cutting into a piece.

“I’m so excited for you, baby,” Erwin watched Armin take the bite.

The orgasmic melting of Armin’s facial features as he chewed was plenty of feedback. “MMM!” He hissed, and he giggled profusely. “Erwin! What the hell!”

“It’s good, isn’t it?” Erwin asked and he began cutting into his own. “I helped create the rub for this cut.”

“It’s so delicious! Do we have this rub at home?!”

“We do not. They use a certain rare spice here that’s difficult to import. But I can give it another try.”

“I’m so fucking happy right now~” Armin cut through another piece.

Someone walked past. A busboy, maybe, based on his dirtied apron and his equally messy white t shirt. But he seemed a bit too old to be bussing tables. Perhaps a really hands-on floor manager.

“Whoa, no way!”

Erwin looked up, and once he locked eyes with the man, he smiled warmly.

“Erwin Smith?! Oh, say it ain’t so!”

The man immediately came over and provided a gruff hug and handshake. “Where ya been?! You’re so busy makin’ money that you forgot about us?”

“I guess you can say things got busy,” Erwin apologized.

“He says, ‘Things got busy’,” the man mocked Erwin’s clear enunciation. And evi-DENT-lyyy, he was busy getting…?” The man eyed Armin and stuck his hand out.

“His boyfriend,” Armin finished. “My name’s Armin.”

“A boyfriend…~” the man sang lowly. “Ho, ho, ho~”

“Hey,” Erwin warned the man, but it was half serious.

“I wasn’t gonna say nothin’!” the man said. “You’re ‘bout cute as a button!” he told Armin.

“Thanks,” Armin smiled politely. “And you are…?”

Erwin looked at the man behind clasped fingers, hiding his bemusement. “Yes, who _are_ you?” He clearly knew who the man was, but he playfully feigned ignorance.

“Don’t you try me, li’l boy,” the man smirked at Erwin. He looked to Armin. “They call me Red.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Red.”

“I’ll let you two finish up eatin, but after that, I got a little history lesson for you, Boyfriend!”

Armin nodded. “Sounds good.”

-

Armin was about 100 pounds soaking wet, but he felt like he put on about 40 pounds just by this meal alone.

It didn’t help that different side dishes mysteriously made their way to the table. It was like Red was bringing things from the kitchen for Armin to try.

“Are you okay, darling?”

Armin managed to open his eyes all the way. “I feel like I’ve eaten for 12.”

“It’s a bit like Thanksgiving, huh?” Erwin looked up and met eyes with their waitress, and she made her way over. “The bill, please?”

She shook her head and smiled. “I’ve been told this table is on the house today. Boss’s orders.”

Erwin nodded. “I figured.” He reached into his wallet and took out a small wad. “Let me give you your tip, at least.”

“Thank you very much,” the lady accepted it gratefully. “Please stay a while.”

She refilled their water and left.

“What did he mean by history lesson?” Armin asked.

“To be honest, I’m not even sure myself. I think he’ll show you the back of house.”

They finally managed to get up and pace around a bit to aid in digestion. Red found them once more, and took off his apron. “Ready?”

He led them through tables and tables of people to a far wall that was a kitschy collage of framed pictures and snapshots from the past.

“See that?” Red pointed at a wooden-framed picture of a group of people. It was weathered and a little dusty.

When Armin looked a little closer, he saw a tall young man with a dazzling smile and palpable southern charm. That person stood out among the whole bunch.

“That’s Erwin, about twenty years ago,” Red explained.

Armin looked up at Erwin. “You were so cute!”

“Let’s just say this man filled into his shoes _quite_ nicely,” Red smirked.

Armin paced slowly along the wall to get an eyeful of the pictures on the wall, and Red stopped them at another one of Erwin. He was standing over a range, and he was cooking something. His smile for the camera was outrageously handsome.

“This was the first time Erwin ever cooked for a customer. Our business has been booming since.”

And it seemed younger Erwin kept his blond hair shaken out messily over his forehead. He was thin and lanky and oddly charming. He looked like the type of boy every girl had a crush on in high school.

Armin’s heart was pierced. He knew he just fell in love all over again.

There were more pictures of the establishment, from its beginnings to its current state. From the looks of it, the place was a humble shack a long time ago. The small building was unassuming and actually a bit run down. When they rolled in today, the place was wonderfully renovated and decorated.

There was one more picture that Red stopped at. It was a closer, face picture of Erwin and another young man. In this picture, Erwin seemed a little older and more mature.

“That’s me and Erwin,” Red explained proudly. And then he sighed a bit morosely. “This was Erwin’s last day working here. Before he decided to pack it all up and start his career. He left behind one hell of a legacy.”

Armin noticed Erwin seemed to have that effect on people and places. Anything he touched turned to gold.

“We asked Erwin if we could rename the restaurant after him, sorta as a going-away gift,” Red said.

“I could never,” Erwin shook his head.

“Yeah, as you can tell, he refused. He said if we used his name, then we had to use the names of all his chefs, too.”

Armin squeezed Erwin’s waist sweetly. _That’s the man he knew and loved_.

Red winked. “You ever seen a kitchen, Boyfriend?”

“Not a professional one, no.”

“You’re in for a treat.”

He pushed them through the restaurant to the very back, and Armin followed through the swinging doors.

The kitchen was very spacious, but incredibly busy and overwhelming. If Armin thought the scent at the front door was heavenly, the mixture of smells now was making him almost woozy with pleasure. Everyone was doing their own thing, but at the same time, food was resulting cohesively at the end. The clinks and clangs of tongs and the searing of fires filled Armin’s ears.

A few people looked up and yelled Erwin’s name in greeting, but they returned to their cooking.

Red walked them through the kitchen, and briefly explained what each chef was doing. Armin, in usual fashion, was taking mental notes and tried to understand how the whole thing came together.

He watched a chef slice through a cut of meat in a particular method that sparked an old memory. He squeezed Erwin’s hand to get his attention. Erwin leaned down to hear better.

“That’s how you taught me to slice!”

“It sure is, baby. Where do you think I learned it originally?”

They shared a smile and kept walking.

Red walked past a chef but backtracked to give a quick piece of advice.

They ended up at the pass, where Red leaned his elbow on the counter. “What do you think, Armin?”

“I love it! It’s intense.”

“Wanna try?”

“Try cooking?”

“No, running the kitchen.”

Armin looked up at Erwin for help, but when Erwin’s face remained neutral, he looked back at Red, whose face was equally serious.

“No way. Are you kidding? You’re kidding.”

“I’m not kidding. C’mon, if Erwin taught you anything, which I’m sure he did, you’ll be fine.”

“But those are paying customers. What if I screw up?”

“I’ll watch ya. Don’t worry, and let it be.”

Armin looked up at Erwin one more time, almost hoping to be talked out of it. But of course, Erwin was as supportive as he always was, which in this situation made Armin rather nervous.

“Try it, Armin. We’ll both watch you. Pretend you’re cooking for me.”

Armin was still quaking in his shoes, but it was hard to be afraid of anything when Erwin was watching over him protectively and providing comforting words.

“O-Okay. I’ll try my best.”

A different waitress came over and posted a slip on the pass.

Red was as casual as ever. “Ah, we got a ticket.”

He showed Armin the ticket. “So, first we start by relaying the table, and then the order.”

Erwin looked at the ticket, too. “Prime ribs and surf n’ turf. You know these, Armin.”

Armin looked out to the kitchen and tucked some hair behind his ear. “Four top…”

None of the chefs glanced his way.

Red patted Armin’s back. “Louder. Scream it at the top of your lungs. Make sure every chef here can hear you.”

Armin stepped forward. “WE HAVE A FOUR TOP! TWO SLOW ROASTED PRIME RIBS, AND THEN TWO SURF N’ TURF SPECIALS, ALL MEDIUM-RARE!!”

“HEARD!” All the chefs resounded clearly, and Armin was startled by their response.

“Good job!” Erwin encouraged. “Now ask them how long you should be kept waiting.”

“HOW LONG!”

One of the chefs handling meats spoke up. “I have eight minutes!”

Another, “I have five on garnish!”

“OKAY, EIGHT MINUTES TO WINDOW! DROP GARNISH AFTER THREE!”

Red laughed. “A natural. You’re a natural, Armin. I knew I could trust you.”

“Do I just wait now?”

“Normally we would have more tickets to do, but for now I’ll let the sous chefs handle other tickets since you’re still learning.”

A little while later, the first foods were starting to come up to the pass in either pans or metal trays.

“Make sure the meats match the requested temperatures, and that the sides are seasoned and hot,” Red said.

Armin took a plastic spoon from a cup and tasted some mashed potatoes in the pot. “That’s good.” The sous chefs beside Armin began plating.

He eyed the prime ribs, which, although they still looked delicious, did not match each other.

“This isn’t right,” he muttered.

“What’s wrong with it?” Red asked.

“This one’s overcooked.”

“Tell the chef, then.”

Armin held up the metal tray. “THIS PRIME RIB IS WELL; I ASKED FOR MEDIUM-RARE. RE-FIRE!”

“Heard!” the chef called.

“Nice!” Red said. “When you have a kitchen full of vets, this doesn’t happen often, but when you have new chefs, there will be some bumps in the road.”

The chef bought along a new cut a little bit later, and Armin was happy with it. “Better!”

The new chef looked behind his shoulder and smiled.

“A positive head chef will always get more from his crew. Ask this one,” he pointed his chin at Erwin.

“This is true. Confidence helps people in ways you wouldn’t think,” Erwin said.

“How do the shrimp look?”

“They look good.”

The sous chefs were done plating and garnishing, and they seemed to wait on Armin’s command.

“Are you happy with the ticket?” Red asked.

Armin wasn’t sure if that was a trick question. “Yes…?”

“Are you sure?” Red pushed once again.

“Yes.” Armin nodded firmly. He looked at the food runner standing beyond the window. “Go, please.”

He took the tray and went.

“And… you just finished your first ticket as a head chef!” Red explained. “Not bad at all!”

“You were phenomenal,” Erwin leaned down and took his shoulders. “I’m so proud of you, pumpkin.”

“Can I… try another ticket?” Armin asked Red.

“Hell yeah!” He yanked two tickets off the pass and handed them to Armin. “Go crazy. Kitchen’s yours.”

Erwin and Red slipped out of the kitchen slowly, and Armin quickly took over the kitchen.

While Erwin reminisced with his old friend, he heard Armin’s voice in the distance.

“A little firecracker you got there,” Red said.

“You have no idea.”

\--

Though Armin only wanted to try one more ticket, he accidentally ended up running the kitchen for an hour. He almost memorized the whole menu by the time Erwin and Red came back for him.

Armin was flushed and his cheeks were bitten raw from all the yelling. “I’m so tired. How long were your shifts, Erwin?”

“Ten to twelve hours, typically.”

Armin shook his head. “I don’t know how you can do that for twelve hours. I’m exhausted after one.”

“It becomes kind of like clockwork after a while. You don’t think too much about it if you’re running a tight ship,” Erwin said.

“How ‘bout a drink?” Red took them over to the bar.

Armin normally explained at events that he was still underage, but after that stressful but satisfying running the kitchen, he was welcome for the opportunity to get a little drunk.

Erwin could probably sympathize.

\--

Spending a quiet evening in with Erwin was one of Armin’s favorite things.

The man was sitting at the recliner, watching a documentary, when Armin came back home from a night out at the mall with friends.

“My little peach!” Erwin smiled.

Armin locked the door, left all his bags at the door, and came jogging.

“Hello, my gorgeous, wonderful Erwin,” Armin replied with just as much sweetness, and he met Erwin’s lips firmly.

“Did you have a good time today?”

“Absolutely. But now, I think I want to be held.”

“Come.”

Winter jacket and all, Armin climbed into Erwin’s lap and curled up quietly.

“Oh, wait!” Armin sat back up. He went over to his bags and rummaged through them.

Armin straddled Erwin’s lap again and held a plastic gift bag.

“I really enjoyed learning about your past these previous couple of days. I like to think about where you came from and how you ended up here. I like to understand your roots.”

Armin took out the object from the gift bag and held it out for Erwin. “I saw this bolo tie at the mall and it kinda reminded me of your hometown. Very rustic and traditional. I had to get it for you.”

Erwin took the bolo tie against his palm to inspect it. The piece was emerald and pure. “Armin… I love it. Thank you for thinking of me. It really does remind me of my hometown.”

“You’re welcome!” Armin gushed. “I’m glad you like it.”

Erwin held his face within his hands and lay four plush smooches on Armin’s forehead. “Such a kind, thoughtful boyfriend. Not to mention adorable.” He pulled Armin in for a hug.

Armin loved how all-consuming and tight Erwin’s hugs were. He could stay here forever.

He propped his chin on Erwin’s chest after a quiet moment. “Do you want to… do something tonight?”

“How could I say no?”

Armin giggled. “I’m already excited.”

“In more than one sense…?” Erwin asked slyly, a thick eyebrow arching curiously.

They shared a flirty nose touch.

 _God, that little mischievous laugh Armin made was irresistible,_ Erwin thought to himself.

-

Armin took Erwin’s hand and led him politely to the big master bedroom.

“What is it that you have up your sleeve..?” Erwin wondered.

He knew better than to ask. Every day was a new experience when it came to the impish little blond before him.

“Mmm…” Armin stroked his chin a bit. “I want something a little sweet but a little fucked-up. Quite the dilemma, don’t you think, Erwin Smith?”

“Indeed.”

Armin went into the far reaches of the walk-in closet to the toy stash. Erwin tried his best to place them in a plain, unassuming storage chest, but Armin still secretly hoped that Lily didn’t stumble upon the collection while she was cleaning.

He took out a red ball gag, a cock ring, and a velvet stash.

When he emerged, Erwin was sitting patiently on the edge of the bed.

“No whips today?”

“No whips today,” Armin confirmed. He took hold of the hem of Erwin’s shirt and worked it up and off his body.

Undressing Erwin was a treat in itself. He was all hidden handsomeness and that ruggedness that was akin to a cologne advertisement.

“I never get tired of you,” Armin admired quietly. “And one day you’ll have that dad-bod that I love.”

“What is a dad-bod?” Erwin asked amusedly. He liked to think he was quick on learning new and hip youthful happenings thanks to his boyfriend, but apparently never quick enough.

“It’s hard to explain. You’re toned now, but when you get older down the road, you might let yourself go a bit. You’ll get a little softer.”

“Should I avoid that? I try my best to stay fit.”

Armin ushered for him to take off his pants. “Whether you’re fit or not, I’ll love you regardless!”

Erwin smiled. “I don’t think I’ve met another person that is as pure as you.”

“Don’t speak too soon,” Armin winked and held up tonight’s toys gingerly.

Now that Erwin was just in his underwear, Armin led him over to the chair in front of the armoire and seated him.

Armin walked behind and used the velvet sash to confine Erwin’s hands.

“Open up.”

Erwin opened his mouth and took the red ball between his jaws. It felt awkward and clunky in his mouth.

Armin clasped the device securely. “Too tight?”

Erwin shook his head.

“Good.”

Armin came back around pulled Erwin’s underwear off his legs. That mischievous little smile remained constant on his lips.

Once he slipped the cock ring on Erwin’s length, it was time to begin work.

There was no reason to gag Erwin. Besides the fact that those low moans that resonated from his chest while he was pleasured were _absolutely exquisite_.

Armin drizzled lubricant all over Erwin’s length.

The hiss from Erwin’s mouth was quiet, but Armin was hyper-aware of it. He loved little intimate sessions like these. It was a way to explore Erwin’s body. What he liked; and what he didn’t like.

There was just something about handling an older man.

Armin kneeled on the floor and began working the liquid all over Erwin. He eased into it, using one hand to stroke up and down with medium pressure.

Erwin was watching apprehensively. His breathing was calm for now.

Armin noticed a familiar firming as he worked. Erwin’s length was fully hard now, and the blood that was rushing throughout was starting to rush to the tip, thanks to the cock ring at the base.

Big, ocean-blue eyes looked up at the man in question. “Hey.”

Erwin met his eyes.

“You’re getting so big. You really like this.”

It wasn’t a question, but Erwin agreed. He didn’t consider himself any bigger than the next man (well, Armin was his first boyfriend, as well as younger and therefore less endowed), but then again, he’s heard of numbers and averages. His length was just never something he felt the need to brag about, although Armin loved praising him about it.

That wasn’t to say it didn’t boost his ego tremendously, something no man could resist.

Armin calmly kept at it. “This is so hot…” he mumbled happily. He used both hands now, although he didn’t use his mouth at all to aid in the experience. It was fun to find out how little he had to do to please Erwin.

He hummed gladly as Erwin’s breathing began to quicken.

“It’s okay, you can let go,” Armin encouraged. Erwin was always a little tense when they began. It was almost like he was afraid of showing how vulnerable he can become.

Erwin whined and Armin felt his length twitch a little. Little beads of precum gathered at the slit, but they were left untouched.

“I’m going to make you cum so hard, Erwin.”

Erwin took a deep breath through his nose and pulled against his restraints.

Armin went back to one hand, and now that Erwin was all worked up, he decided the teasing shall begin.

He poked the tip casually, and Erwin looked down with knitted brows. Using his nails, Armin ran his fingers teasingly along the length.

Erwin squirmed impatiently, and Armin admired his own control.

He took hold of the length with both hands and began working a bit faster, up and down. He didn’t stop when Erwin began whining again. Actually, he slowed down tremendously and started using a light grip with one hand once more.

Erwin was trying to express his frustration, but it came out as a pained cry and he hung his head in shame.

“Look up, Erwin.”

Erwin lifted his head, and from his movement, his neat hair flopped over his forehead—and it reminded Armin of that picture of the same young man back at the restaurant.

Erwin’s ears and face were also seared a light pink, which was common after a workout but pretty rare otherwise.

“Look at me while I please you.”

That was a bit rich coming from Armin, considering he often tried to hide his face when he was received a certain kind of attention.

Erwin’s mouth watered a bit, and the saliva ran down the side of his mouth a little.

His red cock was glistening from the lubricant as well as the precum. Armin knew Erwin was getting close.

He took the tortured length with both hands and began jacking it with all his might.

Erwin moaned loudly.

“Not until I say so,” Armin warned.

Erwin squirmed harshly and his chest rose and fell wildly. He was useless right now. Absolutely useless and he wanted to play Armin’s game but he didn’t find enough strength or willpower in himself to keep from letting go—

“Do it. Cum for me,” Armin allowed.

Erwin melted in his chair and his eyes rolled back as he orgasmed.

Armin was watching Erwin’s stomach and biceps twitch as he pumped up and down, waiting for something…

“Oh, haha!” Armin laughed as copious amounts of cum erupted from the tip. He never let go, even as it was landing messily all over his hands.

Erwin kept on going in sporadic spurts.

Armin admired how thick and pearly his reward was. “More, more!”

Erwin finally finished. He looked down a bit apologetically, still feeling tender and lost.

Armin looked back up, though, and when he made sure Erwin was looking, he proceeded to clean up the mess from Erwin’s thighs and his own hands.

With his tongue.

It wasn’t the first time Erwin’s seen Armin do something of this nature, but he had to admit, it was still strange and fascinating to him. Perhaps it was a thing with Armin’s generation—a lack of shame.

Armin took the cock ring off and lapped his tongue all over the mess—taking it in short, bite-sized stripes like a kitten would go about drinking spilt milk on the floor.

When it was all said done, Armin got off his knees and undid Erwin’s restraints, and then unclasped the gag.

Erwin clenched and unclenched his jaw.

“That’s one thing I love about you,” Armin hugged him from behind. “You cum a _lot_.”

“I suppose it’s all that pent-up pressure,” Erwin said, more relieved that he was actually able to be free of his delicious torture.

“I suppose it’s because you know I want it.”

Erwin took Armin’s hand to lead him around in front of him. Without much of a warning, he began undoing Armin’s clothes.

“You’re not tired..?” Armin mused.

“I think my stamina’s improving these days. An inevitable result from a younger boyfriend.”

“What will you do with me?”

“Retaliate.”

Armin raised his brows in surprise. “That’s hot.”

With Armin naked and up for the taking, Erwin took the lube from the floor and lifted him to the bed.

“Safety first, pumpkin.” Erwin made quick work of preparing and loosening Armin up for his next action.

-

“Good?”

“Mm-hm.”

Erwin eased his fingers out and beckoned for Armin to sit up.

Armin felt the gag being fixed onto him. The same wet gag that was used recently.

Erwin was being quiet and a bit unexpressive. That was a sign of a rolling storm.

The man latched Armin’s arms around his own neck and lifted him off the bed by the thighs. It was a fluid movement due to Armin’s light weight.

“Ready?” Erwin asked quickly. He didn’t wait for a response. All he got were big, ocean-blue eyes staring at him in anticipation.

Armin’s legs were wrapped around his waist, so it was a bit awkward, but Erwin reached below with his free hand and aligned himself with Armin’s entrance.

Just a little drop on his hold, and Armin slipped right onto it.

“Mmm~” Armin hung his head back and held on tighter. The fullness of Erwin’s girth filled him immediately.

Standing sex was not normally the average couple’s default, but these two were hardly average, and Erwin just had to take advantage of how little and pliable his plaything was.

Now that he was in, Erwin took hold of the bottoms of Armin’s thighs once more, and began working him up and down his own body, using their chest friction as a control agent.

“God…” Erwin sighed.

The scent of their sweat and body heat was starting to swirl between them, aiding to that lovely madness Erwin was experiencing a little while ago.

Armin wanted to kiss, but due to his gagged mouth it would’ve been a little clumsy. He touched their noses together instead.

Instead of soothing Armin up and down, Erwin wanted to dish out some of that helplessness since it was his turn.

He lifted Armin’s cute little behind higher into the air, then dropped it into his length.

Armin loosened his grip around Erwin’s neck, so that it was almost as if he was lazily hanging off a tree trunk. He drooled a bit and swallowed thickly.

Erwin didn’t need to move much in this position. He only need to pull his hips back just a hair and lightly tap into Armin’s entrance for a world of difference.

But Armin hanging off his neck like that got rid of that steady friction they had, and now he was pretty available and free.

Erwin pushed Armin’s hips out into the air and took it back forcefully after a second, just to hear that clap of groin to ass.

Each meeting had Armin squeaking in pleasure since it was all he was able to do. His chin-length hair swished back and forth, and Erwin smiled at the sight.

Erwin was feeling a bit aggressive, which was rare when he was around Armin. He started bucking his hips more forcefully into Armin, who was giving a facial expression of “!”

“You like that, don’t you?” Erwin snarled lowly. “You like making me like this. Making me fucking crazy.”

Armin nodded wildly, too engorged in his own sensations to be coherent.

“This is what you get, Armin. This--“

A brutal push. Armin squealed.

“Is.”

Another one.

“What.”

“ _Mmf_!”

“You.”

“Mmmm…”

“ _Deserve_ ,” Erwin concluded, and he trapped Armin close, to make sure he felt that sensation in his midsection and remember it.

Armin was quaking in Erwin’s arms, not really from pain but more from overwhelming pleasure.

It was quiet and indulgent and they shared their warm goodness.

-

Erwin slowly lifted Armin up and off him, holding him beneath the arms until his legs felt stable enough to stand on their own.

He took off the ball gag and when he managed to get a look at Armin’s face, the boy was brushing away some tears at the corner of his eye.

Erwin quickly became overcome with worry. “Did I cause you pain, darling? I’m so sorry, I might have been too rough.”

But Armin’s shoulders shook with quiet laughter and he looked up with a flushed face. “You didn’t hurt me, Erwin. That was amazing.”

He casually took Erwin’s hand and led them to the bathroom.

“It’s not good sex unless you cry about it,” he pointed, matter-of-fact.

Erwin laughed out loud. He was more relieved that Armin wasn’t actually hurt, but still. His little boyfriend was right.

-

After their shower, they reconvened at the kitchen, where, whomever arrived first got a kettle going for some tea.

It was a tradition.

And though he still felt a bit slack at the muscles, Erwin managed to lift Armin onto the kitchen table while they waited.

When they met eyes, Armin winked flirtily. Erwin came over and demanded a kiss for that.

“Erwin.”

“Mm?” He took the opportunity to play with Armin’s combed, damp hair, which was even softer than when it was wet, if that was even possible.

“Have you figured out where you’re taking me yet?”

“I thought you wanted it to be kept a surprise?” Erwin squished Armin’s cheeks together with his hand.

“I changed my mind,” Armin muffled through squished cheeks. “The suspense is killing me.”

“Guess.”

“Mmm…” Armin thought about it. “Costa Rica?”

Erwin shook his head, but his smile never left. “Nope.”

“China?”

“Nope.”

“Thailand?”

“Mm-mm.” Erwin kept listening as he poured the water and steeped the tea.

“Morocco?”

“Wow, Morocco,” Erwin pondered. “I haven’t even considered that. We should plan for that. Sounds exquisite.”

“So, no?”

“No for now.”

“Ah, I give up. At least tell me which continent?”

“Europe.”

Armin looked towards the horizon of his right shoulder while he thought.

His head snapped forward after a moment. An epiphany!

“England!?”

Erwin’s smile stretched wider.

“LONDON!?” Armin squealed.

“Bingo, baby,” Erwin nodded gently.

Armin screwed his eyes shut and kicked his legs playfully.

“I’M SO EXCITED!!!”

Erwin chose it for a specific reason. Armin’s been reading a lot of English novels lately and so it only made sense to solidify his imagination. Though, Erwin said they would try to see as many corners of the world as possible.

“I am, too.”

“Makes sense that we’re drinking tea, now, huh?” Armin said.

“Absolutely. I’m surprised you haven’t picked up the context clues.”

“But we drink tea all the time!”

“True, true,” Erwin said.

Armin took his cup and took a sip of it. He sighed contently.

“Armin.”

“Hm?”

“..I love you.”

Armin blinked in fake shock. And then he laughed. “I love you, too, you big dork.”

“Dork!?” Erwin pretended to look hurt, and then turned around theatrically to take a sip of his own tea, _alone_.

Armin tried to take another sip of his own cup, but he way too giggly. He kicked a socked foot into Erwin’s butt in revenge.

“It’s fine,” Erwin looked behind his shoulder, and despite trying his damndest to keep his character, he was fighting back a smile. “I try to show affection to my fickle boyfriend and this is what I get in return. Rejection.” He frowned and turned back.

Armin laughed. _“Fickle!?”_ He put his cup down and jumped off the kitchen island. “That does it.”

Erwin put his own cup down and sighed like a heartbroken loner.

Armin bounded up from behind and jumped up onto Erwin’s back, which was all it took for Erwin to break character. They laughed uncontrollably together.

Armin hung off that broad back, his feet dangling off the floor, and Erwin, the lovestruck fool, held onto the thin arms that were wrapped around his neck.

He led them both to the couch, where he had plans to smother the boy who broke his heart a few seconds ago. A… _proper_ punishment was in order.

Their laughs resonated through the apartment, and the tea in the kitchen had been happily forgotten.

 

 


	87. What a Baseball Cap Hides

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You guys wanted angst... and you finally got it.
> 
> (Please leave a comment after reading <3 And Happy New Year!)

Levi rocked his hips languidly into Eren, who was quite cheeky and quiet this morning.

The sounds of soft grunts and the slight creak of the bed was music to a morning listener’s ears, especially in this household.

Eren clutched onto his pillow and managed to open his eyes all the way for the first time today. The first thing he saw was a gorgeous, short French man all over him like white on rice.

“I love you,” Levi whispered.

Eren stared back from behind his pillow and hid back a smile. “I love you, too.”

It was a long, long time of wonder and pleasure.

\--

“Good morning,” Eren spoke into Levi’s chest. He lay on top and snaked his arms up Levi’s torso. His nails ran along the toned muscles gathered there.

“Good morning, love.”

“…I like when we do this. I like holding you in my arms.” Eren tightened his hug and hold possessively.

Levi let himself be at ease. Eren had a way. A way of making it seem like everything was calm and okay. Like the world was as still and innocent as an open field of wildflowers.

He didn’t know how to express himself out loud about that… but at this point, Eren knew how to read through him.

Levi noticed something else. “..Is that my shirt that you’re wearing?”

Eren did not hesitate. “Absolutely.”

A deep, low chuckle reverberated from Levi’s chest. “Not that I mind, but what is the methodology behind wearing my shirts?”

Eren thought about it. “Mm. I don’t know. Your shirts smell like you. I like having a piece of you on me, I guess.”

Levi actually strangely loved it when Eren raided his dresser and wore his t shirts. The arms were a bit large for him, but the hem was just an inch too short, so the shirt rode up a bit when Eren stretched or lifted his arms.

And Levi was in for a treat when he got to see that tiny flash of the waistband of Eren’s boxers or that tight, toned tummy.

And Eren looked amazing in black, even if it was just a simple t shirt. Looking good in black was something that ran in this family, apparently.

“Levi… do you think I’m weird?”

Levi did not hesitate this time, either. “Absolutely.”

Eren let out a breathy giggle and buried his face into the firm chest in front of him.

He lifted his head again. “What do you find weird about me?”

“Where do I begin?” a sly smile pulled at the corners of Levi’s mouth.

“Jerk,” Eren smiled even harder.

“I suppose it’s the things you’re into,” Levi explained. He looked into entrancing emerald eyes. “The way you take your coffee; the fact that you steal my clothes; the way you talk; your taste in porn—“

“Whoa, what kind of porn do you think I like?”

“You will only watch lesbian or cartoon porn.”

Eren heart fluttered happily. “Hah! You know me so well…” He kissed Levi’s chest gratefully, and placing his cheek back on his chest, he noticed Levi’s heartbeat was dancing as well, but it was probably from the morning quickie, though.

“Well, of course I know what kind of porn my boyfriend likes. Otherwise, what’s the point?”

“Also, it’s called _“hentai”_ , Levi. You should watch with me.”

Levi played with chocolate brown locks. “The fact that you suggest we watch porn together is yet another weird thing about you, darling.”

“That’s not weird, lotsa people watch together. The couple that watches porn together, _stays_ together.”

Levi looked at him. “Is that true, now?” He seemed like he was genuinely pondering it.

“Yes, sir. Scientifically proven.”

“Hm. Can’t argue science,” Levi moved some of Eren’s bangs out of his eyes. _“Hentai...”_ he repeated the word.

Eren shook his head in wonder. He loved teaching Levi new things, but he kind of felt bad that Levi has been missing out on quality porn these days.

“For the record, Eren, I find your weirdness one of your most attractive qualities. I feel that we’ve been together long enough that I’m allowed to say that.”

“If you’re going to talk about the things you like about me, you’re going to inflate my ego,” Eren said. “…I’ve been meaning to ask you one day: why did you ask me out that one day at the coffee shop? What did you see in me?”

Levi thought about it. “Well, first and foremost, you were… _mad_ cute, as you would say.”

Eren giggled at Levi’s adapting of his own speech.

“I… don’t know. I’ve never been with a man up to that point. Actually, the thought of being with a man never crossed my mind until I laid eyes on you.”

“Aw…” Eren pouted in admiration. “I made you doubt your sexuality. That’s like the biggest compliment anyone can get.”

Levi kept twirling Eren’s hair between his fingers. “I felt a bit strange about it, but I felt a wild need to ask you out. My gut was telling my heart to go for it. And my gut hasn’t failed me yet.”

Eren kept listening intensely.

“I was so nervous, Eren. I didn’t know if you were already dating someone, or even if you liked men. I knew I was taking a huge risk.”

“What would you have done if I was already taken?”

“I would have kept visiting your shop and pining from afar. Wondering what could’ve been.”

Eren’s heart squeezed. He hugged Levi tight. “Don’t say that, baby. That’s depressing. I would’ve left anyone to be with you. Fate brought us together, and it will keep us together.”

“I’m glad I took the risk that day. Following my gut has led me to meet you, and I’m happier than ever. Now I have a weird, amazing boyfriend that I plan to marry.”

“Levi, I think you’re the straightest gay man I ever met.”

“You might be right. Would you believe me if I said you are the only male I’ve ever been attracted to, to this day?”

“I believe you. I know you prefer women, so the fact that you’re mine is still kinda unbelievable. I think that would make you… the gayest straight man ever.”

They laughed together. Levi agreed.

“And you would be…?” Levi prompted.

“I never put a label on myself. I never thought about it. What do you think I am?”

“Mm… bisexual, based on your history.”

“I think so, too. I got along better with girls, but I dated more men. Luckily, you smashed them all out the water. My standards are uber-high because of you. And I only have eyes for my beloved hubby. That would make me… Levi Ackerman-sexual.”

Levi laughed once more, and it rumbled his chest.

It was a bit quiet. Eren kept trailing his nails along Levi’s back, and he received some delicious sighs from the man.

“Do you like it when I scratch your back like that?” Eren wondered with a hushed tone.

“More than you realize. Thank you for such lovely treatments every morning, Eren.”

“You are so, very, very welcome,” Eren replied. “Anything for you.”

\--

After a quick brush and wash, they managed to relocate to the living room to figure out what to do for breakfast.

“Do you want me to take you out to eat, or do you want me to cook?” Levi asked.

“I think I want to try cooking for you today. I’m trying my best to master the kitchen so I can be a good house-husband for you one day.”

Levi could not tell if Eren was joking, but he appreciated the sentiment regardless. “Can I help my house-husband cook?”

“Nope. I need to learn to do it on my own. Just sit back and relax, let me work my magic.”

Levi was a bit nervous about Eren cooking a whole proper meal alone, but he wouldn’t insult Eren by telling him that. “Alright. I will sit right here,” he made a little show of sitting on the couch and reclining to show that he would attempt to relax.

“Tea or coffee today?”

“Tea, please. Tell me right away if you need help, Eren. Okay?”

Eren rolled his eyes a bit but smiled. He leaned down to place a kiss atop Levi’s head. “Oh-kayy,” he exaggerated.

Levi watched the news and tried not to oversee Eren doing his thing. He heard many loud clangs of pots and pans, aggressive chops against the wooden cutting board, cusses under breath, and sizzles of fire crackles. Each sound ratcheted up Levi’s unease.

Finally, the kitchen area became quiet and Eren brought out silverware to the square black table.

This was where Eren had Levi try his ghetto haystacks recipe. _That meal didn’t turn out so bad_ , Levi thought to himself. _He needed to have more faith in Eren’s cooking skills._

“Breakfast is served~” Eren announced.

Levi made his way to the table, where Eren chivalrously pulled his chair out for him before taking his own seat.

“Omelette au fromage for my sweet man today,” Eren explained. He placed his elbows on the table and with his chin rested upon clasped fingers, he waited for Levi to take the first bite.

Levi cut into his large omelet, and it was still hot and steamy and it smelled phenomenal. He looked into the incision and saw spinach… onions… mushrooms… diced tomatoes… and the omelet was softened by a savory, light layer of melted cheese. The edges were a little crisped from overcooking, but it was by all means still very appetizing.

Levi took the first bite. All the fresh ingredients melted against his tongue in just the right way.

“Mmm..” Eren heard the sigh reverberate from deep within Levi’s chest. And he swelled with pride when Levi immediately took a second bite.

Levi wiped his mouth with a paper towel as he finished chewing. Eren still stared at him tentatively.

“Eren… bravo, baby. Tres bien. I’m very impressed.”

Eren clenched his fists happily and cut into his own omelet. “See? I’ll do anything to make you happy; even learn how to cook a meal without setting the kitchen on fire.”

Levi chuckled. “You are just a wonderful young man. Just when I think you couldn’t be more perfect, you surprise me with a new talent.”

“Levi, stop. You’re making me blush.”

“I’m serious. I think you will shape up to be a fine house-husband.”

“Housewives everywhere are getting a run for their money,” Eren winked.

Levi took a sip from the mug of tea Eren prepared for him. Double-steeped, triple portioned. Just how he liked it.

\--

Levi held a blanket-wrapped Eren in his arms as they watched mindless TV to pass the time. His nose was buried in chocolate locks, and every inhale reminded him of pine trees and baby powder—the scent that has unmistakably come to make him think of home.

“Just think about it, Levi. We ditch our corporate lifestyles and live a quiet life on the Italian countryside. Just you and me.”

Levi looked down and met with emerald eyes that reminded him of dense forests and rich fields and sparkling jewels and sunrises beaming through trees all at once. “You’re such a romantic, Eren. …What will we do in our house on the Italian countryside?”

“We can raise fresh cherry tomatoes… go on scenic boat rides… make love aaaaall day long~”

Levi laughed out loud and he squeezed Eren in his arms. “That sounds absolutely amazing. A life with you in the middle of nowhere where I can have my way with you 24/7… I think that’s quite ideal, isn’t it?”

“It is,” Eren agreed.

“But I wonder how a city boy like you would adjust to life in the countryside. You’d be a bit out of your league, I think.”

Eren sighed. “You’re right. I thrive in the big cities. But, I know any place in the world would feel like home as long as you’re with me.”

They shared a look. Eren smiled mischievously.

“Now.. I wonder if anyone else realizes what a little poet you are,” Levi pondered aloud.

“Nah, I’m only able to express my mushiness to you. Despite how much you’ve seen of me, you still stuck around. Not many people have that patience. I think you’re a keeper.” Eren craned his neck a bit to place a quick, fat smooch on Levi’s jaw.

It was a combination of word and gesture that had Levi’s heart feeling like quaking jelly and his stomach feeling like warm lava.

“Eren, come give me a proper kiss. Urgent.”

Eren began unraveling his body from the blanket, his long limbs appearing from their confines.

Levi ran his nose along Eren’s before getting his kiss. “I don’t deserve you, Eren.”

Eren pressed his lips firmly against Levi’s, and it was exhilarating and passionate as always. His hands found Levi’s jaw to hold him still, and then he went in deeper.

It wasn’t long before tongue was introduced and made fast friends between them. Strong, calloused hands found the small of Eren’s back and pressed him closer.

“So good,” Levi mumbled into Eren’s mouth.

Eren nodded quickly and managed a breather before going back in. He turned his head to the side and opened his mouth just a bit more to give more access.

Levi tried to match the fervor and he started to feel that familiar rocking and grinding of Eren’s butt on his lap.

Eren’s eyes remained shut and he loved that there was about an atom’s space between them. Levi considered pulling away for a second to lay Eren down and pin him in place.

In any case, warm, expert hands began snaking into the waistband of Eren’s boxers, ready to feel that tight, perfect butt.

Levi sucked at Eren’s upper lip and hummed while imagining the possibilities when, suddenly, Eren tensed up in his arms, and—

“Ha-CHU!”

Tiny droplets of saliva splattered all over Levi’s face grossly and Eren looked absolutely mortified at what just happened.

“Oh, my God, Erennnn,” Levi groaned. He wiped his face slowly and Eren got off his lap to reach for the tissue box on the coffee table.

Eren blew his nose quickly. “It’s that time of the year,” he explained. He made his way back over and sat on Levi’s lap once more. “I’m so sorry for sneezing on you. It came out of nowhere. Forgive me?”

Levi nodded wearily. Getting sneezed on was a first in his life, but if it had to happen, he would’ve preferred it to be Eren, he supposed. “It’s alright.”

Despite his mild obsession with cleanliness, Levi didn’t mind getting down and dirty if the situation called for it. He would allow Eren to cum over his face or chest during sex, and he did not even mind some spit play. But it was all about context. He was not expecting a faceful of Eren germs at this moment, so he was a bit caught off guard.

Eren smiled and toyed with Levi’s collar, leaning just a bit closer to fill the space between them. “Now… where were we?” he purred.

Levi shook his head and laughed. “Nope. Not after sneezing on me.” He took Eren and lifted him right off.

“What!?” Eren was shocked. “Levi!! I need my kisses! I thought you forgave me!”

“I think I got my fill, thank you,” Levi said politely. He took the blanket and placed it over his crossed legs—an affirmation that the makeout session was well over with. He tried to remain stone-faced, but his mouth was curling in a sly smile despite his will.

Eren laughed, too, but he crawled forward and splayed his body out over Levi. “Leeeviiiii… I need attention. PLEASE!!” he announced theatrically.

Levi ignored him playfully and looked straight forward to the TV.

He felt a hand touch his face and long fingers caressed his chin. “Please!” he heard Eren from beneath him.

 _Okay, I think I tortured Eren enough,_ Levi thought to himself. He sighed and shifted to welcome Eren back into his life.

Strong arms held Eren close, and Levi leaned closer to Eren’s ear for a quick warning: “If you ever sneeze on me again, even accidentally, sweetheart, I will have to take you over my knee and spank you.”

Eren shivered from the deep, chocolatey voice that melted into his ear despite the warning. He craned his neck back cutely. “Levi, my love, we both know you spanking me turns me on and is hardly a punishment.”

“This is… true, unfortunately. But it was worth a shot.”

Eren placed his own arms over Levi’s. “Levi?”

“Hmmm?”

“I love you.”

Levi smiled into the nape of Eren’s neck and spoke: “I love you more, Eren.”

“…Are you still gonna spank me?”

Levi chuckled warmly and squeezed his slutty boyfriend tight.

\--

The day went by with much of nothing. In between Levi’s working and cleaning, he managed to go get groceries and bought Eren back some lunch and iced coffee. But after that, it was back to work.

Eren enjoyed lazing around. He began editing the Paris footage because he wanted to keep a travel diary of his vlogs. He even got some sketches in.

He was sitting in a very unattractive position of lying on his bed and propping his laptop up on his chest, giving him a double chin. Of course, when Levi came in to check up on him, he still found Eren very cute and kissed him on the forehead.

Eren rubbed his eyes after about an hour straight of editing for a sip of his iced coffee. His phone, which was tucked near his arm beneath the blanket vibrated from a notification. He didn’t expect it to be Levi, since he was working and making phone calls, and didn’t expect it to be his parents because they usually preferred voice or video calls. Which narrowed it down to his other main texting partners, Armin and Mikasa. Perhaps it was Jean about work reminders.

When Eren glanced at his phone, the name on the message’s contact made his heart stop.

It was his ex.

Not Mark, however. Ever since Levi beat him up and landed him in the hospital, Eren has never seen or heard from him again.

It was Adrian. Arguably the nicest and most pleasant of his male exes, and one of the only relationships Eren felt guilty about terminating.

But, he was still an ex nonetheless. Eren still remembered that day where he came into the shop and he hid in the backroom because he didn’t want an awkward reunion.

What could his ex, that he hasn’t spoken to for more than a year at this point, possibly want? He didn’t even realize he still had this number saved on his phone.

Adrian:

_Eren—how have you been? It’s been a long time. Let’s meet somewhere and catch up._

Eren shut his laptop and sat up rigidly. He had a tendency to rush through a lot of decisions in life, but ever since he met Levi, he’s been a little more cautious and wary.

His response was fairly straightforward and he didn’t pry into the message’s proposal too much.

_I have a boyfriend now. You know that._

Adrian’s response came after a few moments, and Eren didn’t realize he was chewing his lip nervously.

_I know, I know. I just want to talk. Just as friends, no funny business. Think we can do that?_

Eren’s brows knitted together and he ran he rubbed the back of his neck absentmindedly.

 _Alright… Adrian just wanted to meet as friends_. Plus, it was a public setting so if anything shady happened, he would have a bunch of witnesses. He was becoming a bit bored sitting in the apartment this evening, so… why not?

_Ok. JUST as friends. Text me the meeting place._

_I knew you’d come around. You always did._

Eren’s thumbs hovered over the keypad dumbly. He wanted to respond and ask what he meant by that, but decided to just let it be.

He showered and dressed, and he made his way to Levi’s study.

“Knock, knock,” Eren peered in.

Levi sat in front of his laptop in his robe, and he had a yellow legal pad in front of him full of notes and plans. He turned his chair and opened up his arms.

He noticed that Eren was wearing his fur-lined coat, and a baseball cap. He always thought Eren looked adorable in baseball caps.

“You’re looking all dolled up. Have any plans?”

Eren took a seat on Levi’s lap. “I’m going to meet someone tonight. I just wanted to let you know in case I come back late.”

“Who is this someone?” Levi tucked some hair behind Eren’s ear and fixed the brim of his cap absentmindedly.

“One of my exes.”

Levi met Eren’s eyes. _He… thought he already took care of that problem._

“Not Mark. A different ex. He wants to catch up as friends. He seemed pretty genuine about his intentions, so I don’t see why not.”

Levi didn’t mind Eren interacting with his exes. He himself still talked to his exes sometimes, whether for business or just in friendliness. And at this point, Alyssa loved Eren almost as much as Levi did. It would be unfair to deny Eren that right.

“Where does he want to meet you?”

“A bar downtown,” Eren said. He pulled up the map app to show the location.

“Eren…”

“Don’t worry, I won’t drink.”

“It’s not that. I’ve heard about this part of the city, and I’m not sure how I feel about you going there alone.”

Admittedly, Levi has only lived in Trost since early summer while Eren has been in this city his whole life. But Isabel and Farlan relayed their experience while exploring the city, and specifically warned about this area.

Levi just couldn’t shake off the feeling that this wasn’t a good idea.

Eren’s hand ran through silky hair to quell his worry. “Don’t worry, Levi. I’ll be careful. I know how to be on the defensive in shady places. I’m sure nothing will happen. Just trust me.”

“I _do_ trust you, lovebug. It’s the strangers that I don’t trust. Are you driving there yourself or are you calling for a ride? Perhaps I could take you.”

“I was gonna take the Lambo. But if you prefer, I can take a ride.”

“Let me take you,” Levi tried to bargain. “I want to be in the area in case something goes wrong.”

“No need for that,” Eren shook his head. “It’s fine, Levi,” his voice was a becoming more impatient now. “I won’t drink. I’ll make it quick. I’ll be In ‘N Out like the burger joint. I’ll even try to be home by midnight so you don’t worry too much. Okay, hubby?”

Levi still looked largely worried and he felt nervous. He kind of wanted to play the bad guy for a minute and be the overprotective older boyfriend that shuts this whole plan down due to cautionary measures.

But he loved and trusted Eren deeply. It was because of this that he didn’t want his boyfriend venturing out and meeting some random schmuck in the middle of the ‘hood. In his perfect world, he wished Eren would reject meeting his ex and just stay home for the night. Or wait for the meeting to happen during daylight hours, in a safer area.

Levi unknowingly sighed as his mind played all the worst case scenarios. And once more, he felt Eren’s soothing hand lift his chin to meet their eyes.

“It’s gonna be just fine, Levi. Don’t worry about it. I can handle myself.”

Levi took a deep, laborious breath. And he took Eren’s hands in his. “…Okay.” He pressed airy kisses on Eren’s knuckles and looked up. “But please, Eren. If absolutely anything goes wrong, call me and I’ll come to you right away. Let’s not play games. Promise me.”

“I promise.”

Levi got one more good look at Eren in all his charm—his ever-gorgeous green eyes and the way his baseball cap cast a flirty, mysterious shadow over his bold, expressive eyebrows. He took a mental picture of this sight, and it still worried him that this felt like a heavy goodbye.

Levi pulled him in for a hug, and Eren lay a smooch on his cheek before getting up and walking out the study.

Levi heard the jingle of keys and the very distant click of the front door shutting. He turned back to his work and tried to put himself back into the business mindset.

 _God._ There was that twisting gut feeling again. It was the feeling that something was about to go terribly wrong. If his childhood has taught him anything, it would be that his sixth sense was imperative to his livelihood. And now that Eren was in the picture, there was another precious factor in that equation. 

He confessed it to Eren earlier. It was the same thing that allowed Levi to gather the courage to ask him out at the coffee shop: His gut was never, ever wrong.

He hoped tonight would be an exception to that fact.

\--

Eren didn’t want to call an expensive, private ride, and he didn’t want to take his Lamborghini to this rougher neighborhood in case there were shady characters. Instead, he called an Uber.

The car ride was silent as Eren anticipated tonight’s events. What could Adrian possibly want to talk about?

He watched as the city’s vibes turned—from the classy, wealthy uptown where their apartment was, to the fun midtown where all the work and entertainment centers were, and now they were delving deeper and deeper into the city’s outskirts, where the roads were rugged and strangers didn’t smile.

“Here we are,” the Uber driver announced. He peered beyond the windshield doubtfully, wondering why anyone would voluntarily request to be driven here.

“Thanks,” Eren nodded, and with a quick pat of his coat pockets to make sure he had his phone and wallet, he stepped out the vehicle and into the bar.

Despite the neighborhood, the bar itself was actually quite nice. There was a low chatter of conversation, laughs, and even booths to sit at for a light meal.

He did not want to take off his hat. It was like a layer of defense. Not that his identity particularly needed to be hidden, but he felt more blended in now that no one could see his face.

A handsome, caramel-skinned man with a signature diamond stud earring and a dazzling smile sitting at the bar noticed him walk in and stood to greet him.

“Eren, I’m so glad you showed up,” Adrian smiled warmly. He walked right up to Eren, and opened his arms for a hug.

Eren let Adrian wrap his arms around him, but he did not return the embrace. He stood stiffly and noticed the scent of a distantly nostalgic cologne in tandem with that voice. “Hi.”

Adrian pulled away and beckoned Eren over to one of the booths. “Come, let’s sit.”

Eren slid into his side.

“Do you want something to drink? Your favorite?” Adrian smiled again, and Eren hated that his ex remembered his favorite beer.

“No, thanks,” Eren remained painfully neutral. “I won’t be drinking.”

“Did you drive here or something? Is that why?”

“…”

“Fine. Something to eat at least?”

“Why did you want to meet today?” Eren cut to the chase.

Adrian looked a little hurt, and there was a weird tinge in Eren’s heart reminiscent to guilt. “I just wanted to catch up and see how you were doing with your studies. I haven’t seen you in a while. I thought it’d be nice to reconnect. I missed you.”

Eren sighed quietly. Maybe he was being a bit too harsh. He could lower his defenses just a little bit. It wasn’t worth overthinking nice gestures.

“My studies are going well. I made the Dean’s list this semester. I’m looking into being either a detective or a criminal defense attorney down the road.”

Adrian leaned in a bit closer, intrigued. “Eren, that is absolutely delightful to hear! I’m so proud of you.”

Eren’s mouth twitched in a shy smile. “Thanks.”

“I knew law enforcement was the right path for you. Have I ever been wrong, E?”

Eren froze. _E._ That was Adrian’s old nickname for him back when they used to date. It sparked a weird mixture of sour and sweet memories, all of which were suppressed up until that nickname was uttered.

“No, I guess not. Thanks for helping me explore my options. I think if it wasn’t law enforcement, I would’ve been too afraid to find my own path and just try to become a doctor like my dad.”

“That’s one thing that I always loved about you; you work really hard and you have a lot of passion. I know you’ll turn out really successful.”

“I hope so. I like to think if you work hard enough, everything will fall into place.”

“I agree,” Adrian said.

Eren figured he could loosen up a little more. “What do they have that’s good to eat here? I could use a snack.”

Adrian grinned at him. “I come here all the time. You need to try the nachos.”

He flagged down a server to place an order. He even ordered a beer for Eren.

-

Eren didn’t regret coming here so far. The conversation was flowing and not as awkward as it should’ve been. Though he appreciated the free beer, he stuck to his word and turned down the drink.

Eren polished off a good portion of the nachos and wiped the crumbs from the corners of his mouth. “That was good!”

Adrian looked at him with a rather admiring gaze. And then he sat up straighter. “I’d like to show you around the area, but it’s getting kind of late and it’s not completely safe.”

Eren drank some water and looked at him.

“What do you say we go back to my place? Just like old times. We can sit and talk a bit more.”

Eren checked his the time on his phone. It was about 10:30. He still had some time to burn before going home at midnight. “…Alright. Don’t see why not.”

Adrian’s demeanor changed at Eren’s response. He immediately took out his wallet and rounded up the probably bill.

Eren was still finishing up his snack. He watched a small stack of bills get thrown down on the table, and he noticed Adrian hurriedly stand up and put his coat back on.

Eren followed suit and got ready to leave. He wondered what the big hurry was.

-

The car ride was rather quiet, and once again Eren felt that weird vibe that something was being left unsaid.

They finally got to Adrian’s apartment, and Eren was familiar enough from their dating days that he led them to the right door.

Eren stepped in and heard the firm click of the front door’s lock behind him.

The apartment smelled familiar and Eren felt a bittersweet warmth in his heart. _Yeah, he remembered this place pretty well._

He felt Adrian’s hands take his shoulders from behind. “May I take your coat?”

Eren shrugged it off and turned around.

Then, he felt Adrian’s hand find the back of his head as well as the brim of his cap, and he lifted it off slowly. “God… I almost forgot how cute you were.”

Eren rolled his eyes and laughed lightly, and he began walking to the living room.

Once again, he didn’t think too much of the comment, since they used to date, and obviously had feelings for each other at one point.

“Do you want something to drink?”

“I’m good.”

Eren sat down on the couch and sighed.

The weight of the cushions shifted as Adrian sat down right beside him.

“Eren… why did you break up with me?”

Eren looked at him in surprise. That was the last thing he expected them to talk about tonight.

But Adrian returned his gaze seriously and sternly.

He sighed wearily. “A, we already talked about this a long time ago. I just wasn’t completely happy. I much preferred you as a friend than a boyfriend.”

“But didn’t I make you happy? Didn’t I treat you well?”

“You did.”

“I thought we were great together. I would’ve given you anything.”

“And I get that. But something in my heart was telling me that I was meant for someone else. Of all people, I expected you to understand my feelings.”

“I do understand. I just… don’t see what more you were craving.”

Eren sat quietly. “You say ‘craving’ like I’m high maintenance. Don’t overthink it. You were a good boyfriend, but I think you’d be an even better friend.”

“I’ll just come right out with it: Give me another chance, E. I’ll change in any way you want. I missed you so much.”

Eren looked him straight in the eyes. “Adrian. I. Have. A. Boyfriend. And I fully intend on being faithful to him.”

“So you’re saying if he was out of the picture, we could get back together?”

“That’s… not what I’m saying at all.” Eren rolled his eyes and got off the couch to go the kitchen. He was starting to get a bit of a headache. Just not one that some painkillers would solve.

He raided Adrian’s fridge and reached for his favorite blue-canned beer. He remembered telling Levi that it would be a dry night, but all this desperation was getting him tensed up. A little drink wouldn’t hurt right about now.

Adrian had followed him to the kitchen and watched lovingly as Eren took some gulps. “I stocked some up just for you. Just for old time’s sake.”

Eren gazed at him from beneath his lashes. “Is that all you wanted to bring me here for? To try to win me back?”

Adrian looked hurt. “Not at all. But you’re worth fighting for, E. I missed what we had. And I’ve felt incomplete ever since you left me.”

“It wasn’t meant to be. Please don’t make it awkward.”

“Fine, I won’t make it awkward.” Adrian put his hands up in surrender and laughed lightly.

It wasn’t the first time an ex tell Eren that they wanted him back. He wished his exes were as mature as Levi’s.

But he sort of understand it from a psychological perspective. Some people _were_ worth fighting for. For Eren, it was his family—including Armin and Mikasa and Erwin—and Levi.

He respected the fight, but only to a certain extent.

He kept drinking his beer, and he watched Adrian pull a tall bottle of clear liquid and fill multiple shot glasses.

“Do some shots with me,” Adrian said. “I remember how much you could knock them back.”

“I drank too much already,” Eren said. He crushed his can and put it into the recycling bin.

Now, he started to feel that healthy buzz of alcohol; where he was still very functional but a bit more at ease.

“Eren, why do you insist on staying sober around me? It’s boring. It’s okay to loosen up.”

Eren was starting to get annoyed now. “And I don’t know why you insist on getting me drunk! Can you just leave it alone!?”

Eren hasn’t raised his voice like that in a while. He felt kind of bad about it, actually.

“…I’m sorry for yelling,” he apologized. “I know you’re just trying to be nice.”

Adrian stepped closer and his face softened a bit. His steady hand found Eren’s cheek. “It’s okay, E. You’re very sweet. I know being desperate is unattractive. But I was serious, I miss what we had. I know you found a new guy, but God, I wish you’d leave him and give me a second chance. I promise I’ll make you happy.”

Eren took Adrian’s hand off his cheek and smiled. “I understand how you feel. But I’m happy with him. If you really loved me, you’d respect my choice. And,” he added with a motherly sort of authority, “you said we’re meeting today JUST as friends, remember? Don’t make me regret it.”

“Okay.” Adrian didn’t tear his gaze off Eren’s lips for even a second. Even when Eren pulled his hand off, he was entirely too distracted to notice.

Eren sighed lightly and was about to open his mouth to suggest they watch a movie or something to end the night.

And just as suddenly as the last sentence ended, he felt Adrian lean down and press a firm kiss on the lips.

Eren hated that it felt familiar and he knew all the shapes and surfaces of Adrian’s lips.

And he was too frozen in shock to react for a full second.

Adrian felt two hands plant on his chest and shove him away.

Eren’s green eyes were still wide in appall and he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “What the fuck!? Why would you do that?” He refused to wait for an answer, and he walked away briskly while shaking his head in disgust. “I’m leaving.”

Adrian ran after Eren, still admittedly basking in the high from the memory of Eren’s lips. “No, no, no,” he begged quietly. “Wait, Eren. Wait. Please, just wait!”

Eren’s hand was already on the door and he looked very upset. His coat was already on and he was holding his baseball cap beneath his arm.

“Eren. I’m so sorry,” Adrian breathed. “I… don’t know what came over me. That was completely inappropriate and I’m… disgusted with myself. Please, stay for a bit longer. I’ll be normal.”

Eren stared at him.

“Eren, please, forgive me.”

Something softened in Eren’s heart. He was still angry, but he didn’t want to lose out on a potentially good friendship because of one slip-up. He decided to give Adrian the benefit of the doubt.

“Okay. I’ll stay. But one more move like that, and you’ll regret it.” Eren let go of the door and took off his coat once more.

“That’s the Eren I know. You were all about giving second chances.”

Eren went back to the living room and sat down on a chair instead of the couch. “So, tell me about work.”

-

True to his word, Adrian started acting normal again. They talked for a while, and it was like back in the bar, where Eren felt like they really were just friends.

It was becoming late, though, and Eren felt that he should start heading back to the apartment.

“Okay, I think it’s time for me to start making my way home,” Eren smiled. He began getting up off his seat and stretched for second.

Adrian looked saddened and that desperate glint in his eye from earlier sparked again. “Stay a little longer, E. What’s the rush? I can drive you home whenever.”

“I promised my boyfriend I’d be back around midnight. He’ll worry if I’m out too long.”

Adrian groaned and rolled his eyes. “Forget about him. What kind of controlling jerk would give his adult boyfriend a curfew?”

Eren’s eyebrow twitched. “It’s not a curfew. It was actually my idea to be back by then. He didn’t even want me to go to the bar downtown. He’s not controlling, he just cares about my safety.”

Eren didn’t know why he felt the need to defend Levi to his ex, but whatever.

He turned and began walking, but he felt a light hold on his arm.

“Eren, seriously, is there any way you could stay for longer? Just text your boyfriend and tell him I’ll drive you back.”

“If you suggesting that I spend the night here, it’s not happening.”

“No way, just an hour or two. The evening felt way too short.”

“Seriously, I appreciate that you enjoyed seeing me, but I really do think I should go back home. Tonight was fun, though. Thanks for asking to link up.”

Adrian tried to blockade Eren against the wall in a last ditch effort to convince him to stay.

Eren noticed his current position. He looked up and giggled, “A, seriously. Stop.”

Adrian planted his palm against the wall and loomed over him.

Eren was starting to get a bit wary now. “Adrian.” He was firmer now. He tried to squirm and push past, but Adrian kept his body firmly guarded in front of him. “This isn’t funny. I have to go.”

“Just one drink before you go. You’ll loosen right up,” Adrian purred quietly.

Eren tried to expand his presence and squared his shoulders. “Are you trying to booze me up to sleep with me? Is that what this is all about? If you think my standards are that low, you got another thing coming!”

Adrian scoffed. “I just want to see the old you. The you I met at a party. The old E was a good time when he was drunk.”

“I’ve changed,” Eren’s voice was monotone, and he tried to push past in finality.

His heart stopped when Adrian took his shoulders and pinned him against the wall.

“One or two drinks,” Adrian promised. “If you still want to leave after that, I won’t stop you.”

Eren shrugged himself off the wall and pushed Adrian’s chest away. “ _NO_.” He figured he wasn’t getting his point across, so he had to use reason: “Purchasing, possessing or consuming an alcoholic beverage while under the age of 21 is a Class 2 misdemeanor. The minor may face a fine or a driver's license suspension and for the first offense and have their driving license suspended for 30 days to one year.”

Adrian rolled his eyes at the legality. It was nothing he didn’t already know, since he was in law enforcement as well. In fact, he was the one that helped Eren explore the profession and sparked the passion in him. “Since when did you care about that?”

Eren continued louder and angrier: “PROVIDING alcohol to an individual under the age of 21 has a max $2,500 fine and up to a year in jail for a misdemeanor offense. Felony offense can result in a PRISON SENTENCE of a year or more and fines up to $25,000.”

Adrian smirked. “..You’re so hot when you’re upset, did you know that?”

Eren scoffed. “Jerk.” He tried once more to really tear away from this charade and just consider this whole night as a weird experience, but he felt strong arms wrap around his biceps and shove him hard against the wall.

Eren’s body made harsh contact and he flinched. “Ow…” His eyes softened from the pain and though the impact was not the most painful thing ever, being manhandled like that reminded him of old experiences that he didn’t care to remember.

Adrian wedged his knee in between Eren’s thighs, and he leaned in to close in on Eren’s neck.

“Why are you doing this?” Eren asked, and he seemed to have lost his voice.

“Because I love you. Just let me remind you of what good times we used to have.”

Eren felt like crying. _Why do I always find myself in these situations?_

Adrian closed his lips around the exposed column of Eren’s throat loosely. Eren couldn’t find the bravery to move at this moment. He felt paralyzed, like a deer standing up to a lion.

“Do you know why I call you E?” Adrian murmured. “Because you’re my drug, Eren. You’re my _ecstasy_. And I’ve been missing my fix of you. If only you could understand...”

Eren felt like he’s been through enough bullshit at this point. He was tired of finding himself backed into a corner—quite literally—by people who will never be able to have him. He channeled the confidence and strength that Levi’s helped him foster, and he managed to break free from Adrian’s grip harshly.

“Don’t you _dare_ call me E,” Eren snarled. “I don’t belong to you, or anyone. You fucking disgust me! The fact that you think you have a fighting chance with me after all this makes me laugh. You’re _pathetic,_ Adrian.”

A twisted, red rage filled Adrian’s eyes, and his arms seemed to twitch. Eren saw a flash of skin, and a fist came barreling in his direction.

Red flashed across Eren’s vision, and a moment later, he realized the searing pain that was branded into his mouth. He touched his mouth gingerly and there it was.

_Blood._

He was at a loss for words when the body of what seemed like a stranger’s casted an intimidating shadow over him and Eren felt the second punch, this time to the jaw.

The clenched fist met with a crack, and Eren felt himself crumble to the floor.

He willed for his knees to work. He willed for his voice to speak. He willed for himself to muster the strength to fight back, or at least get up and escape.

Tears began to flow and Eren noticed that the salty water flowing down his cheek is the first real thing he’s felt and registered since the first hit.

He felt useless on the ground. Adrian took his boot and drove it into Eren’s ribs.

“Ah!” Eren cried, and despite feeling like there was a whole his side, he tried to sit himself back up on his elbows and attempt an escape.

But Adrian was ruthless, he lifted his foot again and animalistically drove it into Eren’s side. Eren sobbed and curled up in pain.

“You call me pathetic… and that’s fucking rich considering what you look like now.” Adrian’s voice was eerily calm as he circled around Eren’s twitching body on the ground.

Though Eren regretted it the minute it came out of the mouth, he was never one to stay silent. “And even after this, you’re _still_ pathetic. I hope this restores your ego, you piece of shit.”

Eren was drunk off his five seconds of confidence, but immediately he knew he was in for a world of hurt.

Adrian smirked grossly and sunk down to Eren’s level. He turned Eren’s curled-up body so that he was lying on his back and facing the ceiling.

“I’m not going to lie to you, E. Your inability to shut the fuck up is one of the most attractive things about you.” He lifted Eren’s head by the bangs, and with all his might, he slammed Eren’s skull into the hard wood floor.

Eren’s world went fuzzy and distorted. It was like being underwater, and the mute buzz of unconscious threatened ever closer.

He did not know if having his brain bang against the sides of skull gave him a wake-up call, but Eren woke up from his lame state of inaction and tried to flail and struggle to get up.

Adrian must’ve noticed, too, because he climbed over Eren lazily and efficiently swung his fist into Eren’s mouth.

Eren tasted iron and his chest felt like it was being concaved. A searing pain reignited in his lip, and he could tell Adrian had punched him again.

There was an angry growl and Eren felt a punch so strong that it threw his head to the side and he saw the living room in a weird, vertical world.

Blood flowed freely from his mouth and the warmth pooled against his cheek. The prickling pain from his jaw from the first hit had come to the surface.

And, though he couldn’t manage to blink, more tears left Eren’s eye and mixed with the liquid from his bloody mouth.

He couldn’t think about anything. He couldn’t remember his own name or where he was right now or what month it was. His body felt frozen and like it was crumbling inwardly all at once. He couldn’t even remember the name of the stout, black-haired man who appeared faintly in the background of his mind’s eye.

Eren could not physically feel the tight grip on his hair or how hard it was pulling against his scalp, but the vertical furniture in his line of sight changed and he was looking back up at his abuser dumbly.

“I wonder if you have anything else to say to me?” Adrian warned.

Eren felt like an eternity passed from the time the sentence was finished and from when his brain managed to register it. He wanted to reply, but his mouth was so swollen and heavy on his face that he just gave it rest.

Adrian laughed. “Hah. Didn’t think so.”

He bunched the front of Eren’s shirt in his hand, and with his free fist, he drove his knuckles into the same beautiful green eye that haunted him as he did this. And again. And again.

Eren whimpered and tried with all his energy to hold on the wrist that was on his shirt, but even after he accomplished the laborious feat, the beating into his eye was never-ending. A red horizon of pain and the sound of skin on skin molded Eren’s world.

Eren heard crying, but it wasn’t his own. The tears streaming from Adrian’s face dropped on his own.

Eren blinked a few times. He saw a sad, pained face before him.

“Why did you make me do this to you?” Adrian cried. He sniffled and wiped his tears, though he turned his face away while he did so as if he was ashamed.

The few seconds of the observation was the longest Eren has not been hit since the first strike, and he was almost starting to fully come to. He noticed every swell and moistness of his face and the way his ribs seemed to _burn_ within his body.

Eren squeaked in pain as the way Adrian’s shift in position unknowingly pressed into his bruised torso.

That little sound that escaped Eren was like a wake-up call for Adrian’s purpose. “I don’t want to hurt you, baby. But I have to. It’s the only way I can move on.”

He drew his fist back and aimed square for Eren’s face.

Eren’s world went black.

-

Adrian stood and took Eren’s limp body from underneath the arms to try to hold him up.

Eren’s head hung back lifelessly, and after a few seconds of disorienting darkness, he heard the sound of a voice dip in and out.

He could tell when he had enough strength to open his eyes, because he could see and feel his feet trail against the floor and he was being dragged unceremoniously by the arms like a ragdoll.

He was tossed somewhere and was pleasantly surprised when his back landed against a soft, cushy surface.

The bed rocked as Adrian climbed onto the bed and inched forward on his knees.

Eren didn’t register what was happening. He thought it would be another round of beatings.

But he heard the fucking clink-clang of an unbuckling belt and suddenly, every event that happened tonight—every vile thing his ex-boyfriends have ever done to him—every memory of the shell of a person he was before he met Levi flooded back to him and he began sobbing uncontrollably.

He tried to move. _God_ , did he try to move. But his body felt like heavy lead and every strain of his muscles burned like hell.

All he could do was cry. And he hated himself for it.

He felt the fabric of his jeans slide off his skin and his legs being pried open.

He managed to tap into the very last atom available in his energy reserves, and his voice was so quiet and sore that he could barely hear himself: “ _Please, no,”_ he cried quietly.

“I have to,” Adrian replied calmly.

He pushed into Eren, dry and rough, and Eren’s unswollen eye widened in shock. It was like being stabbed with a dull knife. And the boring, repetitious creak of the bed that was old and familiar aided to the fact that he felt absolutely dead inside.

This was it has come to. No matter how much he tried to create a new life, a new life where his body was untouched by undeserving hands and his innocence was safeguarded by those who truly loved him… it all came back to this.

Eren’s involuntary tears seemed to run dry and he dissociated himself back into unconsciousness.

\--

It seemed Adrian finished. And after pulling Eren’s pants back up, he fiddled around his phone.

Eren was conscious again. He was hyper aware of his body and it seemed the pain has settled in well enough that he could move and breathe steadily, though awkwardly. He clenched and unclenched his fist to retrain his muscles to be controlled.

Adrian left and came back to the room. Eren felt himself being pulled up by the shoulders, and a dull pain emanated in his ribs, though not as sharply as before.

He felt his coat being worked on him, and his baseball cap being fitted on his head.

The brim of the cap was being willfully pulled down, so that even when Eren looked up, he couldn’t see Adrian’s face. All he could hear was a voice:

“I called you a taxi, and I put some cash in your coat pocket to cover the cost. It should be here soon.”

Eren tried one more time to fix his posture and look up, but still, the brim was being held down. “I’ll always love you, E. Go home now.”

The hold of his cap was released, and he felt Adrian get off the bed and walk away. It seemed the opening and closing of the front door meant that he left, because the apartment was quiet and lonely.

He didn’t know what to do now. He was still confused and through his voluntarily dissociation, tonight’s events were blocked out of his memory for the time being.

He slowly inched forward to the edge of the bed and stood up.

The pain in his ribs caused him to wince, but if he placed his palm over the region, the pressure suppressed the sensation a bit.

His underwear felt dirty and foreign. He only guessed what it was.

His face felt weirdly botoxed and unexpressive. But he didn’t really want to face a mirror to see what it looked like.

It took some time to awkwardly walk himself out of the apartment complex and wait for the taxi.

The night was cold but still, and it was a creepy, inky black.

When the yellow car came around, it took Eren a few attempts to properly work the door handle.

He pulled his baseball cap over his eyes a bit more.

“Where to?” the taxi driver asked. He was distracted and was checking his travel logs without making eye contact. And Eren was relieved about that.

“Hospital,” Eren said quietly. The word was thick and foreign against his mouth, and he could tell parts of his lips were swollen.

The taxi driver turned to face him and tried to get a better look at Eren. But the darkness of the night managed to make his face discernable. “Yo, kid, are you okay!?”

“Yes.”

The taxi driver had on a look of concern but didn’t ask more questions. Again, Eren was relieved. He sped through the streets to drive to the nearest hospital.

They pulled up to the cul-de-sac of the Emergency Room. “Do you want me help you check in?” the taxi driver asked.

“No.” Eren reached into his pocket for some cash and gave it to the taxi driver. It was about double of what the ride’s cost was.

“You can keep your money, kid, I don’t want it!”

Eren had already exited the car and never looked back.

-

Eren was glad this wasn’t his dad’s hospital. Having to explain this to him… he couldn’t even imagine it.

He quietly tried to check himself in and hide his face, explaining to the receptionist that he just wanted to make sure he didn’t have any broken bones so he could go home. But the shocked woman had enough urgency to make up for Eren’s casualty and quickly had him brisked to a screening room to get cleaned and tended to.

Eren did not know what time it was, and to be honest, the whole time of getting inspected and admitted into a room was a big blur. He sat quietly and became mute as he thought about tonight.

The nurse who’s led his admittance tonight was kind. She kind of reminded him of his mom. “Eren, do you want me to call your parents, or your emergency contact?”

Eren did not answer nor turn to face her.

She sat on the edge of his bed and looked sympathetic. “Blink once for parents, blink twice for emergency contact.”

Eren blinked twice.

“Okay, babes. Just sit tight for me.”

\--

Levi was busy planning and writing in his notes.

His phone vibrated on the desk from an unknown number.

He didn’t seem too wary. He’s had some early bird clients, so some night owl clients wouldn’t surprise him, either.

It was a woman’s voice. “Hello, Levi Ackerman?”

“Speaking, who is this?” Levi continued taking notes and writing.

“We’re calling from Trost General Hospital. Eren Jaeger has you listed as his emergency contact.”

“He’s at the hospital? What the hell happened to him?”

Levi had already gotten off his seat and jogged to his closet to put on the first things his hands touched.

“He was badly injured tonight. He was unaccompanied as he checked himself in. We did not figure out the cause yet. He’s still in a state of trauma. He’s nonverbal.”

“I’m on my way,” Levi managed balancing the phone between his ear and shoulder while dressing.

Glancing at his watch collection, he noticed all the faces read the same time. It was almost two in the morning. He was too engulfed in his work to notice that Eren was supposed to be back home two fucking hours ago.

Levi’s skin prickled and he felt disgusted with himself. It was definitely the fucking ex Eren went to see tonight.

 _Why the fuck didn’t I listen to my gut?_ Levi clenched the wheel as he sped toward the GPS’s location. His heart was pounding in fear and anger. Eren seemed so far away.

He did not know why Eren didn’t call him at any point tonight. Something must’ve been awfully wrong.

\--

When Levi arrived to the hospital, he spoke to the receptionist explaining who he was here to see.

The receptionist looked at him with… pity. Like he didn’t know what he was in for.

“His nurse will be here in a second to escort you to his room.”

Levi looked around impatiently. It was a quiet night at the hospital. There were few people, and being that it was in the middle of the night, it was that much quieter.

A nurse emerged from wide, swinging doors. “Levi Ackerman?” she looked at him expectantly.

Levi snapped into his fight or flight mindset once more. “Yes, that’s me.”

As he followed her briskly through the doors and down the hallway, he noticed the chart on her clipboard. “What is your relation to Eren?” she asked.

“He’s my boyfriend.”

The nurse nodded. “He’s not speaking right now. We’ve cleaned him and ran some tests, so he’s no longer in a critical state. Just be aware that he’s still in a state of trauma.”

She stopped in front of a door and knocked twice on the door before entering. Eren didn’t flinch at the door opening. He remained staring at the wall ahead of him.

“Eren, babes. I have your boyfriend here.” The nurse whispered to him. Levi entered after her.

Eren turned his head just an inch toward the door, and once he saw Levi, he crumbled and began sobbing—the most action the nurse saw him take all night.

Levi flew to the bedside and took Eren into his arms gingerly.

“Oh my, God. Eren… sweetheart. It’s okay, don’t cry. I’m here, here.”

Eren’s dry heaving continued though no tears left his eyes. He melted against Levi’s touch and the lingering smell of Levi’s cologne on his skin made him think of how much he just wanted to be back at the apartment and wishing none of this happened.

“You were right, Levi…” Eren whispered hoarsely. “You were right…”

“Shhh, shh,” Levi soothed. “There is no need for that.”

He lay Eren back on his pillow. It was the first time he’s gotten to see Eren’s face.

His entire right eye was purple and swollen shut, and his jaw looked uneven on that side. There were some red gashes around his nose and cheekbones that looked like they had dried blood on them at one point. His left cheek was largely bruised and colored a mixture of purple, gray, and yellow. Half of his mouth was entirely red and swollen and split.

Levi held his face gingerly. “…Who did this to you…?” he was trying to remain as calm as possible noting that the nurse said he was still in a state of trauma, and adding to his fear would do nothing productive right now.

But his blood was fucking boiling beneath the surface of his skin. In fact, he could not remember being this physically angry in his entire life.

“Can you tell me his name, Eren?”

Eren shook his head as much as his sore neck would let him.

Levi knew why. Eren knew why. If Levi found out the name of the person that did this to Eren, he would not hesitate to put his hands on him and end his life.

That was not an exaggeration. Eren hated Adrian with every fiber of his being right now, but he couldn’t find it in himself to have him killed. And he knew Levi _could and would_ kill someone in a situation like this.

Levi sighed deeply. He did not blame Eren for not wanting to disclose the name of the animal that did this to him. But it might be for the better. He needed to calm down and weigh his options.

“Are you thirsty, Eren? Are they giving you enough water?”

He looked over to the bedside table and there was a half full bottle of water with a straw in it. He took it and aimed the straw in front of Eren’s mouth.

He was relieved when Eren took some grateful sips and pulled away when he’s had enough. His unswollen eye had no life and when he lay back again, he seemed to slip out of focus.

The nurse, who was standing quietly at the back of the room in front of the computer with Eren’s information on it came over and touched Levi’s shoulder. “He’s self-inducing dissociation. It’s very common with trauma patients.”

Levi nodded for that new bit of knowledge and followed her out the door to give Eren some privacy.

When the door was locked, Levi tried to take a deep breath and make some sense of this whole situation. “So what exactly happened to him?”

“We can only assume at this point. Whoever he’s seen tonight abused him physically. Despite his state, we’re actually pretty lucky with him. He has heavy bruising in his ribs and face, but luckily no broken bones. We ran a rape kit and—“

“Wait. A rape kit?” Levi almost spat.

The nurse nodded sympathetically. “He… was raped tonight. He was probably unconscious during it because he doesn’t seem to remember it. His body showed signs of tearing and we collected a semen sample.”

Levi could almost feel himself quaking in rage. “Who did this to him? I need. A name.” It was taking every ounce of patience to not shout at the nurse, since none of this was her fault, after all, but he was fucking _livid._

“We’re still waiting on the results of the DNA test from the lab. Eren did not say who it was and he would not even write a name when we gave him a paper and pen.”

“The DNA results from the lab. How long does that take, typically?”

“Hard to tell. One or two days, depending.”

Levi exhaled harshly and ran a hand through his hair. That was way too much fucking time to just sit around twiddle his thumbs like an idiot.

“I know you’re upset, sir,” the nurse soothed. “But we’re working as fast as we can to get him to a safe recovery.”

“When am I allowed to take him home?”

“He’s no longer critical but we want to keep him here for a few more days to make sure he has no internal bleeding in his brain and to make sure he’s gotten his pain medication. Unfortunately, we can’t give him anything strong right now because he still has some alcohol in his system.”

Levi nodded. “Okay. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome to stay with him for the night. Right now, we’re just waiting until his blood alcohol level is good to introduce painkillers. He’s in good hands, I promise.”

They quietly made their way back to the room, where Eren was still sitting lifelessly but breathing steadily. The nurse took notes of his vitals and recorded it in his chart.

Levi stroked Eren’s bangs off his face. “None of this your fault, Eren. I’m not going anywhere. And I’m sorry. I’m sorry I was too careless to notice something was wrong. I failed you.”

Eren remained expressionless, but he reached over and took Levi’s hand.

Despite it all, Eren’s hands were still warm and welcome. He turned Levi’s palm over and pretended to type on a keypad.

“Your phone. Do you want your phone?” Levi asked.

Eren put Levi’s hand down and nodded a little.

Levi paced around the room and looked for a coat hanger or any collection of Eren’s own clothes. He found some pegs hidden behind the door and Eren’s coat hanging on one of them. In the pocket was Eren’s wallet and his phone.

He sat back on the bed and placed Eren’s hands on the phone.

Despite all of Eren’s body being immobilized from shock and his face being expressionless, his fingers moved pretty normally over the screen of his phone.

Levi’s own phone buzzed in his pocket. It was a text message from Eren himself:

_I’m sorry that I disobeyed you. You were right all along. I was naïve and gullible and way too trusting. I was foolish. I feel dead inside._

Levi looked up when he finished reading, and saw a fresh stream of tears exit Eren’s swollen eye.

His heart wrenched for this poor thing. He reached out reflexively to wipe the tears away, but Eren flinched from the tenderness of his bruise.

Instead, he picked two tissues out of the box on the bedside table and dabbed Eren’s face dry.

“Don’t apologize, okay?” Levi soothed. “You’re trusting because you try to see the best in everyone. It’s actually one of the things I love most about you. We’ll get through this together, do you hear me, dollface?”

Eren picked up his phone again. After a few seconds of typing, Levi got another text:

_Thank you for being such a good man to me. It always seems like you’re there to pick me up whenever I fall. I love you. I hope you’re not too angry with me, even though you have every right to be._

Levi looked up and took Eren’s hand to his lips. “I’m not angry with you at all. I’m angry at the scumbag that did this to you. Let’s get that out of the way. I’ll love you no matter what.” He punctuated his statement with a firm kiss into Eren’s knuckles. “I’m just disgusted with myself that I wasn’t able to stop it in time.”

Eren texted back and it was short and sweet this time:

_Stay with me and hold my hand. I feel very vulnerable right now._

“Absolutely,” Levi whispered. He pulled up a chair and made himself comfortable at Eren’s bedside.

Eren checked his phone absentmindedly to pass the time, and he texted his closest friends to give them an update.

His nurse came by for one more round of check-ups. “Levi? Can I get you some coffee or a blanket?”

Levi straightened himself up a bit. He didn’t realize how drowsy he’d become. “Some coffee would be nice, actually. Thank you.”

“Right away.” The nurse smiled and excused himself to get the drink.

 _Right away._ It was one of the first things Eren spoke to him when he ordered coffee that one day way back during their meeting days.

He could almost hear Eren’s sweet voice echo in his head: _“Right away~”_

God. There wasn’t anything about Eren that was worth forgetting. And once he managed to get his hands on the person who dared harm the sweet boy sitting on the bed, he’ll make sure they didn’t forget him, either.

 _If they came out of it alive_ , Levi thought.

The nurse came back with a tray that contained a coffee pot, a paper cup, a plastic spoon, and another cup that had some creamer cups and sugar packets. Underneath the nurse’s arm was a blanket.

She placed the items on the bedside table and smiled to Levi. “If you need anything else, just press the red button on the side of the bed. The doctor will be back to check on Eren in a couple hours once the morning rolls around.”

Levi nodded. “Thank you.”

Levi squeezed Eren’s hand lovingly before pouring himself a cup of coffee.

The room was calm for now and the night was full of reflection.

\--

Eren managed to slip in and out of sleep for two hours. It was hard to rest when he wasn’t on any real numbing devices, and his body felt weak and awkward.

Levi absently tuned into the muted TV and watched Eren rest. The coffee made him feel a bit more alert. But now that the reality of the situation had fully set in, he was silently seething with anger again.

He was trying to be calm and positive for Eren, but not even Eren knew how much rage Levi was harboring right now.

He was planning. No, it was _bloodlusting_. Because if there was thing Levi was good at, it was making things right. Even if he had to be violent about it.

His body and fists were trained, but he hadn’t needed to use them on real people for a while. That is, until the first encounter with one of Eren’s exes happened.

They picked the wrong fucking one. If anyone on this Earth thought they could hurt Eren, they were sorely mistaken.

Levi was so busy introspecting and plotting retribution that he hardly noticed the door to the room open. He turned his head, thinking it was just the nurse or the doctor.

Mikasa marched right in and similarly flew to the bedside.

“Levi. I hate that we’re reuniting in these circumstances. Eren filled us in.” She leaned down and squeezed Levi’s blanket-covered shoulders solemnly.

The last time the whole family saw each other like this was the day after Christmas, but it’s felt like eons since then. In fact, this event made Levi feel like he’s aged seven years. He could only imagine how Eren must feel.

“I feel the same way,” Levi patted her hand gently.

Another presence entered the room. Armin brisked in with Erwin close behind.

“Eren…” Armin breathed. His eyes were fixated on his best friend, but he stood next to a somber Levi and rubbed his back first. “We came as soon as we could.”

The two of them flocked Eren and patted his head and stroked his hair. From the mild commotion, Eren woke up and tried to sit up straighter.

Erwin came in and did that same shoulder massage that Mikasa did. But no words were needed to be exchanged. Levi stood and walked out of the room to give Eren some privacy with his friends.

When Erwin followed him, they managed to find a little waiting area in a nearby lobby. Once again, it was a quiet, empty time in the hospital and the room was vacant.

Levi didn’t know what came over him, but when he sat down, he immediately placed his face in his hands. It was the most intense crack of his façade ever since he got the news.

Erwin sighed and rubbed his back slowly. “I know. I know.”

The same slow, volcanic rage seeped under Levi’s skin again. He didn’t know how to express himself. But he also knew that Erwin had a young boyfriend, so he must’ve known how it would feel.

Levi finally looked up after some time; his eyes red with tears that didn’t know how to come out. “I’ll kill him when I find him, Erwin.” His voice was dangerously quiet and low. “I’ll kill him.”

Erwin licked his lips and took a deep breath. He fully understood his friend’s rage. But he also knew that he wasn’t thinking straight. And the worst decisions happened when they weren’t thought through fully. Running a company taught him that.

“I know you’re angry,” Erwin reasoned. “You have every right to be. And I understand that you fully intend to end this man’s life—”

“Damn fucking right.”

“But…” Erwin continued. “And as much it pains me to say this, you need to forget the idea of physical revenge. You’re a businessman, Levi. You have a reputation and an image. And, the knowledge that if something like this happens, you can choose the legal route and suck every dollar and asset out of his life. It’s a fate even worse than death, I think. There are different ways to ruin people.”

Levi rested his elbows and knees and looked to the ground to think about what Erwin was saying. He respected that Erwin didn’t dismiss the idea of revenge entirely, but instead suggested a way in which somebody’s life was spared, despite the vile crime he committed.

However, he also hated the word “revenge”. It sounded petty. Levi likened his plans to “rightful retribution”. He was glad it was Erwin who was here to confide in. Erwin understood balance. He understood that the right choice was often the harder choice. And he knew that there was a human need in every individual to succumb to evil if the situation called for it.

But Erwin’s words weren’t really resonating with Levi right now. The last person who touched Eren— _touched_ Eren—got himself a one-way trip to the hospital. This was so much more. This asshole harmed Eren, and _raped_ him.

The word made Levi twitch when he recalled it. It made his blind rage come alive again.

And all Erwin could see was a quietly suffering man.

His hand rubbed broad circles on the surface of Levi’s back once more. “You have a good heart. And I know there is a sense of pride that you need to make up for not being able to protect your boyfriend. But be wise about this, my friend.”

Levi looked at him.

“What would Eren want you to do? Killing this man will upset him, and while I know you won’t have trouble defending yourself against legal backlash, I don’t want you to have that weight of a taken life on your conscious. Not even you are strong enough to harbor that burden alone, Levi Ackerman.”

Levi sighed and his jaw clenched. He knew if he kept that up, he would get a migraine, and Eren wouldn’t be able to provide that weird but effective eye massage right now.

Erwin’s voice was soothing and so damn reasonable that it almost annoyed Levi right now. “Do not just sit here and wallow in self-pity. Be there for Eren. Be a source of strength and comfort for him. He needs you now more than ever. I want you to set aside your rage to be able to think rationally. You need to be meticulous and careful about this. Don’t make any rash decisions.

He continued, “Think long-term, because you have him now. You have him with you. And while I hate making it seem trivial; the past is the past. Begin the healing process. You’re a fighter, Levi, but you need to ground yourself now. Do the right thing; I’m trusting you.”

Levi nodded shortly. His hand ran through his hair and took a deep breath. “Okay. Your advice is well-taken, Erwin.”

Erwin smiled a bit, but it was a smile of sympathy and mutual understanding.

Levi tried to change the subject to distract himself. “…Aren’t you taking Armin to London today?”

Erwin nodded. “Our flight is at 9. But Armin got the news earlier and he woke me up. He insisted on coming to visit, so we dressed and picked up Mikasa on our way here. We’re already packed, so we have a few hours to spare.”

Levi nodded. “Have fun.”

Erwin managed a light-hearted chuckle. “But that isn’t to say that me being on vacation is going to mean I’ll be unavailable. I’ll always be a phone call or message away. I will always be a resource and a shoulder to lean on, no matter when and where you need me. You know this.”

Levi almost, just almost laughed. But he couldn’t help but smile dryly. “You’re more than just a silly “resource” to me, you big, blond oaf.”

Erwin laughed richly this time. “Ah! The dumb blond jokes are back at my expense. That is a good sign that you might be returning to your normal self.”

Levi hid his face to hide his growing smile. “Leave before I make my first rash decision of the night.”

Erwin clapped Levi’s shoulder. “Alright. I’ll save my hide and give you some privacy. Remember what I said. Think of what Eren would want.”

Levi nodded, as he was reminded of the situation and that he had a choice to make. He looked up and watched his Co-CEO and obnoxiously level-headed best friend walk away.

But, as much as he hated to admit it, Erwin was right. Eren would never forgive him for killing a man; even if that man raped and abused him. Eren had a good heart like that.

Levi just realized that he was not really that normal. Killing is not the first instinct most people have to troubles. But where he grew up, it was a fairly reasonable solution.

Though he’s never killed anyone personally (usually only leaving them on the bitter brink of death—it was kind of his specialty), he’s had the knowledge of and actually witnessed his uncle killing other men before.

Some were in self-defense. But others weren’t. And some were clean and swift with a handgun, but some were torturous and twisted with fists or knives.

While Levi grew a bit older as a kid, Kenny eventually gave up the gangster lifestyle to settle down and get a proper job to raise his nephew. But, that didn’t mean his morals have changed all that much.

Levi had a half a mind to call him and ask for advice on what he should do in this situation. Of course, he already knew the answer:

_“It’s real simple, shorty. You end that motherfucker’s life and you have a damn good time doin’ it, too.”_

Levi sighed. He half wanted someone to truly talk him out of his rationale like Erwin, but his sense of pride refused to let that animal that hurt Eren go unharmed.

It was family pride. Kenny would say it best:

_“You’re an Ackerman, Levi. And that means you protect your own.”_

It was clear now. Levi had made his decision. And as much as Eren and Erwin and pretty much everyone except his uncle would disagree with his choice, it had to be done.

But first, he needed a name.

\--

When he made his way back to the room, the visitors were just getting ready to leave. The nurse was pushing them to part ways so that Eren would be able to rest properly. With much regret but promises to check in, Eren’s friends said their goodbyes and wished a fast recovery.

And Erwin shared a few more steady, encouraging words of strength in Levi’s ear before making his leave as well.

\--

The nurse adjusted Eren’s blankets and made sure he was hydrated before taking his vitals again. “Okay, babes. The doctor will be here to see you soon and we’ll finally put you on some paid meds. You’re doing great.”

She left and not even a minute later, the doctor came in and shook hands with Levi. He was professional, but he had a bit of a sense of humor.

“You are Misterrrrr…” he checked his chart quickly. “Jaeger.” His eyes seemed to light up a bit. “Eren Jaeger. Is your dad Dr. Jaeger, by any chance?”

Eren turned his head an inch and nodded a little.

“A good friend of mine, Dr. Jaeger. We did our residency together. He told me he had a son, yeah. I didn’t hope I’d meet you like this, though. Alright, I’ll stop babbling and get you on some painkillers, my friend. How’s that sound?”

“How’s your alcohol? It written here that you’re fully sober now…” the doctor’s voice distantly faded away into the background as Levi began thinking to himself again.

He was thinking of what his plan of punishment would be, and admittedly, the pure joy that he would be able to do something about this personally was beginning to cloud his judgement and rile up his rage once more.

The nurse returned and she helped the doctor administer the proper medication to Eren. Though Eren didn’t respond, they explained to him which dosage was meant for the swelling, and which was for numbing pain.

“Alright, my friend,” the doctor told Eren. “You’re all set for now. I will see you shortly to make sure your body is taking the dosage well.”

He looked to Levi now: “He’s doing well. He’ll start feeling drowsy and a probably a bit dizzy, but we’re hoping to get him patched up and on his way very soon. He just needs to rest for now.”

“Alright, thank you, Doctor.”

The door clicked shut and he was all alone with Eren again.

He noticed Eren’s unswollen eye was beginning to flutter shut, just like the doctor predicted. Levi scratched his hand lightly. “Get some sleep, lovebug. I’ll be right here.”

Those soothing words seemed to relieve Eren, and he was snoring gently within a couple minutes.

Now that Eren was asleep, Levi had nothing but time to spare and room to reflect.

He noticed Eren’s phone on the bedside table, and he glanced between it and a sleeping Eren.

They didn’t keep secrets. In fact, just by the way it worked out, they both knew each other’s phone passwords.

Eren’s password was… Levi pressed the numbers in:

0……………0…………….0…………….1!

Eren’s voice echoed in Levi’s head from a distant memory: _“Gotta keep ‘em on their toes!” he had said with a wink._

Levi’s heart warmed at that little memory. And he let out a sigh of relief that the code worked. He was in.

He felt a bit dirty that he was raiding Eren’s texts like this without his permission. But he desperately needed the name of the person that did this, and he knew that Eren would never willingly give it to him. And, he wasn’t going to wait 1-2 days for the DNA match.

He scrolled through the list of conversations. The most recent one was to Armin. He saw his own name from their log of conversations, too. Instead of just keeping it simple, Eren tacked on a bunch of heart-eyes emojis and black hearts next to Levi’s name.

A warmth spread in Levi’s heart and he hid back a smile. His boyfriend was sweet beyond words.

At any rate, he looked into the most current conversations of all the names he happened not to recognize.

Here was one. An… Adrian. This chat was from yesterday, so it had to have been it:

_Eren—how have you been? It’s been a long time. Let’s meet somewhere and catch up._

_I have a boyfriend now. You know that._

_I know, I know. I just want to talk. Just as friends, no jokes. Think we can do that?_

_Ok. JUST as friends. Text me the meeting place._

_I knew you’d come around. You always did._

Levi’s seen enough. He wrote down the name into his own phone, and he placed Eren’s phone back on the bedside table.

When he looked up, Eren was snoozing away, and he looked at peace despite his face’s rough appearance.

Levi figured he could use the time to go back home and freshen up, and perhaps bring back some of Eren’s favorite things to make the stay bearable.

And, now that he had what he needed, he could finally tame the itch within him.

\--

Driving in the dark winter 6 am sky, Levi dialed his trusted private investigator.

Though needing to use a P.I. was never a good thing, Levi found his connection to be helpful whenever he needed the aid, especially back with the M.P. case. Sometimes, you just needed to dig a little deeper about certain people you’re working with. Erwin would agree.

In any case, Levi had a more… non-work related matter this time around.

“Ness.”

“You’re calling quite early, but then again, you were always an early riser, weren’t you, sir?” The man asked at the other end. He was a bit eccentric by nature, but he took his job very seriously and always yielded the best results.

“I have a job for you.”

The man was already typing away on his computer on the other end. “All I need is a name, Mr. Ackerman.”


	88. Harsh Recovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Divine retribution, or revenge? The right choice is often the hard choice.
> 
> (You guys didn't think I had it in me to write angst, huh? :D Well, now that we got that out of our system, we can see what's next in store for our boys. Thanks for reading. Please let me know your thoughts! <3)

Levi gave the full name of the target of his rage.

“I’ll start digging, sir. As usual, I’ll let you know when I have enough to share.”

“Much appreciated, Ness.”

Levi hung up and clenched the steering wheel as he sped down the streets.

-

Though Levi was rather good at suppressing his emotions, he desperately needed a cathartic release this morning. While he would much prefer to wrap his hands around the neck of a certain individual, he compromised with himself to go to the gym downstairs and attempt to work out some of the tension.

It didn’t work.

He didn’t realize he had bullied deep impressions into the punching bags until he looked down and felt his fists throb in pain.

He unwrapped his bandages and saw red chafes all along his knuckles. Those rough marks would become more callouses and reminders.

And yet, it wasn’t nearly enough. He was glad his fists got to taste the sweet contact of a landed hit, but he’ll be even happier once he got to unleash the fruits of his training on the asshole ex that did a number on Eren.

 _Yes._ He trained constantly, not ever really knowing when he would perform, considering his competitive fighting days were long over. But he was glad his uncle always made him keep up with his training. Now he knew why.

And it was complicated. He wanted to get drunk and simultaneously remain completely sober to deal with this. But, he thought about what Erwin said: _“Don’t wallow in self-pity. Be there for Eren.”_

He sighed and clenched his jaw. Erwin was fucking right. Drinking would not make this injustice any less impactful. He could have a victory drink once he’s made things right.

Levi exited the gym, his body drenched in sweat and his knuckles stinging with satisfying pain, and went back up the elevator to prepare for his return to the hospital.

He packed Eren’s tablet and the beige blanket from the couch. He figured Eren could use a little reminder of home—a reminder that this, too, shall pass and that the healing process can begin.

On the way back to the hospital, he also stopped by a drugstore and purchased a teddy bear and a blank card.

No flowers for Eren. Though flowers were timelessly romantic were used to express a variety of sentiments, Eren expressed his opinion on them way back when:

_“They’re really pretty, but I can’t handle them. They always die on me. I kill those bitches.”_

Eren’s inability to keep flowers alive was another little tender secret that only Levi knew.

In any case, he quickly scribbled a note for Eren in the car:

_My dearest, sweetest Eren—_

_You are incredibly strong and brave. Don’t let this situation feel any less of the amazing, charming young man that I know you are. Keep your chin up, baby. It’ll all be over soon._

_Love always,_

_-L_

It wasn’t nearly enough words to express how he felt, but Levi figured this was as heartfelt as he could manage right now. He always teased Eren about being a little poet, but in truth, Levi was actually a bit jealous of Eren’s ability to just open up and spill the contents of his heart like that.

He would try his best to follow Erwin’s advice and just be a strength of comfort and security for Eren.

\--

When Levi returned to Eren’s room a couple hours later, it seems he walked into a little commotion.

Several nurses surrounded Eren, patting his thighs soothingly and trying to request him to do something.

Levi saw Eren looking completely distressed and angry tears left his eyes.

His face looked just slightly more regular. Whatever they gave him earlier reduced the swelling in some areas of his face.

The nurse that led Eren’s recovery looked at Levi hopelessly.

“What’s the issue?” Levi asked. He placed the bag full of Eren’s things down on a nearby chair.

“He’s refusing to eat. But we can’t give him his painkillers on an empty stomach.”

Another nurse noted, “I think he’s upset that you’ve left.”

The nurses made way for Levi, who approached an upset Eren.

“Hey, sweetheart,” Levi tickled his chest lightly.

Eren immediately began to calm down, and he looked at him cautiously.

“Is that true, are you not eating?”

Eren looked a bit guilty, but he said nothing.

“Are you giving these nurses a hard time?” His voice was calm and soothing, but also possessing that air of confidence and authority—a combination that Eren found to be the key combination of traits to quell any of his worries.

The nurses stared at the exchange in awe. They’d been trying for the past hour and a half to try to get Eren to surrender and eat his breakfast, and here this man walks in and calms him down in a second.

They silently passed the tray to Levi.

There was a [once hot] bowl of oatmeal, a cup of diced peaches, and a cup of applesauce.

Levi took the spoon and scooped some of the applesauce. He hovered the spoon in front of Eren’s mouth, waiting for an admission.

But, nothing. Eren kept staring at him silently.

“Can you eat your breakfast, Eren? Hm?”

Eren’s fists clenched the blankets.

Levi retracted the spoon and ate it himself. “Mmm.. See? Nothing to worry about.”

A tiny, ever so tiny smile twitched on Eren’s mouth.

Levi took another spoonful and hovered it in front of Eren’s mouth once more. “It would make me really, really happy if you ate this, lovebug.”

Levi realized it was a bit emotionally manipulative to say that, but it was also the God’s honest truth.

Eren slowly accepted the spoon of applesauce, and then the one offered after that.

“Yess…” Levi groaned lowly with each successful bite. “That’s the way.”

Eren’s grip on the sheets loosened, and he managed to accept the task.

Levi passed the tray back to the nurse, whose relief that Eren was eating was tangible throughout the room.

Now that Levi was back at the bedside, his presence calming as usual, Eren polished off his breakfast in no time.

Levi stood and petted Eren’s hair in validation. “Good boy… such a good boy. That’s my Eren.”

Even with his sore, bruised face, Eren managed to sort of glow from the praise.

The nurse dabbed Eren’s mouth clean with a napkin. “Good job, babes, you’re all done. I know you probably have no appetite with what’s happened to you, but you’re doing great. And now we can get you on some more painkillers.”

Levi stood to retrieve Eren’s bag of goodies, first taking out the beige blanket and splaying it out over Eren’s thin hospital blanket.

Then, he took out Eren’s charged tablet and placed it on the other bedside table, then the card on top of that.

Finally, he reached into the bag, and when he was sure Eren was watching, he revealed the new teddy bear.

Eren giggled a bit. Even in dire times, Levi remained a cheesy sap.

Levi brought it over and pressed the bear’s nose all over Eren’s cheeks and neck, making little kissy sounds along the way.

Eren took the bear and picked up his phone:

_Youre so cheesy. I think I have enough teddy bears now to start a collection._

Levi chuckled at the text. And because the nurses were still in the room talking, he decided to give his response over text:

_It was either a teddy or a bunch of flowers. And I know how you feel about flowers._

Eren:

_I’m like a reverse King Midas with flowers: Everything I touch turns to shit. At home, my mom literally would not let me near her flowers._

Levi could see that happening. Eren may have been nurturing to people and very hospitable due to his customer service experience, but he remembered how his friends said he was very excitable as a kid.

 _Well, if it makes you feel any better,_ Levi typed, _I think you’re a very tender, loving young man. The flowers will come around for you one day._

_Flowers are finicky as hell. I almost killed a cactus once. A CACTUS, LEVI._

Levi chuckled and sat down on the edge of Eren’s bed.

_A cactus, babe? You’re right; I think plants are a lost cause for you._

_I already accepted my fate years ago. I think I take care of men better than I can take care of flowers. For example, I like cooking for you and protecting you cuz ur my yummy hubs._

Levi considered what Eren was saying. It was true—despite Eren being the younger and less experienced one in the relationship, he always seemed to have the cure for Levi’s pain and emotional sorrows, and he had a bloodhound’s nose for Levi’s shifts in mood. He really was a fabulous caretaker and second half. A wonderful house-husband in the making.

Which made Levi’s inability to prevent this situation punch him in the gut like a painful reminder. _I wish I could say the same about my abilities,_ he typed. _It kills me that you ended up here like this._

Levi sighed and squeezed Eren’s thigh.

But Eren’s fingers were frantic over his phone’s keypad:

_Don’t blame yourself about this, Levi. You actually did protect me by trying to warn me about the shady neighborhood, and offering to drive me. The reason I ended up getting fucked up was because I wasn’t cautious at all. I’m angry at myself more than anything. But this will all be over eventually and we’ll get back to our normal lives. I’m taking this whole thing as a lesson learned._

_Ever the optimist. You’re so inspirational. I swear I’ll make this right, babycakes. No one will ever touch you again on my watch._

Eren:

_DON’T CALL ME BABYCAKES!_

Levi could not hide his laughter. Even Eren was smiling a bit and giggling. He was pretty receptive to most nicknames, but nicknames coined by his mother did not sit well all that often.

_Come on, honey bunches. I want to be able to call my boyfriend silly, girly nicknames. It’s my God-given right._

_You have the God-given right to kiss my whole, fat, German ass._

Levi chuckled richly. He felt Eren’s leg kick him playfully. Well, if nothing at all, he was glad Eren was starting to return back to his normal self.

The nurse administered the round of medicine to Eren and made sure he drank water.

“He’ll start getting dizzy and drowsy again,” she reminded Levi. “But his body is accepting the dosages very well.”

Levi felt a hand grasp onto his forearm.

“Thanks for staying with me, Levi.” Eren’s voice was still a bit raspy and untrained, but Levi didn’t realize how much he missed that voice until he heard it just now.

He leaned in to place a soft kiss on Eren’s bangs. “Of course, doll. You’re not going to go through this alone.”

Eren’s eyes closed in what was both satisfaction and relief.

Levi leaned into Eren’s ear for a secret message: “I still find you mad cute.”

Eren pushed Levi away playfully. His words were a bit muffled and sticky due to his swollen lip, but his personality was coming back in spotty blooms: “Don’t call me cute when I’m like this.”

Levi massaged Eren’s thighs. “I only speak the truth. You know that.”

Eren glanced down and noticed Levi’s hand. He picked it up and inspected it with squinted eyes. Levi’s hands were always calloused and weathered, but he noticed some rather fresh red scrapes on the knuckles.

He looked up at Levi. “Where are these from?”

Levi was quick to respond: “I just pushed myself a bit too far at the gym today. Nothing to worry about.”

Eren pursed his lips, but it was an acceptable answer for now. He was just secretly hoping that it was only a punching bag and not a real person that caused these red marks.

Levi took the same red-gashed knuckles to Eren’s cheek, ever so gingerly. “Don’t worry that pretty head over me. I’ve had worse.”

“I know, but…” Eren said. “Don’t let your anger overcome you. Seeing your hands like this scares me.”

It worried Levi that Eren seeing the evidence of his practice distressed him. He would have a real target soon, and his hands would look a lot worse than this.

Of course, Eren did not know of his plans at all.

“Don’t be scared of this, love. I just work out my emotions physically, like the brute that I am. I don’t find alternatives all that helpful right now. …I’m trying not to drink.”

Eren smiled a bit and he massaged Levi’s rough hands within his. “My functional alcoholic brute needs to figure out other healthy ways of blowing off steam.”

Levi sighed wearily but nodded. “It’s even harder when this functional alcoholic can’t seem to get drunk anymore.”

“Tolerance.”

“You know me so well, darling.”

Eren sighed and leaned back against his pillow. “’m getting tired.”

The nurse overheard him and came over to have him drink a little more water before drifting away.

She took one more record of his vitals, and Eren was already starting to breathe deeply.

As the nurse finished her quick report to the doctor, Eren was very deeply sound asleep.

She smiled to Levi, who was watching him intently. “He’s going to be knocked out cold for a couple hours. Can I get you some more coffee, Levi?”

“No, thanks. I’m actually just about to leave again.”

He tucked the blankets around Eren’s legs and he laughed to himself when he saw a stream of drool begin to exit the corner of Eren’s mouth. If they were sleeping together, Levi would have woken up with a puddle on his chest.

A bittersweet arrow struck Levi’s heart. Running a company has made him a bit of a control freak. And anyone that disrupted their lovely, calm life—full of talks of moving to the Italian countryside to raise fresh cherry tomatoes and watching the news together at 5 am—had hell to pay.

Levi began collecting his things. “You have my number if something happens to Eren,” he told the nurse. “But I’ll be back in a while to check on him.”

“Sounds good.”

He left the room, and like clockwork, the private investigator gave his phone a ring.

It only took a few hours. His PI was one of the best in the nation.

“Ness. What do you have?”

The private investigator belted out all the gold of his search—his target’s income; background; profession; performance reports at said profession; purchased plane tickets and hotel room check-ins; recent destinations by car; and what Levi was craving most: a home address.

“And a neat report of my findings has been sent to your email as well, Mr. Ackerman.”

“Thank you, Ness. Excellent work, as usual.”

His eccentric PI basked in the praise. “Always at your service, sir.”

\--

Levi arrived back to the apartment for the second time today, to freshen up and renew his purpose. The nurses at the hospital assured him that Eren was making a steady, normal recovery, and that he was in good hands. Eren even started speaking again, last he went.

But, that didn’t make this situation any less real. In fact, seeing Eren’s cute face, looking at the way he sat quietly, the way he would hold Levi’s hands within his—warm and true—it revived his will to balance the scales.

The hot, volcanic anger that seeped under his skin when he first found out what happened had been replaced by a different force. Now, it was a quiet, poisonous anchor of hatred that sat heavily in the base of his chest.

He hoped the façade he put on in front of Eren was enough to soothe him so he can focus on resting properly.

But the truth was, Levi made a choice that he knew was neither the right choice nor the easy choice. And he knew he would be letting a lot of people down, but someone fucked with his pride and his role as a protector.

In this case, failed protector.

He took a long, hot shower, relishing once again the satisfying sting of water on his scraped knuckles from his training earlier. His target practice.

In his closet, he picked out his favorite casual suit—a powerful, somber black staple. He found it fitting; black to mourn someone’s death.

Levi smirked to himself. _He wouldn’t be the one mourning, though._

He finished his outfit by choosing a watch: the silver Rolex Eren bought him for his birthday/Christmas, as well as the darkest sunglasses he could find. Lastly, a light spritz of cologne.

 _Yes, he was ready_. It was a bit excessive, to wear a suit to do what was going to be done today, but with how much has happened in the last 24 hours, Levi needed to feel normal again.

He went over to the safe in his office and peered into it after unlocking it.

He remembered the day Eren asked to see the inside of the safe. It was their mantra: No secrets. Levi had shown him exactly what was in there. He wished he could be honest about his plans today, but he knew Eren would never, ever approve.

Within the safe, against the backdrop of thick stacks of thousands and thousands of dollars, sat the handgun that Kenny insisted he keep for home defense. He found it unnecessary at first, but right now, he silently thanked his uncle. He wouldn’t be using it for home defense, though.

He opened the case in the safe that contained ammunition and loaded the gun. It felt heavier in his palm now. He turned it slowly and inspected it. Unbeknownst to him, there was a little sparkle of joy in his eye. He’d gone the latter half of his life not really having that desire to fight for fun all that much. But, he had to admit, getting violent with the roach that hurt his boyfriend made him feel fabulously giddy inside.

He stood with his gun in tow, and, he didn’t know why, but he suddenly had a change of heart. Not about his end goal, but about the means. He opened up the top desk drawer, and took out his beloved knife.

It was the folding knife Kenny gifted him as a little kid, as a birthday present. He’s had it since he was five. Maybe earlier; he couldn’t remember. But, he did remember the good handful of experiences where he got to hold this very blade to a grown man’s throat.

Kenny taught Levi an important concept—the concept of work and play.

Levi looked between the two weapons: the gun in his left hand, and the knife in his right.

A gun for business, a knife for pleasure.

While the goal was intact, Levi needed to decide how he wanted to go about this. The gun would be cleaner and quicker. The knife would be a more drawn out experience, and a messier one.

Somehow, Levi didn’t really care all that much about leaving a trail of evidence. In fact, he _wanted_ his target to remember him.

Levi shook his head. The choice was clear. A gun would be way too easy. Levi wanted to torture; to fulfill that perverted itch within him to inflict endless pain and suffering on Eren’s abuser.

He unloaded the gun and once it was safely placed inside, he locked the safe once more.

He gathered his wallet and keys, and slipped them along with his knife into his coat pocket before heading out.

\--

Levi drove with a careful, almost calm precision. There were times he ended up at a red light and got those occasional admiring gazes at his car. It annoyed him at the beginning of his career, the _“Say, how much does a sweet ride like that cost, champ?”_ when his windows were rolled down, but now, with his tinted windows rolled up, he didn’t mind the envious looks too much.

Because, he had one particular goal in mind. No distractions and second thoughts were able to sway him now.

 _Tap, tap, tap, tap…_ the faint thrum of his finger against the steering wheel, like a meditative mantra. A backdrop for the mission statement sitting heavily on his mind.

He arrived to the apartment complex that his PI sent him. It was very typical and unassuming. The people who lived here must be ordinary and middle-class. And yet, it was still nicer than that humble little shack Eren lived in before moving in with him at Trost Tower. But that was the type of person Eren was—he just didn’t need or want for much:

_“I’m just a simple guy, hubs. All I need is my daily coffee and the occasional tugjob. Waste not, want not!”_

Eren’s misuse of famous proverbs… the reminder of it was almost enough to make Levi laugh right now. But he was walking with an almost military-like precision towards the correct door.

He found it. A door that looked as identical as all the other ones surrounding it. He checked his phone once more to double-check that he had the right apartment number.

He did.

He took off his sunglasses and knocked on the door firmly four times. He remembered how Eren always entered the study while he working; saying “Knock, knock~” instead of actually knocking. As if it were a little quieter and less disruptive that way.

 _Yeah. Knock, knock, motherfucker,_ Levi thought to himself. He began to take off his gloves and flex his fingers out as he heard footsteps approach the door from within.

The door opened fully and a tall, medium-complexioned man—a man handsome enough that he didn’t look like he had the capability to harm, Levi analyzed—stood in the doorway.

Levi did not look up again, and he neatly placed his removed gloves into his left coat pocket. “Are you Adrian?” he asked with an eerily calm, almost kind tone.

The man cocked his head to the side. “Yeah. Who are you?”

Almost like a lion that found an opening to leap at his prey, sudden and ruthless, red rage flashed in Levi’s eyes, and he burst out a blinding punch straight to the man’s nose.

Adrian, more shocked than hurt by the hit, clutched onto his immediately bleeding nose and stumbled backwards.

Levi stepped into the apartment and shut the door behind him. He delivered a powerful fist directly to the man’s stomach, and that was enough to send him to the floor.

Levi looked at his target on the ground with a curious, childlike curiosity. As he worked off his coat, he remembered what his boxing coach said to him way back when:

“Being short doesn’t mean you can’t be powerful. I want you to start every fight by bringing your opponent down to your level.”

Levi straddled the scumbag—the subject of his fucked-up punishment fantasy.

“Who-who the fuck are you..?” Adrian wondered, and the blood seeping into his upper lip made his words hard to discern.

Levi lashed out again. _Crrr-ACK!_ A broken nose.

He spoke over the now moaning and dazed Adrian. “Did you really think you could beat my boyfriend? And rape him? With no consequences?” He was normally well-spoken, but it was as if he only had the ability to speak in short, dumb, middle-school sentences now that his wrath had come alive.

“You’re… Eren’s boyfriend…?” Adrian asked thickly.

Levi wrapped a hand slowly around his throat, not at all playful. He was fixing to keep him there.

And once he saw that his target was starting to lose his breath, he delivered a satisfying blow to the eye, and then another, just for good measure.

The truth was, Levi was trained to hurt. He was lucky that his beloved Eren managed to get away with non-permanent injuries. He was resilient like that. But if Levi fought, his work would definitely warrant for months, if not years of healing and therapy. Both physical and emotional.

Adrian clutched blindly at the wrist that was closing in on his throat, as it was tightening just a little more each second, and despite his now freely bleeding face, he was trying his hardest to breathe again. _Human nature,_ Levi thought.

But Levi wouldn’t choke him to death. No, that would be way too easy.

He was going to make sure this cockroach received the same damage Eren did, tenfold, before dishing out the execution.

“I hope your affairs are in order. You.” Levi raised his fist so that his arm was bent at a 90 degree angle, and he brought it down swiftly on Adrian’s face. _CRACK!_ “Despicable.” _THRACK!_ “Disgusting.” _CRACK!_ _CRACK!_ “Piece.” Levi developed a steady pace now, getting in all the harsh hits that his heart desired. Indulgence. It was overkill, but it was also pure bliss. “Of.” _SNAP!_ Something else broke. “ _Shit.”_

Levi snapped out of his violent trance for just a second to realize his hand was completely covered in blood. “Ugh.” Filthy. But he wouldn’t clean it now.

He had unknowingly loosened his left hand from Adrian’s throat while he was inspecting his right. A pained gasp was heard from beneath him.

Adrian spat out a tooth, and his sweaty, bloody face was twisted in pain. “You won’t get away with this, motherfucker. I’ll sue you for every dime you’re worth.” His words were awkward and muffled.

Levi almost laughed out loud. He wrapped both his hands back around the man’s throat and leaned down so their foreheads were almost touching. “Sue me…?” he mused. “Go ahead, bitch. I fucking _dare_ you. That’s a lot of balls considering what you did yesterday. You don’t know me.” He squeezed his hands around Adrian’s throat, watching in satisfaction when his swollen eyes began to bulge out of their sockets. “You don’t know where I come from or how much I’m worth. I’ll crush you like the little insect that you are.” He snarled the last couple of words, and it echoed in his head. “And you will _never_ ”—Levi growled the word—“understand the bond that Eren and I have.”

He gave a quick pop to the mouth to make sure this piece of trash didn’t speak without being spoken to first.

Now that his target was apprehended, Levi could move on to more fun things.

He stood and with minimal effort, dragged Adrian up to his feet by his arms. “Get up,” he murmured irritably. He’s had plenty of experience carrying Eren around the house, and picking up grown men wasn’t ever much of a challenge for him anyway.

He grabbed the man’s arm to drag him over to the wall, and he had a goal get rid of some more teeth.

With a fist curled into the back of Adrian’s hair, and his other hand gripping tightly on his bicep to make sure he didn’t go anywhere, Levi dragged Adrian’s head through the air, and, with no further notice, bashed Adrian’s face directly into the wall.

A half-sob, half-moan escaped Adrian’s throat. Levi lifted his head away, noticing that two more teeth that were dangling previously had fallen unceremoniously to the floor.

He drove his head back into the wall, this time releasing a cathartic little growl, and when he lifted again, he noticed there was a brand-new dent in the wall from the impact.

He bashed Adrian’s face back into the wall. Over, and over, and over, until he felt his body struggling to stand.

Levi took the fistful of hair and tossed it away so that Adrian lost his footing and collapsed on the floor.

He took the chance of seeing an exposed back, and he pinned Adrian down with a knee. He grabbed the asshole’s arm and with one, fluid movement, yanked harshly and overextended it into an awkward angle. Doing this was almost second nature, he didn’t even need to look down anymore. He looked boredly at the ceiling and heard a substantial _SNAP._

The loud, drawn out cry full of red and pain and suffering meant that Levi had forcefully dislocated his arm.

Levi turned him over on his back and straddled him once more.

He took the front of his collar and pulled it so that Adrian’s back arched off the floor. With his free hand, he reached into his pocket and took out his blade, flashing it open with one small flick of the wrist. The silver surface gleamed enticingly—Levi had polished it many times while he was conducting phone calls absentmindedly. A dull knife is a shitty knife.

“Should I castrate you first, or slit your throat…? What do you think?” Levi wondered out loud, and he turned the blade around. He caught his reflection against the surface of the silver.

Adrian knew now that this man was not playing any games. Even the threat of being sued was not enough to deter him—he must’ve been very confident, or very rich. Or both.

“Please, don’t kill me. I’m sorry, okay? I’m sorry.” Adrian managed through a bloody, toothless mouth.

Levi glanced his way, almost annoyed that he interrupted his knife inspection.

“Please…You don’t have to do this.” Adrian sobbed hopefully.

Levi pressed the tip of the blade to the underside of Adrian’s chin, so that he could need to crane his neck to prevent himself being poked. “Please, please,” Levi mocked him quietly. “That’s probably what Eren said, huh? When you were sticking your dick in him?”

Adrian cried. This was it. His last moment as a conscious member of this earth.

Levi pressed the blade length-wise against Adrian’s jugular vein, just like his uncle taught him. He was already pressing hard enough that burgundy beads of blood were starting to dot along the knife.

All he needed to do was swipe, and he would have this asshole dead.

 _His sweet Eren,_ Levi daydreamed momentarily. His sweet Eren with those hypnotizing emerald eyes. And that flirty, challenging smile. His sweet Eren with the tall, lean body. With that cute little cowlick that curled away from the nape of his neck. His sweet Eren who knew how to make an outrageously strong cup of tea. Who only exclusively watched lesbian or cartoon porn ( _“Hentai”,_ Eren’s voice corrected). His sweet Eren that drooled during his sleep. That would adopt all the puppies and kittens in the world if he could. That would massage his feet after work without even being asked.

Erwin’s voice spoke up somewhere through the odd, sugary-soft filter of his imagination— _“Think of what Eren would want.”_

Levi stumbled out of his daydream after a few seconds, and he looked down slowly. His grip remained tight on Adrian’s shirt, and the drops of blood collecting at the edge of his blade was starting to mix with the sheen of nervous sweat that covered his skin.

Adrian was panting shallowly. His frantic heartbeat could be heard between them.

Levi couldn’t tell what his expression read. The scumbag’s face was damaged beyond recognition now. If not from all the blood and bruises, then by the shattered and deformed facial structures.

_“Think of what Eren would want.”_

Levi didn’t realize he’d been holding his breath from the anticipation until he dropped his hold. Adrian fell back against the hard ground and gasped in relief from the freedom of the knife.

Levi clenched his jaw and put his knife away with much, much regret. But, Erwin was right. Killing this piece of shit would upset Eren to no end. And while doing it would satisfy his own masculine urges, distressing Eren was completely counter-intuitive right now during the healing process.

He realized most normal people would be upset by the loss of life. But, not him. Especially when it came to Eren.

He had nothing to lose. Sure, he had a multi-million dollar business that was expanding each year, and a reputation, and connections and assets, and all that… but all those things seemed trivial compared to what was at stake.

He stood and watched pitifully as Adrian writhed in pain beneath him. The hardwood floor and that specific area of the wall were spotted and smeared with fresh blood.

Levi pitied himself, too. He pitied that this was the most his good conscious would allow him to do. He wished he could do more. He _could_ do more. He _could_. He had a lot more left in him to be able to finish the job. But Levi was aware of his own strength, and the insect squirming under him was only a few more hits away from death. The death that Levi was pretty sure he craved right now.

Now, Levi was angry again. He was angry that he wasn’t allowed to kill. He wanted to throw a little a tantrum before accepting the reality.

He stepped forward and with all his might, swung his foot into Adrian’s side, earning him a loud cry and a cough. He did it once more—harder this time, using the wedge of his shoe. A subtle sound reverberated on impact, and Levi was glad he was able to break some ribs. _At least! Something!_

He circled Adrian’s body, and with that same sharp inhale of breath that he started any fight with, he ghetto stomped Adrian’s throat. Juuuust enough that it wouldn’t kill him, though. Leaving people on the brink of death was his specialty, after all.

Finally, he lifted the bloody underside of his shoe above Adrian’s face, just for a moment relishing the vague beg of mercy that the very little parts of his face that were still recognizable showed. And, he stomped on the asshole’s face, twice, and there was a weird crunch of bone and cartilage. He knew immediately that he was unconscious.

He kicked Adrian’s face away slowly so that he was looking the other way. And, finally, in one more release of rage, he hocked up some saliva and spat on the lifeless body before him.

 _That’s it. You’re done,_ Levi’s inner voice told him. _Walk away now. Walk away._

Levi looked at his hands, now completely covered with still-wet blood. He wandered around the apartment to find a bathroom, where he calmly turned on the sink to wash his hands.

It took him a good while under the hot water to be able to scrub his hands clean. It was as casual as washing up before dinner.

Finally, he dried his hands and looked at himself in the mirror. Besides the few specks of blood on his shirt, he was pretty unscathed.

But now that he did what he wanted, it was time to return to Eren and see how much more time it would take until they could go home and just put this behind them.

When he stepped out of the bathroom, he looked at the unconscious Adrian. He knelt down curiously and pressed his ear to his chest. Yeah, his heart was still beating. It was beating slowly, but beating nonetheless.

It was a bit of a compromise like that. Erwin could rest easy knowing Levi didn’t kill a man; Eren could rest easy knowing for certain that this asshole was never going to see him again; and he himself could rest easy knowing that he got to carry out his retribution, at least for the most part.

The world was back in balance.

He brushed off his coat before slipping back into it, left the apartment, and politely shut the door behind him.

\--

The door to the hospital room opened, and the nurse saw Eren’s boyfriend slip in quietly.

“Welcome back, Levi.”

“It’s good to be back. How’s Eren doing?”

They glanced at him together. Eren was still knocked out cold from the drugs, but he looked more content now.

“The swelling in his face has gone down considerably,” the nurse said. “We’re really confident that he’s making a fast recovery.”

She was right. While much of the color from the bruises still remained on Eren’s face, his eye was no longer swollen to the point of it being shut, and his face was starting to even back out to its original form.

“I’m happy to hear that,” Levi said. He sat down next to Eren and squeezed his hand. “He’s looking much, much better.”

Eren’s snores hitched from Levi’s hand squeeze, but then he slipped right back into deep sleep.

Levi looked to the nurse. “How long ‘til I can take him home?”

“The doctor will give you an accurate estimate the next time he comes around. But from my knowledge, it shouldn’t be more than a few days at this point.”

Levi nodded.

It was silent for a few minutes, the only sounds being Eren’s breathing and the digital beeps of the machines attached to him. “So, what do you do for work?” the nurse asked while she wrote notes on her computer.

“I run a holdings company.”

“Ah, wow, a businessman,” the nurse smiled kindly. “How did you meet Eren?”

Levi thought about it for a second. “I was a customer at the coffee shop he works at. I fell in love instantly.”

The nurse almost melted. “That’s beyond sweet. I can tell he loves you a lot.”

Levi liked that his and Eren’s chemistry was noticeable by even strangers. It was like that double date at the basketball game; how the camera fixated on couples for an onscreen kiss. There was no way people should’ve been able to tell they were a couple, at least not yet, since a pair of rings were down the road.

But somehow, people still knew.

-

About an hour or so of chatting with the nurse, Eren began to flutter awake. Levi generally disliked small talk, but talking to the kind nurse made him feel a little more human after today’s events. She actually kind of reminded him of Carla.

Eren went to rub his eyes, but winced a little when his fingers touched a tender spot on his face. There was a cut on his cheekbone covered by a thin white bandage.

“He’s awake,” the nurse joined them over at the bedside. “Are you hungry?”

“Not… really,” Eren managed to say.

The nurse laughed lightly and patted his thigh. “Well, I gotta feed you anyway, babes. Doctor’s orders.” She left to go get his meal.

Eren seemed relieved that Levi was there, too. “I’m happy you stuck around,” he said.

“Of course, baby boy. I promised you I’d be here.” Levi just realized he told a lie, and that Eren was none the wiser about his trip to Adrian’s house to carry out retribution. But, what he didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him. At least for now.

“Levi…” Eren’s voice was quiet and morose, “I’m so ready to go home.”

Levi squeezed and massaged thigh, nodding slowly in understanding. “And I’m so ready to take you home. But they want to keep an eye you for a little longer. You’re a strong young man. My _darling_ Eren. You’re a fighter.”

“My love... You’re such a good man.”

A tinge of guilt twisted in Levi’s heart momentarily. He wondered if Eren’s opinion of him would’ve remained the same had he known that he found Adrian and beat him halfway to death.

 _No,_ Levi’s subconscious snapped. _You did the right thing. You removed that asshole off the streets. You’ve eliminated one of Eren’s threats. You’ve protected your boyfriend from further harm._

Levi’s ego nodded. He might as well just line up all of Eren’s male exes now and beat them up once and for all; just get it done in one sitting.

“Even in your current condition, you’re still such a romantic soul,” Levi teased.

Eren tried to smile wide, but his cheek was still sore. Instead, he reached out weakly and smacked Levi’s bicep. “If you keep making fun of me, I’ll take you over my knee and spank you.”

Levi’s brows shot up in surprise. That was the first time Eren’s threatened him with any kind of sexual capital punishment. “That’s about the last thing I expected you to say. Wait… are you serious?”

“I’m as serious as a heart attack, baby,” Eren said.

Levi laughed richly. Yeah, that was his Eren. Even sitting on a hospital bed, laced with a plethora of disorienting drugs and still covered in bruises, the boy was still a huge flirt.

The nurse walked into the funny scene with the tray in her hand. She was glad her patient was able to positive through all of what happened to him… not that she would say that out loud.

“Are you strong enough to lift your arms? Or do you want me to feed you?”

Eren stretched his arms a bit and flexed. “I think I’m good.”

The nurse helped place the tray over his lap and watched him take the first bite.

Eren was slow, but steady, and he worked his way through his food despite not having much of an appetite.

He even took a scoop of applesauce and held it in front of Levi’s mouth. “Mm.”

Levi’s heart warmed that even like this, Eren was considerate and thoughtful. “No, but thank you, lovebug. I’m good.”

Eren’s brows furrowed and he swallowed down his current bite. “When was the last time you ate?”

Levi searched his mind quickly. He couldn’t even remember, honestly. He had that coffee the nurse gave him way back when.

“If you have to think about it, it’s the wrong answer,” Eren reminded. They had this conversation on routine weeknights, where Levi would be so immersed in his work that he forgot to eat or stretch or even sleep.

Levi sighed in defeat. “I’ll eat right after this. I promise.”

He couldn’t quite admit it to Eren, but ever since he’s gotten the first phone call that Eren was in the hospital, he didn’t have much of an appetite, either.

“You better,” Eren said, a hint of playfulness evident in his voice.  

Levi squeezed Eren’s thigh and he watched him eat.

-

The doctor made an appearance after about two hours, which were spent with Eren and Levi watching a movie on his tablet.

“How are you doing, my friend? You’re looking a lot better already, I can tell.” He flipped through the nurse’s reports as well as the charts of his vitals.

He ran a scan on Eren’s brain, and re-inspected some x-rays. It was tedious, but Levi appreciated his thoroughness. Only the best treatment for his boyfriend.

“I have good news and better news,” the doctor said after some time.

Levi was excited to hear it (his facial expression didn’t change, though). Eren looked up expectantly.

“We don’t have any internal bleeding in Eren’s brain, which is what I was worried about the most. It usually appears several hours after initial impact, but I’m confident that everything’s functioning well. I don’t see any warning signs of a concussion. The better news is that I think we can get our friend here patched up and on his way by morning.”

Levi checked his watch. It was about 8 pm now. One more night here, and then Levi could whisk Eren away back home, to their little bubble of comfort and privacy.

The doctor continued, “Before Eren leaves, I want to perform one more reflex proficiency exam, and I’ll write a prescription for painkillers that I want him to keep taking once he gets out of here. But other than that…” he looked at Eren encouragingly, “I think our time together is coming to an end, Mr. Jaeger.”

The doctor collected his notes and bid them good night. “I’ll be back bright and early.”

The nurse, who was sitting in the back of the room as the doctor completed his work, came back to the bedside and made Eren drink some water. “I know you’re probably tired of getting knocked out, but I need to give you one more dosage to bring down that swelling a bit more.”

Eren looked at Levi. “Since I won’t be conscious enough to say it, you need to eat after this, Levi Ackerman. I will ask you what you ate once I wake up.”

“Yes, sir.” Levi was dutiful in making sure all of Eren’s worries were quashed.

The nurse hummed a bit while giving Eren his medicine. “Okay, babes. Get some rest now. I’ll be back periodically through the night to check on you.”

\--

The morning of hope had finally come around. After Eren knocked out last night, Levi had gone to the hospital’s cafeteria and had a sandwich, salad, and some tea. He made sure to remember exactly that, because Eren had warned that he would ask.

Levi didn’t find it in him to go back to the apartment and get some sleep last night. He would be too restless, knowing Eren was stuck at the hospital by himself. And, he’d promised Eren he wouldn’t leave—a promise he’d already broken once to do his deed. Instead, he had pulled up a chair next to Eren’s bedside, and after a couple hours of watching the muted TV and listening to the soothing sounds of Eren’s breathing, he accidentally fell asleep for a couple hours, too.

He wasn’t aware of it until he woke up at around 5 in the morning, and he noticed that the nurse had covered his back with the hospital blanket she offered earlier.

When he woke, he saw her sitting at the back of the room with a cup of coffee.

“Good morning, Levi. Some coffee?”

“That would be nice.” He stood up and felt that familiar creak of his bones, and joined her for a cup. “I feel like you’ve been here for a few days. When does your shift end?” he asked gently.

“I was scheduled until six last night. But I offered to pull a double. I have to admit, I’ve become invested in Eren. I want to see his treatment through to the end.”

“The world needs more people like you, nurse,” he said. “You’ve been amazing to Eren, I must thank you for that.”

She waved him down shyly. “He’s very sweet. Patients like him are the reason I went into nursing.”

They sipped in comfortable silence together. The nurse’s eyes opened in mild remembrance. “Oh, Levi, I forgot. I just got the email from the DNA lab just a little bit ago. I said it would take one or two days, but when I saw how upset you were, I pushed them to put Eren’s sample as a priority. I printed it out the results here, if you still want the name.” She patted a yellow envelope.

Levi shook his head. “That’s very kind of you to push it through faster, but I already managed to get the name. I was incredibly impatient.”

“No worries,” she said. “I also managed to get Eren’s STD report. He’s all clean.”

Levi was relieved. Getting raped was one thing, but if that asshole gave Eren some funky infection, or worse, HIV, Levi didn’t know how he’d react.

She gazed at Eren from across the room. “He should wake up soon. Then I can give him breakfast and the doctor should be back to give his last thoughts after that.”

-

Eren got the doctor’s OK to be discharged, and it was a bittersweet experience. Everyone who contributed to Eren’s treatment became attached to him and almost regretted that he had to leave.

That was an effect Eren had on many people, it seemed.

As Eren dressed back into his street clothes, Levi left the room for a little bit and found the kind nurse’s supervisor at a desk. He explained the situation, and cut a $5,000 check to the nurse as a thank-you gift.

It was about seven in the morning now. Levi’s phone rung, and it was Armin.

“Armin, how are you? Have you landed yet?”

“I’m great. Yeah, we landed a couple hours ago, but I just had to call and ask: How’s Eren doing? I can’t get him off my mind.”

“You have nothing to worry about. He was just discharged this morning. He’s up and walking again. They’re saying he should be back to normal in a few days.”

Levi heard a relieved sigh on the other end. “Oh, God, yes. That’s the news I was hoping for. Sorry for calling so early. But somehow, I knew you’d be awake.”

“No need to apologize. Early risers are predictable,” Levi agreed. “I’ll tell Eren you called. In the meantime, have fun on your trip, alright?”

“I will. Thanks, Levi.”

“Bye, Armin.”

-

Now, with Eren in his arms, still a bit wobbly from medications and also a bit drowsy, Levi walked him to the car. “Let’s take you home, baby.”


	89. Like a Thick Sheet of Snow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All is well after Eren returns from the hospital... right?
> 
> (Please leave a comment after reading and tell me your thoughts! <3 )

Eren almost cried at the scent that overtook him when they walked into the apartment—the scent of incense and lemon cleaner.

He’s only been away for a couple days, but it’s felt like eons. Forget new countries; there was nothing more homesick-inducing than a hospital bed.

Levi helped Eren out of his coat, carefully, because Eren’s body was still sore and tender.

“I’m so relieved to be back home,” Eren said, not so much to anyone but to himself.

“And I’m glad to have back safely,” Levi said. “Where I can keep an eye on you, and you can get back to your normal life.”

Eren was still woozy and contemplative from the lingering drugs. He stood around dumbly and thought long hard about what he just heard. “Why not just say, _our_ lives?”

Levi ushered him forward to the couch so that he can take a load off. “Poor word choice, I guess. Our lives. Although, I do vaguely recall you saying that this was your world, and I’m just living in it? That I was your male companion, for… what was it… worldly pleasures?”

Eren laughed silently. His chest shook a bit. “I think these past few days have promoted you to something more than my male companion. You were my savior.”

“Your savior?” Levi’s voice softened a bit from the flattery. “No, I don’t think so. Those are big shoes to fill.”

“Levi, I know I look like shit…” Eren started, “but can I get my good morning kiss?”

The morning sky beyond the glass wall was a bright white, threatening snow. The weather was still and silent and bleak.

Levi held Eren’s hands in his, feeling a tinge of guilt that Eren felt that way about himself. “You could be wearing a brown sack, and I would still find you attractive. I would be happy to give you your kiss.”

He leaned forward and pressed a soft, not too harsh kiss on Eren’s slightly swollen lips. “Good morning,” he whispered.

Eren was quiet after the kiss. He looked down.

“Eren, baby?”

“…I missed that,” Eren looked up again, shyly. “I miss my good morning kisses.”

“We’re going to get back into our routine, one way or the other.”

\--

It was hard to sip hot chocolate through his swollen lips, so Eren sipped cold root beer through a straw.

If the weather were nice right now, and they weren’t in the dead of winter, Levi would’ve taken Eren to a park or something, just to get him out of his depression. But alas, there were always movie marathons.

Levi also remembered something Carla had informed him of one day; that Eren struggled with seasonal depression, especially around wintertime. _“When it happens, and I’m sure it will, just stick him in a greenhouse or park. Get him out of the house. He needs to feel the sun,”_ she had told him.

He also considered whisking Eren away to some beach country, somewhere far away from this city, but Eren was very vulnerable at the moment. The next vacation would have to wait a little bit.

“Time for your next dose,” Levi saw the time, and roused Eren.

Eren has found himself feeling extremely weak today. He honestly didn’t mind that he had to keep up with painkillers. It was a fix of relief that he didn’t know he needed.

Levi watched as Eren took the fat pill and chased it down with water.

“Good boy.”

Eren sighed wistfully. “I miss my morphine.”

“Do you miss being knocked out for six hours at a time, Mr. Morphine?”

Eren settled back into the couch, leaning to the right and tucking his legs beneath him, and finally, fitting his head into the crook of Levi’s shoulder and neck. “I miss not being conscious enough to remember what happened.”

Eren was already tuning back into the TV, but Levi found himself overcome with guilt again. Eren was usually very optimistic and bounced back from most misfortunes. He hated that he noticed it… but it was almost as if he could witness the trauma settling into Eren like a sheet of snow.

\--

Eren took a lot of things for granted, he realized. One of them being how soothing Levi’s presence and body was.

He loved the way Levi would hold his shoulder close, running his fingers gently along his arm, until those fingers disappeared playfully into the sleeve of Eren’s t shirt.

And he loved holding onto Levi’s torso, possessively and firmly, as if squeezing any less would be no good.

Levi had roused him for another dose, and once that was done, Eren took the opportunity to stretch his sore body.

“I think I’m going to take a quick shower,” Eren said.

“Do you want me to help wash your back?” Levi offered.

Something that looked like fear flashed across Eren’s eyes. “Uhh… no. I got it. Thanks, though.”

He disappeared into the hallway quickly.

 _What was that about…?_ Levi wondered. Even when Eren didn’t need help washing his back, he was usually always happy to be accompanied in the shower.

_Whatever. It probably wasn’t a huge deal._

Levi was checking his email, waiting for Eren’s return, when there was a knock at the front door.

It was Mikasa. Her hair seemed to get shorter and shorter every time Levi saw her.

At any rate, she leaned down and offered him a hug. “Hey, Levi. Sorry for just popping in without advance warning. I came to see Eren.”

“Don’t worry about that. You can pop in any time you please. This home is yours. And Eren’s in the shower, but he should be out any minute.”

She smiled. “Levi… I’m boarding a plane in two days. It’s all happening so fast.”

He led her to couch. “Why are you worried, Mikasa? I’ve seen you fight, you’re a force to be reckoned with.”

“I’ve never been away from home for this long. I should be brave and focus on my fighting, but there’s that little girl in me that’s afraid of that big new world.”

“There’s no shame in being anxious about new places. But you’re the type of young lady that blazes trails. They won’t be ready for you. And you’re charming and kind, so I believe you’ll make many new friends and connections along the way.”

Mikasa seemed genuinely soothed. “You always know what to say. Thank you for the encouragement, Levi.”

“Of course. And, as a matter of fact,” he got up and went to find the yellow legal pad in the kitchen. He jotted down a name, number, and address.

He brought the sheet of information, neatly folded, and handed it to Mikasa. “This is my old boxing coach’s information. He’s the best of the best. And I’m sure he’ll be delighted once he gets his hands on you. If you’re ever back in town, give him a call to keep up with your training. Just tell him I sent you over. My gift to you.”

Mikasa looked between the yellow sheet and Levi’s broad, bulky shoulders. She would meet the man that made Levi this strong. _She could become as strong as Levi!_

“This is priceless,” Mikasa grinned. “I’m very grateful to have you in my life.”

“Oh, come on, now,” Levi waved down her flattery. “Anything to help. I look forward to seeing you on TV. And, it goes without saying, but if you ever find yourself back in town, you can always stay here.”

Eren entered the scene with damp hair, and two heads looked up at him.

“We have a guest,” Levi told him.

Eren smiled and met Mikasa halfway for a hug.

Mikasa’s hugs were usually crushing and all-consuming, but when she saw that Eren winced and clutched his rib, she looked concerned.

He did not complain, though.  

“Your face is looking a lot better,” she noted. “It looks less swollen. If you want, I can give you some of my concealer to hide those bruises if you’re afraid of going out.”

“I appreciate that. And, I don’t know much about makeup, but doesn’t concealer need to match your skin tone? You’re like five shades lighter than me, Mikasa.”

“Oh. Yeah, you’re right.” But, her face lit up with another idea. “I can run to the drugstore and find your shade. I’ll be quick.”

Eren laughed and took her hand to sit her down. “I’m not a fan of makeup. But as usual, you’re willing to go above and beyond.” He leaned his body against Levi’s welcoming open arms, right against his chest. “Also, between you and me,” he told Mikasa, “I don’t think I’ll be leaving the house any time soon.”

Sympathy shifted across Mikasa’s face.

“Mikasa, have you eaten yet?” Levi asked. “I need to feed Eren, but we’d be happy if you joined us for dinner.”

“That sounds lovely. What are you thinking?”

“Is soup okay?”

“Sure.”

Levi looked down and spoke into Eren’s hair. “Do you want to join us, darling?”

Eren was still hesitant about leaving the house. But Levi knew Eren was starting his classes soon, so he should get him used to leaving the apartment, even if by gentle force.

Mikasa looked at Eren encouragingly.

“…We can get ice cream afterwards,” Levi coaxed.

Eren smiled a bit. “Okay. I’m sold. You’re lucky I’m a ten-year-old at heart.”

\--

After dinner, Levi found an ice cream store.

The teenager scooping the ice cream glanced at Eren a bit strangely, what with the ensemble of a winter coat and baseball cap over pajamas and tennis shoes.

Eren got a double scoop of the most chocolatey, chunky, delicious flavors the store offered.

Levi had gotten a small scoop of chocolate in a cup, and Mikasa had gotten a single scoop of peach flavor with rainbow sprinkles in a cone.

Eren held out his cone in front of Levi. “Taste,” he whispered.

Levi wrapped his hand around Eren’s to hold the cone still, and he tasted. Of course, it was indulgent and scrumptious, and totally not what he should be eating if he wanted to maintain his form. “It’s good, baby.”

Eren began working on his cone.

Mikasa later eyed Eren’s cone. “Can I try some?”

“Only if I can try some of yours.”

They traded cones momentarily to try each others’ treats. Of course, as it always turned out when they went for ice cream, Mikasa ended up loving Eren’s selection way more than her own. She was happily eating away at it—fast—when Eren finally looked at her.

“Excuse me, ma’am, may I please get my ice cream back?”

Mikasa shook her hair out of her face. “Oh. Yes, you may. Sorry.”

They traded back.

“You have good taste in ice cream, Eren,” she admitted.

“Just get what I’m getting next time. We’ll be twinning.”

“I wish. But I need to cut down on sweets to keep my figure.”

“You’ll eat mine, anyway,” Eren said. “You might as well treat yourself. No harm in some indulgence here and there.”

Levi liked the way Eren and Mikasa talked to each other. They treated each other like brother and sister. He was told before that they actually introduced each other as siblings, not as friends.

“Yeah…” Mikasa sighed a bit. “I need to relax a bit, don’t I?”

Eren wrapped an arm around Mikasa’s shoulder and patted her head like a child. “Starting by letting your hair grow out more than an inch at a time.”

Mikasa giggled. “I actually have basis for that. Shorter hair is easier to maintain, and it doesn’t get in my way while I’m working out.”

“Hm.” Eren licked his cone and he thought about it. “When I’m running, I like when the wind whips through my hair. It feels… primitive.”

Levi hid his chuckle. Mikasa gave a rare sweet smile, but her next words were serious: “Most girls don’t want to feel _primitive_ , Eren.”

“Too bad. It’s a liberating feeling.”

-

Back at home, Eren took another dose of painkillers. It wasn’t nearly as comforting as the stuff they gave him at the hospital, but it made him feel pleasantly numb and non-present.

Mikasa held Eren’s face gingerly, forgoing the hug this time, and kissed him softly upon the head. To Levi, she gave a firm hug.

He whispered some secret words of encouragement into her ear, and she looked absolutely inspired as she took her leave.

But now, it was time to start the bedtime routine.

Eren was sitting on the couch looking rather dazed and glassed over. It looked like he was thinking about something, yet nothing at all.

“Come on, baby,” Levi held out his hands to help him up.

-

The night was oddly quiet and the pre-bedtime wind-down wasn’t as flirty or energetic as it usually was.

Eren was zoning out for most of it. Levi finally turned off the TV and drew back the covers.

“Good night, Eren. I love you very much.”

“I love you, too.”

The lights were off and they slipped away.

-

Eren felt the weight of a tiger sitting on his chest. And he could feel the thin, sticky sheen of sweat on his face and neck.

When his eyes managed to snap open, he realized he was on the other end of the bed, and Levi was sleeping soundly on his side. Eren usually liked sleeping in Levi’s arms, but tonight, he found it strangely suffocating and he wriggled out of the hold during some time.

Eren exhaled deeply. His bangs were stuck to his forehead. His muscles were clenched and he felt like he was holding his breath.

 _Why was he so on edge?_ Everything was fine. He was in the big, cozy bed that was warm and familiar. His man was situated three feet away from him. There was no reason he should feel this shaky.

And yet, he was.

Eren took a few more deep breaths, turned his pillow to the cool side, and tried to fall back asleep.

-

Four ropes were attached to each of Eren’s limbs. He was posted somewhere in mid-air; spread-eagle. The sky was a bloody, cloudy red, and crows were flying above him in a threatening circle—though they weren’t making any noises.

Eren saw that he was stark naked. But the eerie absence of a breeze made the sensation of being bare strange.

A shadow enveloped his body as it approached. It was a man. Though his features were indiscernible, Eren could make out a silhouette. The man’s head had long, twisting horns.

Eren tried to flail. But, his limbs were securely attached and all he could do was look forward.

The man crept ever closer, and when he closed the space between them, Eren could tell that the man wasn’t human. He was way larger and the veins on his arms were weirdly thick and grotesque.

Eren could feel a sensation between his legs that were pried apart. He did not feel an entrance. Suddenly, all the space between his internal organs up to his neck were filled with a poisonous fullness. It was in for two seconds, out for one. In, out. Eren could feel that his mouth was open, but his screams were muted, just like the crows circling around him. Watching. Mocking.

He tried to move his legs first, but the ropes pulling them open were tied securely. The more he struggled fruitlessly, the more his thighs burned from the strain.

The shadow over his body lifted, and the face of the thing showed momentarily. Eren’s doubt of the man’s humanity was confirmed—it had a muzzle and glowering yellow eyes that pierced Eren’s heart.

It bent its huge body over Eren’s, sniffing his chest, and running its sticky, thick tongue along his nipples.

Eren gasped and he could feel his tears streaking down the sides of his face and dropping into the abyss beneath him.

The thing pulled out and Eren’s body was being showered with a gooey, slimy substance. And it would not stop. Every inch of his body was being painted with it like a canvas, and it left behind a singed smell in the air.

Eren sobbed, though he could not hear himself cry. The thing walked away soundlessly, and, as if given a command, the crows circling in the cloudy maroon sky dove down and flocked Eren’s body, nipping their maws away at the substance that covered Eren’s body.

The smell of it attracted more and more of them. They fought over the square inches of remaining liquid on his body, and Eren winced when they attacked his skin.

One of them landed square on Eren’s chest, looking him in the eyes. Its eyes were not that of a bird’s—it had the eyes of a human. It was unsettling, as Eren could vaguely remember those eyes from somewhere in his life.

It cried loudly—the sound deafening in the isolated hell that Eren was trapped in right now, and Eren startled.

…

Eren’s eyes snapped open. He blinked. One time, two times, three. He was staring at the ceiling.

He recognized this ceiling. It was the bedroom. Even though Eren had come to, his heart was still panging in his chest, and he was scared to divert his sight away from the ceiling. As if turning his neck and looking to his shoulders would be the trigger to send him back to that red, silent hell.

Back to the thing.

Eren realized he was clenching his legs together. His ankles were clasped together as if they were the first layer of defense against bodily intruders.

Eren unclenched and relaxed his body, and his quiet breath freed the shackles of his nightmare.

 _It was just a dream,_ Eren told himself.

And when he realized that he was back to his own reality, Eren silently climbed himself up, his legs dangling off the bed, and he quickly made his way to the bathroom.

Every step made Eren feel more and more vulnerable. His knees were crumbling from some sort of internal pressure, and there was a large lump sitting in his throat.

He shut the door to the bathroom as quietly as he could, careful not to wake up the world’s lightest sleeper still in the bed.

Eren didn’t know what to feel. His eyes burned with hot, fresh tears, remembering the glowering eyes of the _thing_.

He slid his back down the side of the hot tub, and silently sobbed into his knees.

Eren wasn’t sure when it happened, but the door to the bathroom opened and someone sat down next to him.

A warm hand rubbed Eren’s back. He lifted his tear-soaked face and collapsed into Levi’s ready arms, continuing to cry about his vile dream.

“I’m sorry for waking you, I-I tried to be quiet,” Eren managed.

“I’ll have none of that,” Levi firmly denied the apology. “It’s quite alright, sweetheart. ..Was it a nightmare?” His voice was soft and low and as welcoming as a warm blanket on a frigid day.

Eren couldn’t speak. He managed to nod, and let the tears flow like a flooded dam.  Levi’s never seen his boyfriend cry this hard—violent sobs that quaked Eren’s back and shoulders.

“…I feel so _dirty_ ,” Eren hissed weakly into Levi’s chest. And despite his pitifully oppressed words, the clench he had on Levi’s shirt was enough to turn his knuckles white.

Levi didn’t know how to react. Anger filled him again—he should’ve killed that _motherfucker_ who did this to his boyfriend when he had the chance—and he simultaneously was rocked with sympathy for Eren.

He held Eren’s head close and pressed some firm kisses on those chocolate locks. “You’re not dirty, you’ll _never_ be dirty to me. Do you hear me, baby boy?”

Levi knew better than to ask what the nightmare was about. It was painfully obvious. People dream about their trauma, and Eren already struggled with random nightmares to begin with.

He accepted his role as a shoulder to cry on, and as much as he was okay to be that for Eren, he wanted to be more.

Eren finally cried himself dry, and the evidence was Levi’s tear-soaked shoulder and chest.

Levi used two fingers to lift Eren’s head by the chin. The swelling had gone down tremendously since Eren’s first night in the hospital, but discoloration from healing bruises still painted his sweet face.

Eren was unusually attractive when he cried, Levi noted. His self-admittance came with a pang of self-criticism— _Your boyfriend is crying about being abused and you’re distracted by how cute he looks!?_ Levi’s subconscious snapped at him.

But it was the truth. Eren’s emerald eyes looked like glassy jewels as he looked into them. Like… fresh-cut grass after a rainy morning.

It struck Levi’s heart weak, and he got to work wiping Eren’s face dry with the backs of his knuckles.

“I’m here for you, darling. I never want you to feel ashamed. What happened to you was not in any way your fault.”

Eren’s sniffles quieted as he got his face dried.

“You’re my irreplaceable Eren. Do you know what that means?”

Eren listened intently.

“It means you’re strong, brave, wonderful, and kind. And you’re allowed to cry as much as you need to. I’m not going anywhere. But you’ll never be dirty to me, Eren. _Never_. Don’t you dare think that way about yourself. Don’t give that classless motherfucker that power over you.”

Eren looked down in shame. Levi lifted his face back up tenderly by the cheeks.

“Do you hear me, lovebug?”

Eren nodded a little and sniffled.

Levi offered a slow, long kiss on the bangs. “What do you say we get out of this bathroom and get you some proper rest, huh?”

Eren took a deep breath and allowed Levi to lift him up to his feet.

Levi couldn’t imagine Eren wanting to go back to bed after a nightmare. He never did. It was becoming a tradition to finish sleeping in the living room after a nightmare.

Nightmare traditions—though harsh in theory—had some sweet routines, however.

Levi wrapped Eren tight with his beloved blanket, so tight that his arms were trapped next to his sides.

“An Eren burrito looks good enough to eat,” Levi noted in Eren’s ear, and he was pleased that Eren shyly hid that inkling of a smile.

Levi went to the music dock and loaded a playlist he had made a while ago. It had a bunch of cheesy, soft romantic music that Eren liked to cuddle to. Levi always made sure to remember those songs. He had aptly named the playlist: “Lovesongs for Mr. Jaeger”.

The majority of the other playlists were made by Eren. There was “The Twerk Playlist”, full of songs with profanity and heavy beats that Eren loved to dance to after his morning coffee.

Levi thought about that playlist as he went to the stove and began to boil some milk. Eren had a way with his body, though he didn’t like to admit it. Levi loved watching the way Eren danced when he thought no one was looking. Or, the way he danced when he _knew_ Levi was looking.

Not all the playlists Eren made were crude, though. There were the “Wedding Day Music”, “Songs to Kiss My Husband To”, and “Confessions I Never Told” playlists, too.

Eren was a romantic, Levi knew. It was one of the things he learned about him within the first few weeks of their relationship. And it was also unfortunately one of the things that made the young man so trusting, so vulnerable, that it ended him up in this situation.

\--

Levi’s remedies managed to soothe Eren to sleep for a good handful of hours. In fact, Eren’s snoring and the playlist managed to get Levi to finish sleeping a bit more, too.

But once they both managed to wake up, they got ready separately once more.

When Levi emerged from the hallway, Eren was standing near the kitchen with his back turned, looking at his phone.

Levi snuck up from behind as he usually did, and poked his fingers into the sides of Eren’s sweatshirt into his waist.

Eren jumped about a foot in the air. He whipped his head around.

“Jumpy, a bit?” Levi asked amusedly.

“Ugh.” Eren brows furrowed in annoyance. “Can you not sneak up on me like that?”

Levi didn’t think much of Eren’s remark. Eren was often cranky before his morning coffee. “I’m sorry.”

Eren looked down. “..It’s okay.” He took his mug from the counter and retreated into the hallway into his room.

Levi found himself alone, but he chalked up the interaction to an insignificant thing. He made himself some tea and went to his study to get some work done.

-

Eren emerged from his room after hours of editing Paris footage, and despite the welcome distraction and reliving of lovely memories, he found himself in a bad mood.

He rifled through the fridge, and when he didn’t find anything that looked good after a few seconds, he slammed it shut and looked through the pantry. He grabbed a box of macaroni and cheese, and placed a pot on the stove. He set it down a bit harder than he intended, and the impact made a _clang!_

Levi was polishing the pool table and came over when he heard the commotion.

“Would you like me to help?” Levi watched Eren fill the pot with water.

“I think I can handle myself. Thanks.” Eren didn’t look up, and his response was short and cold.

“…Is everything okay?”

“Yeah. Just got a lot on my mind.” Eren started the fire and walked away.

But Levi touched his hand. “Eren.”

“What?”

Levi knew nothing he said could make Eren be cured of his trauma, but it was worth a shot. “…Remember what I said? To try not to give him any power over you? I don’t know if it’ll make you feel more at ease, but he won’t ever see you again.”

Levi was careful not to say Adrian’s name, but between them both, they knew who he was talking about.

“How do you know that?” Eren crossed his arms. While he was sure Adrian’s actions and bizarre goodbye was a finality, he’s had some anxiety about him showing up to the coffee shop again, or even finding him on campus.

“Because… I made sure of it,” Levi said.

“How? You don’t even know who did this to me.” Eren ushered at his face.

“I found out at the hospital.”

“Did you do something to him?”

“…”

“Did you kill him!?” Eren snapped.

Now Levi was starting to get annoyed. “And so what if I did!? Why are you defending the man that did this to you? You don’t think this is hard for me, to see you like this? Do you know powerless I feel in this situation!?”

“Ohhh, yeah, it’s aaaaaalll about you, huh?” Eren drawled and laughed dryly.

“I never said that.”

“So what _did_ you do to him?” Eren’s eyes were full of resent. “Because I’m sure it wasn’t beyond you to fucking do something behind my back! Tell me. Did you do it to restore your masculinity, Levi?!”

“I handled him!” Levi retaliated. “What are you going to do about it, Eren? Are you going to defend your rapist!?”

Eren’s eyes filled with watery red rage. He stepped closer and shoved Levi’s shoulders as hard as he could. But, Levi having the physical strength that he did, didn’t budge too much. “Ass,” Eren spat bitterly. “You’re a fucking jackass for that, Levi.”

He stormed away into his room once more, not really having much of an appetite anymore. He crawled beneath the blankets and cried angry tears. He didn’t mean to defend Adrian. But that didn’t make Levi’s words less condescending, and he just couldn’t find it in himself to excuse killing another human being. So many things angered him about this situation: how much he hated to admit that his trauma was getting to him; how much it was driving a wedge between him and Levi; how much it made him paranoid and sleepless.

He just wanted to peel off his skin and crawl out of his own body. That poisonous dirty feeling that started at his genitals this morning has spread into his heart and chest.

-

In the kitchen, Levi turned off the boiling pot of water that Eren had abandoned. He considered finishing the mac ‘n cheese for Eren, but he got the feeling that Eren didn’t want anything to do with him at this moment.

He clenched his jaw and sighed deeply. Eren was somewhat right. What he did to Adrian was partially a means to restore his own masculinity. It was revenge. But the fact that Eren was so against hurting him was, admittedly, a bit irksome.

Levi was at a loss for reason. He didn’t know how to move on from that confrontation. He guessed it would be one of those things that would weather itself out with time.

\--

The day had crawled by uncomfortably, the rift between Eren and Levi still squatting heavily in the air. By the time evening came around, Levi was wondering how long Eren would need time to air out.

-

By the time night had settled in, Levi was starting to feel a bit gross. Eren was abused and raped—and that was traumatic as hell. Levi couldn’t even begin to imagine how it must be. And the fact that he was letting the incident drive a wedge in their relationship made him feel like a pathetic boyfriend.

While he wasn’t going to apologize for hating the animal that did a number on Eren, he was going to try to explain himself.

He stood in front of Eren’s door and took a deep breath before knocking.

No response.

“Eren, may I come in?”

Once again, nothing.

Levi gingerly turned the knob and entered anyway.

Eren was sitting on his bed with his laptop, his hoodie was drawn over his head and his earbuds in.

When he saw Levi climb onto the bed, he pulled his earbuds out and took a steadying breath.

“Eren…” Levi began. “We need to talk. I’m sorry for my harshness earlier. I know what you’re going through is… horrible… and you have every right to be upset. You were right; I was a jackass. I’m not helping the situation. I just want to start finding solutions to begin your healing process and I feel like an idiot because I don’t know how to do that. It makes me feel… for lack of a better term, useless. I don’t want to be useless to you in times of need. I think that’s why I lashed out earlier.”

Eren was listening quietly, fiddling with the drawstrings of his hoodie. He shut his laptop and chewed his lip in thought. “I’m… sorry, too. I feel fucked up, so I’m acting fucked up. I’ve been feeling on edge lately and you were the first person that I used as an outlet for my frustration. It wasn’t right.”

“I was thinking of some productive solutions earlier,” Levi said. “Eren, would you mind if we had you start seeing a therapist? Maybe the professional help will be good for you.”

Eren looked down again. “I don’t need a therapist. I just need time to get over it. There are plenty of people who’ve been through worse.”

“This isn’t something I expect you to “get over”, Eren,” Levi said gently. “There’s no shame in getting help. If it doesn’t work out, then we could at least say we tried. We can find someone really great to help you through this.”

“…I can give it a try,” Eren said finally.

“That’s a good boy.”

Eren crawled out of the covers and made his way to Levi, into arms that were ready and awaiting. His hug was cautious and stiff around Levi’s neck, but he had to admit he missed the scent of his cologne. “And I’m sorry for putting my hands on you,” he said. “You didn’t deserve that. I know you would never do that to me. I was a jerk for that.”

“It’s alright. No harm done.”

“Levi… let’s not let this situation ruin our relationship. I don’t like it when we fight.”

“Agreed. I’m glad we’re talking again. I don’t plan on ever leaving you. That includes bad times.”

Eren’s hug melted and he held Levi a bit closer. “Me, too.”

Being with Levi has taught Eren to relish silence. Beautiful silence, full of reflection.

Levi spoke into Eren’s head. “The truth is, Eren, I’m still learning new things with you. I’m not the best at dealing with negative experiences. I either fight or I drink. I tried not to drink while you were in the hospital so you could guess what I was left with. I’m trying to go about issues in more healthy ways.”

“I understand,” Eren said. His voice was muted and low. “…Did you actually kill him, though?”

He braced himself for the answer. He knew Levi’s life journey had led him to turn to violence, and he knew full well that Levi had the ability to kill someone. Even with his bare hands, if he wanted to.

Levi’s jaw clenched. “…I did not. I wanted to, but I knew you’d be upset with me if I did. I just beat him to a pulp.”

Eren nodded. He kind of wanted to giggle. Levi explained beating someone to a pulp as casually as stating that he picked up eggs and milk from the store. But still, he was relieved Levi didn’t actually kill someone.

“Okay, that’s acceptable. …I hate him so fucking much, Levi. I do. But killing someone is a big deal. I don’t want that weighing over your conscience.”

Levi nodded. That was exactly what Erwin had told him at the hospital. “Most people don’t want that weight. But the knowledge that someone did what they did to you made me angry beyond words. Killing him wouldn’t have been a burden on me personally.”

“Yeah… I want him dead, too. But that’s not our choice to make. At least for now,” Eren explained.

“I understand. That’s wise, Eren.”

Eren sighed and scratched absentmindedly at Levi’s undercut.

\--

During the day while Eren was having his distance, Levi had contacted a sleep specialist out of curiosity and asked about the best ways to go about helping someone that struggled with nightmares.

The sleep specialist said that nightmares were tricky because despite all the research on it, there was still no solid cure. It happened most often to people with anxiety, trauma, or even as simple as a restless mind.

He suggested trying some mindfulness techniques, like meditating or listening to white noise before bed. Even lowering the temperature at night has helped some people.

It was a helpful conversation. Levi had been too busy seeping in anger and self-pity that he wasn’t even trying to think of productive solutions for Eren. But, this situation has taught him different.

-

Eren was very nervous about bed time. He almost anticipated another night terror. However, Levi was ready to use his arsenal of new knowledge to make sure Eren got a good night of sleep.

He had waited for Eren to finish his shower. He understood why Eren opted to take his showers alone recently. He probably still felt a bit shy and ashamed about his body after having been raped. Levi didn’t pry into it. Eren would probably warm up to it soon. They’d work on it together.

Eren emerged and joined Levi on the bed.

“Can I give you a massage?” Levi asked. He shook the bottle of lotion a little.

Eren nodded. “Just legs and arms for now. And my back.”

“Understood.”

It was a bit difficult to do Eren’s legs as he didn’t want to be just in his boxers, but Levi made do. He knew Eren needed to rebuild that sense of security about having his clothes off.

After the massage was perhaps Eren’s favorite part: Levi combing and styling his hair. Levi was good with hair. And he was very gentle. Eren could feel the tension of being in bed easing a little.

“Alright,” Levi said when he was done. “We’re going to try something new tonight.”

Eren watched him put away all the things from the pampering session and place his phone on the small speaker.

“We’re gonna listen to music?” Eren asked.

“Not quite. I’ve found something called a Sleep Talkdown. I’ve been told that it could help clear your mind and get a better sleep.”

“Sleep Talkdown,” Eren repeated.

Levi played the track and shut off the remaining lights. “Under the covers you go,” he instructed gently.

Eren climbed in, and Levi sat beside him.

He started hearing the sounds of ocean waves and soft chimes. _Yeah, he could see how this could clear his mind._

A voiceover of a kind-sounding British man resounded in the recording: “You will experience a journey of deep relaxation with this audio recording.”

Eren giggled, and Levi laughed, too. “I know. It’ll be a bit strange at first, but just try to follow along,” Levi said.

As the soothing music lulled in the background, and the man gave guidance about deep breaths and focusing on a peaceful ocean scene, Eren could feel himself growing more comfortable with the atmosphere.

Levi placed his hand firmly on Eren’s head, hoping the weight of his presence would encourage him to feel safe.

It took about 45 minutes, but Levi could finally feel Eren sleeping soundly. His face was more relaxed than Levi had seen from him in a while.

He crawled into the covers himself and eventually fell asleep, too.

\--

It was the moment of truth. Levi had been watching the news and waited for Eren to wake up and join him.

Finally, a sleepy boyfriend emerged from the hallway and sat beside him.

Levi had put an arm around his shoulders to press him close. “What’s the verdict? Did you sleep well, sweetheart?”

Eren nodded. “That was the best sleep I had for a few days.”

Levi looked visibly relieved. “Oh, I’m so happy to hear that.” He pressed a smooch onto Eren’s hair, then another for good measure.

Eren leaned in and pecked a retaliation kiss on his cheek.

“Thank you for your help last night. Best husband ever.”

“I’ll do anything I can to help. I love you.”

“I love you more,” Eren stole Levi’s signature line.

“What do you say I make some French toast with all the fix-ins for you?”

“Now you’re talkin’ my language.”

Levi chuckled and ruffled Eren’s hair.

_They’ll be alright. …They’ll be alright._


	90. Quiet Comfort

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The story is coming to an end... but we got a lot to cover in the meantime, so let's get into it!
> 
> (Please leave a comment after reading and tell me your thoughts! <3 )

Their lives were uprooted in a strange way after the incident. Of course, some people would argue that fights and mild trauma were essential for concreting a deepening relationship. For Levi, he thought…

Well, he was sure the “puppy love” phase of their relationship was over.

He was more sure that Eren would agree.

They were in the nitty-gritty now. After Eren’s experience and the hospital visit, the recovery process included visiting a therapist. It wasn’t completely swell though, as there would be times that Levi would find Eren crying in his room occasionally, among other things.

Conversely, it wasn’t all bad, either. It was the first thing the therapist told Eren during their first meeting: Recovery is not linear. There will be bad days, relapses, frustration. Levi knew this, too. And he promised both himself and to Eren that he would do whatever he could to support him.

They were making small steps toward progress. Eren was flinching less when Levi held him from behind. While Eren was a consistently cuddly and affectionate person previously, he was starting to require more “alone time” as of late.

But nonetheless, they’ve been getting back into the routine of their lives.

Routine meant making traditions. Levi noticed Eren always felt vulnerable after his sessions, which were twice a week.

He didn’t know if it helped, but Levi took Eren out for ice cream or dinner and a movie after sessions. He figured it was better than the alternative—taking Eren back home only to have him seal himself away in his room.

Eren was glad Levi was a mind-reader. And a good boyfriend, at that. He knew life would be okay.

\--

They walked out of the movie theater, arm in arm.

“What did you think about that one?” Levi asked.

“I loved it,” Eren smiled. “Right up my alley.”

It was one of those mindless action movies that Eren loved. CGI explosions, lack of thought-provoking dialogue, and a grisly, middle-aged protagonist.

“What did you think of it?” Eren asked.

“I quite liked it,” Levi patted the small of Eren’s back.

“Did you really? You always take me to movies I like. Let’s do your pick next time.” Eren tossed his empty soda cup into the trash.

“I wouldn’t lie to you, sweetheart. Your taste in films is starting to rub off on me.”

Eren rested his arm around Levi’s shoulder, a perfect position considering their height difference. “Good. I’m glad a cultured man such as yourself is starting to expand his preferences.”

“A cultured man, hm?”

“Absolutely. I wouldn’t let you wife me otherwise.”

Levi led them out of the cinema and toward the car. “Such high expectations, Mr. Jaeger.”

“High expectations breed excellence. But you already knew that, huh, Mr. CEO?”

“You’re one hundred percent right. As usual.”

The early evening was cold and the wind bit at their cheeks. The shutting of the car doors locked out the harsh winter beyond.

The mute silence of the car’s interior was a cozy sort of quiet.

“Thank you for treating me.”

“You’re very welcome. I had fun, too.”

Eren leaned over and pecked a kiss on Levi’s cheek.

Levi looked at him. He extended his palm out, which even without exchanging words, meant something very specific: he wanted a round two.

Eren nestled his cheek against Levi’s palm, and Levi met him halfway for two chaste kisses on the lips.

“Mm~” Eren closed his eyes and hummed.

Levi stole one more kiss before turning and starting the ignition.

-

At home, Levi set his keys down and found Eren in his arms.

He knew Eren sometimes craved affection without asking for it, especially these days.

He wrapped his arms around Eren’s waist and they locked lips securely.

Eren loved hugs like these. They were so tight and pressed together and Eren was able to bend his knees and feel the exhilaration of being airborne.

When Levi felt Eren put his feet back on the ground, he ended the round of kisses.

“I’ll be in my office if you need me, okay? I will be out in a few hours to make dinner.”

“Okay.”

Levi took off his coat and pinched Eren’s cheek before taking his leave.

\--

Levi emerged after a couple hours of working and started looking through the fridge for dinner options.

He glanced over to the living room, where Eren had turned the TV on for noise but was drawing away in his sketchbook. His tongue was sticking out unconsciously, which Levi knew meant that Eren was in focus mode. In fact, he didn’t think Eren noticed him walk past.

Levi began cutting some ingredients and preheated the oven. As he waited for the oven to reach the correct temperature, he went over to Eren on the couch.

“Hey,” Eren said. He shut his sketchbook over his pencil.

“Hey. Can I see what you’re working on?”

Eren laughed dryly. “Do you really want to see my edgy art?”

“I happen to love your art. Edgy or not.”

“…Okay. Don’t judge me,” Eren handed the sketchbook over and cuddled close.

“Have I ever judged you, Eren?”

“You kinda judged me when I told you about my fine taste in porn.” Eren smiled and gripped the front of Levi’s shirt.

“A fine taste, indeed,” Levi spoke into Eren’s hair.

Eren watched as Levi began flipping through the pages.

Levi noticed Eren had a very distinct art style. He loved certain subjects. Eren drew a lot of beautiful, naked women, or animated men with swords and feudal outfits.

When he got to the more recent art, he now realized what Eren meant by saying his art was edgy.

The same naked female subjects were drawn with their heads decapitated, or had gaping holes in their torsos spilling out their intestines. There was a picture of a gory, unsettling-looking clown, and the one Eren was currently working on: It looked like a politician, juggling several of his own heads, each with a different facial expression.

“I know… I’m weird,” Eren sighed.

“You’re not weird,” Levi retaliated. “Actually… you _are_ a pretty weird boyfriend. I’ll be honest about that.”

Eren giggled.

“But, I find your art very intriguing. You’re extremely talented. My talented little boyfriend.”

“Merci beaucoup, monsieur,” Eren said. “You’re the only person I feel fully comfortable showing my art to. Armin once saw my work and called me a tortured artist. And that was about my more mild stuff.”

Levi flipped back a few more pages. It was an illustration of a young woman (naked, of course), hugging a beach ball-sized moon between her legs. “This one is my favorite,” he stated.

“I like that one, too. I was feeling super in-touch with nature that day.”

“Eren…” Levi squeezed his shoulder closer. “You’re wonderful. I love you and your art. Thank you for showing me.”

“I love you more, Levi.” He sighed while being lost in thought, and then he looked up. “What’s for dinner?”

“Baked fish. Which, I’m glad you reminded me, because I think the oven’s ready.”

“Can I help you cook?”

“No need, lovebug. You can stay here.” Levi ruffled Eren’s growing hair and got up.

“’Kay.”

-

Levi tried to make it a point to eat dinner together these days. Life was about to get busy again, and he wanted to get his fill of Eren while he could.

“This fish!” Eren exclaimed. “Delicious, hubby. You Frenchmen really can cook up a storm!”

“Oh, my goodness,” Levi could not help but laugh at the flattery. “Between you and me, I’m not that talented a chef. I can just follow a recipe.”

“I can’t even do that much. If I were still living alone, my diet would consist of cereal and cup ramen.”

“I would give you more credit. Your ghetto haystacks were quite enjoyable.”

“My ghetto haystacks were my peak, Levi. Where does a man go from there?”

He relished that low chuckle that resounded from Levi’s chest. Eren loved when Levi laughed. It was barely noticeable—Levi would cover his mouth with his fist and turn away, and his cheeks would hollow out in that delicious way. Eren knew that Levi had adorable dimples, which people rarely saw considering the man did not give smiles out all that generously. But, still, Levi’s laughs were music to the ears.

“Nowhere to go but up,” Levi returned back to his plate.

Eren skewered two pieces of broccoli with his fork and ate them. He reminisced while he chewed. “What was your favorite date that we had?”

“Do vacations count?”

“Nope. Local.”

Levi sifted through memories. “It has to be the day we went horseback riding.”

Eren’s eyes lit up. “Yeah, I remember that! You’re were a natural on the horse.”

“They were so beautiful and elegant. So were you.”

“Aw, shucks,” Eren shook his head. “Honestly, I loved those horses, too. I felt like Braveheart. _Primitive_.”

“Is feeling primitive your favorite state of being?”

“Of course. If you’re not feeling primitive while you’re having fun, you’re not having enough fun.”

“Noted. …Although, I hope you’re not feeling too primitive during school and work. That wouldn’t make for a very productive combination.”

Eren waved him down. “That’s school and work. I’m talking about things men do together, like horseback riding, and having sex.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Levi took another bite, an amused look in his eyes. “What was your favorite date that we had?”

Eren took a minute to think about it, too. “Oh! The day you took me to the nature center and we got to see all those baby goats! Aww. I’ll never forget that.”

“You really do love baby animals, huh, Eren?”

“I have a soft spot for them.”

“You’re a sweet young man. You fit right in with them. I still have pictures of you from that day.”

“You need to take me back there soon. I miss my babies.”

“Of course. Anything you want.” Levi refrained from teasing Eren about his maternal desires and instincts, but admittedly, it was one of his favorite traits about his boyfriend.

\--

That night, Levi waited for Eren to finish up in the shower and join him in bed for their little pampering session.

Eren entered the room with his damp hair, and Levi felt his heart flutter a little. It wasn’t as if Eren was dressed any different than usual—he was wearing plaid pajama pants and a plain white t shirt. His hair was uncombed, dampened darker, and lazily slicked back with his fingers.

“What is it?” Eren must’ve noticed the change in Levi’s expression as he hopped on the bed.

“Nothing. You’re cute. That’s all.”

Eren laughed and shook his head. “Ohhh, Levi Ackerman. I don’t know what to do with you,” he admitted wearily.

“I don’t what to do with me, either,” Levi uncapped the lotion and began working on Eren’s extended arm. “But I think I’ve earned the rights to adore and dote on my cute boyfriend. Wouldn’t you agree?”

“I guess. I just wish the whole world knew how much of a cheesy sap you are.”

Fake surprise flashed across Levi’s eyes. “And give up my secret? I don’t think that’s part of the agenda, my dear.”

“I like every aspect of you,” Eren told him. “Your everyday aspect, your jackass aspect, your sweet aspect, your perfect husband aspect… all of it.”

Levi began working on Eren’s other arm. “I’ve been hurting for someone who understood me as much you do for many years.”

Eren cocked his head to the side. “Wait, how long ago did you date Alyssa?”

Levi counted in his head as he massaged the smooth slopes of Eren’s muscles. “I was with Alyssa… six years before I met you, I believe.”

“Whoa, six years!?” Eren was shocked. “I didn’t realize it was so long ago.”

“How long ago did you think it was?” Levi wondered gently.

“I don’t know… one or two years, maybe? I’m kind of relieved I’m not a rebound. Alyssa is a hard person to beat.”

“You are most certainly not a rebound, Eren. I think waiting those six years for you was worth it; you were God’s gift to me.”

Eren’s eyes were wide after that confession. Levi caught his expression and chuckled silently.

“Levi. Don’t say shit like that. …You’re making me shy,” Eren grumbled quietly.

Levi stopped his massage momentarily to lift Eren’s chin. Gorgeous green eyes locked into his. “Eren Jaeger. I plan on marrying you one day. Will there be a time where you’ll stop feeling shy with me?”

Eren grinned and pushed Levi’s chest playfully. “How can I not be shy? Don’t be cheesy, then!”

“Never,” Levi replied. A smile curled at the corners of his mouth.

Eren lunged at him, and it resulted into a light wrestling match. Levi usually gave Eren a run for his money and tried to pretend that he was a challenge, but tonight he really did put up much of a fight in fear he would accidentally hurt Eren’s sore ribs.

“I won,” Eren stated. He climbed off and handed Levi the abandoned bottle of lotion. “As usual.”

Levi sat himself up and took the bottle to resume work. “’As usual’? I don’t know, baby. Those are big balls you’re talking with.”

“The biggest.”

Levi laughed and began working Eren’s calves.

“Are you busy tonight? Got any more plans?” Eren asked.

“I had plans to massage you, do your Sleep Talkdown with you, and then work a little more. Why, did you want something?”

“Nope.”

Eren was about to crawl beneath the covers after the massage when Levi spoke up: “Eren, wait.”

The pampered boy looked at him expectantly.

“Come closer.”

Eren smiled. “I’m scared. What are you going to do to me?”

“Just come, trust me.”

Eren inched forward a bit so that he was sitting with his legs crossed right in front of Levi.

Two very warm hands found Eren’s cheeks. “You’re so cute.”

Without further ado, he began running his fingers through Eren’s locks.

“Mm… that feels good.” Eren shut his eyes and sighed.

“This was the reason I wanted you to come closer.”

“You could’ve just told me you wanted to pet me,” Eren rolled his eyes a bit. “You weirdo.”

He turned around and moved backward so that his back was against Levi’s chest. “Keep going, please.”

Levi continued running his fingers through Eren’s damp hair; so soft and clean-smelling.

He could feel Eren easing and molding against him. And a bit later…

“Eren, baby…” Levi whispered into Eren’s ear. “Did you fall asleep?”

Eren opened his eyes and blinked a couple times.

“Let’s get you covered up,” Levi said.

“I want some good night kisses.”

Levi tucked Eren in and pressed three kisses into Eren’s lips. “Good night, lover.”

“’Night.”

Levi went to turn on the tape that helped to clear Eren’s mind, but it was overkill because Eren was already back asleep.

\--

With all that’s happened, Levi’s had some time to re-evaluate and reflect on the recent past. He felt better knowing that yet another one of Eren’s exes were apprehended and out of his life for good, but he was actually rather surprised he hadn’t needed to face any repercussions so far.

He gave his PI another ring, and asked him to look into Eren’s [without a doubt] hospital-bound abuser, and to figure out if he was planning to press charges.

Levi was actually hoping he had to go to court. He had a perfect case to countersue, and, not that he really needed it, but it would be another savory round of victory if he was able to sucker some money out of that rapist. That was Erwin’s original plan, anyway.

But alas, Ness had confirmed that Adrian wasn’t going to press charges. From the sounds of it, it seems like he just wanted to go through with a quiet recovery and lay low for a while.

That was what Levi figured. It’s hard to get a court to agree with a rapist. In fact, it was one of the only times they sympathized with the avenger.

It was as if Adrian knew he deserved it.

\--

It was the last day before Eren had to return to campus to begin the new semester. He was feeling a bit nervous about it, since he’s been trying to stay out of the public eye for the past couple of weeks.

But Levi insisted that everything was going to be okay.

He wanted to get as much quality time as possible with him in the meantime.

They were, ironically, watching a prison documentary. It was about one of the toughest penitentiaries for men in the country.

“Levi, can I ask you a question?”

“I’m sorry, the question machine is down today. You’ll have to try again tomorrow.”

Eren giggled and hid his face in Levi’s shoulder. This man was more playful than people gave him credit for.

He squeezed Eren tighter in his arms. “Shoot, sweetheart.”

“Have you ever been to prison?”

Eren was always so surprised at how calmly Levi would answer even the most difficult questions. Or apparently, not so difficult.

“I’ve been to jail, but not prison,” he explained gently. “Remember all those assault charges I told you about from my youth? I was such a brat.”

“How was jail?” There was a glint in Eren’s eye. Like a journalist who was about to get first grabs on the most exclusive information.

“It was… about what I expected. It’s not pleasant. Fortunately, I never had to stay too long, because Kenny and his connections were always able to pull some strings to expedite my release or bail me out.”

“That’s good, at least. You don’t seem like the type of person who thrives behind bars.”

“Yeah, the French mafia is efficient like that,” Levi pursed his lips. “But, like I said, jail is not pleasant. When you go through your program, or your cop friends take you on the ride-along, you’ll see yourself.”

“Did… other guys try to pick fights with you?”

“Oh, plenty. I’m assuming it was because of my height. Or because I tried to keep to myself. It didn’t end too well for them, usually. They didn’t know I had formal fighting experience.”

“Has your track record ever come back to haunt you? While you were climbing on up as a businessman?”

“Definitely,” Levi nodded, and absentmindedly tucked some hair behind Eren’s ear as he spoke. “I’ve had competitors try to slander me by outing my arrests from back then. The thing is, my record is public knowledge now. I choose to be very up-front and transparent when people ask about it. But, that was a very long time ago. And people change. I’m hoping the work that I’ve done throughout my career is enough to clean up the reputation I had from my youth.”

“Yes, that’s the way!” Eren smiled encouragingly. “I would’ve never known you were previously a criminal until it came up. And the man you are today definitely makes up for your past. I think my parents would agree.”

“I’m happy you think that way of me. Actually, when I learned you were studying Criminal Justice, I was a bit nervous that your opinion of me would change once you found out about my past.”

“We all have things we’re not proud of. Unless you kept on that same track, I don’t think there’s anything that would’ve changed my opinion of you.”

“That’s a relief,” Levi patted Eren’s cheek. “…Actually, if I can be honest, that’s one of the reasons for how grateful I am for Erwin. When he said he wanted to start a company with me way back then, I reminded him that I was a violent punk with a rather long, colorful record—and starting a company with me would make him guilty by association. I told him he should try to find someone else, or just start the company himself. He had all the tools and knowledge, anyway.”

Eren listened to the endless wisdom and introspection his man had to offer.

“But he refused. He insisted he wanted it to be me. He said that the person I was back then was not the person I was now, and he’d be a hypocrite if he said anyone was perfect. Then he read me a bible verse, but I forgot what it was. Something about a stone.”

 _“He that is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone,”_ Eren recited. He wasn’t much of a church goer anymore, but his mom tried to take him when he was a kid.

“Yes, that’s the one,” Levi nodded. And then he chuckled lightly. “God, Erwin was such a southern boy back in the day. He grew out of that eventually. But I’m thankful that he gave me the benefit of the doubt, despite my past. Erwin is a good man.”

\--

Eren was shy the first day back on campus. His face was looking loads better than it did a few weeks ago since the incident, but the phantom feeling of those bruises on his face remained.

Mikasa had officially boarded a plane and was now somewhere training for her first TV fight, which they were all excited to see. In fact, Carla was talking about having a viewing party.

And Eren was excited to see his best friend for the first time since he’s returned from London.

Armin had that glow about him—the same glow of inspiration and content that he had when he arrived from Africa last summer.

“Did you have fun?! Did Erwin show you a good time?”

“Yeah! Let me tell you all about it!!”

Eren listened to the small blond zeal and rave about his trip, and he loved how familiar this was. Just him and his best friend talking on the bench beneath the big oak tree in the campus’ main courtyard. After the traumatic event regarding his ex and the fight he and Levi had, there was nothing more that Eren craved than normalcy.

And, as it turned out, Eren and Armin’s schedules were not all that different this semester. They had time between classes to share lunch together most days.

Eren took a sip of red bull and smiled at his friend. “Where do you want to travel to next?”

“Honestly, I’d be okay going anywhere. I’ve never been to Asia; I think I want to go there next.”

“That’s a big continent. You’re spoiled for choice.”

“Figuring out where I want to go is more difficult than securing the means or planning the trip. My life has taken a turn for the better.”

“Yeah. I feel that.”

“Where are you and Levi traveling to next?”

“He said he wants me to choose next. He already promised to take me back to Paris during the summer. But he also wants us to go to Germany, because he wants an excuse for me to teach him more German. I said we should go during Oktoberfest, ‘cuz that’s the best time to go.”

“Plus, you’ll be 21 by then.”

“Actually, I think the legal drinking age there is 16. Either way, I want to get wasted.”

“I’m kind of afraid of how much you crave alcohol these days.”

“I’m European, baby. It’s in my blood!”

Armin laughed. “That’s true.” He paused for a second before asking: “How are your therapy sessions going?”

“They’re fine,” Eren waved him down casually. “My therapist is nice. She doesn’t walk on eggshells or do that pity shit, which I like. She actually gives me advice and convinced me that I’m not fucked up. I like her.”

“That’s good,” Armin said. “You seem more adjusted than when you were in the hospital.”

“I think so, too.”

\--

Eren had gotten tons of looks and interesting comments when he’d driven his Lamborghini to campus. He disliked but was simultaneously flattered by the attention.

_“Whoa, are your parents rich or something?”_

_“He probably has a sugar daddy. I’m jealous,”_ he heard a girl whisper to her friend.

_“Do you think he’d let me drive it if I ask?”_

Eren just pretended not to hear and went about his day.

But now that his classes were done for the day, he went to put in a shift at the coffee shop.

Unlike last semester, he wouldn’t be working with Jean every day. The shifts were more shaken up now, so he had more chances to work with Sasha, Bertholdt, and Marco.

Funnily, today was one of those days that he was working with Jean.

Jean was supposed to have clocked in ten minutes ago _. Whatever_ , Eren thought, _it was a bit slow in the shop at the moment._

He took the opportunity to brew a fresh batch of coffee and sanitize some surfaces.

The shop’s doorbell jingled upon someone’s entrance. “Whoa, did you see that gorgeous blue Lambo in our parking lot, Eren? Do you think it’s a customer’s?”

Eren looked up and smiled coyly at Jean, who was washing his hands.

When they locked gazes, Jean’s face fell in disbelief. “Shut up. It’s yours? Did Levi buy it for you?”

Eren nodded. “It was one of my Christmas presents.”

“’One of’…?” Jean grumbled. “I’m not gonna lie, I envy you a lot. That car is sexy as hell.”

“I can let you give it a spin after our shift, if you want.”

Jean had to prevent himself from agreeing too quickly or too eagerly. He had too much pride for that. But _fuck_ , this was the opportunity of a lifetime, and a taste of what his lifestyle would be like if he struck it rich as a businessman.

“Ohh…uhhh. Sure. If it’s no problem, that is,” Jean scratched his neck.

“You don’t have to act all humble around me, Jean-boy. It’s no problem.”

Jean looked up with an almost ( _almost_ , Eren noted) boyish sparkle in his eyes. “Thanks, I’ll take you up on it, then.”

“How’s your internship so far?”

“It’s good. The headquarters are impressive. Mike’s having us do menial work like mail for now, but I’m grateful to even breathe the air in that building.”

“I’m glad you’re liking it. I think you’re a hard worker. Just keep it up, and I’m sure you’re going places,” Eren said.

“I think that’s honestly the first time you’ve complimented me,” Jean came over and massaged Eren’s shoulders.

“It’s not the _first_ time, you ass. But I meant it.”

The bell jingled and a pair of customers entered. Jean took their order and Eren began making drinks. He recognized these people. They were some of Sasha’s regulars.

Jean was checking some transaction numbers. “Hey… I heard you were offered a promotion to supervisor. Why did you turn it down?”

Eren shook his head. “It requires me to put in more hours, and I don’t want to take away from studying time. And I’m working more for experience than pay, at this point.”

“But if you want experience, it would look great on your resume. And you basically know all the ins and outs of the store. Just take the title.”

It felt weird that Jean was offering actual brotherly advice. Their friendship (Eren felt himself cringe at the admittance of using that word about Jean) has taken a strange turn.

“…Maybe once summer rolls around. I’d probably go for it, but I need to budget my time seriously now. I’m looking into volunteering, too, and I need to keep myself available for that, too.”

“Oh, alright. That makes sense. But seriously, Eren. Don’t think you’re not capable.”

“Thanks, man.”

\--

Eren arrived home, and though he saw Levi’s car in the parking garage, the man wasn’t in the living room. Probably in his office.

“Knock, knock~” Eren poked his head in.

Levi was scrolling through a bunch of numbers on his laptop, but at the sound of Eren’s voice, he turned his chair and opened his arms.

“There he is.”

Eren straddled him and allowed his face to be littered with kisses before returning them.

“How were your new classes?” Levi asked.

“They’re sounding real interesting so far. I’m taking a child psychology class, and I’m strangely excited about that. Today I also had my Sentencing class.”

“That sounds thrilling, sweetheart. I’m happy that you’re enjoying it so far.”

“How was your first day back to work?”

“Let’s just say it’s good to be back. I get restless when I’m away from the office for too long.”

“I can put a fix to that real quick,” Eren winked.

“Huh…?” Levi smiled a bit. “How will you do that, exactly?”

Eren ran his thumb along Levi’s jaw, completely flirty and unashamed. “Wellll…” Eren leaned down so his lips were centimeters away from Levi’s, “We just gotta make home life more…….” he made sure time stretched between them to keep Levi wondering, “…Stimulating.”

He ended his thought with a cute, chaste lips on Levi’s mouth.

Levi looked content and satisfied from that little kiss.

Eren eyed the glass on red wine on Levi’s desk. “Can I have some of that?”

“Sure. Just a sip.”

He gripped the glass by the cup, not the stem, and took two massive gulps.

“I said a sip, Eren.”

“But I want to get drunk.”

“Oi…”

Eren licked his lips to try to taste the remnants of his tasting.

Levi tried to change the subject, and lifted his boyfriend’s chin to meet their eyes. “Everything okay?”

“Mm-hm. I just crave that little buzz these days. You know how it is.”

“I know how it is,” Levi agreed.

There was an air of mutual understanding between them. Eren found himself feeling a bit dull and unstimulated, at times even reckless out of boredom. Levi knew that too, because they made sure to communicate all their struggles.

“Can we have us a quality cuddle session tonight? Just us two?” Eren proposed.

“Nothing would make me happier,” Levi said.

Eren smiled and got up and off Levi’s lap.

He was stretching his arms in the air when he felt Levi’s hands grab his hips from behind. And the usual quick swat on the butt.

“Oh!” Eren giggled. “Getting handsy on me, Levi?”

“You know I can’t resist that cute behind of yours.”

Eren was about to leave, but he had a pressing question to ask. He worked his fingers through Levi’s silky locks. “What did you have for lunch today?”

Levi thought back on it. “I had a sandwich. And some chocolate.”

“Was it good?”

“It was.”

“Good.” Eren didn’t know what started this tradition. Asking Levi what he had for lunch was usually reserved for when he was on business trips or when he was on his endless work marathons. But… there was something quite domestic about it all. Asking to make sure what this man ate. This man that would be his future husband.

“What did you have?” Levi returned the question.

Eren recalled his lunch with Armin. “I went to one of the dining halls on campus and got myself a cheesesteak.”

“How was it? I don’t think I’ve ever had one of those before.”

“It was good, but kinda greasy. You might risk heartburn if you eat it.”

“I’m not the biggest fan of heartburn,” Levi confessed.

“I’d hope not. Otherwise there’d be something kinda weird about you. On top of the many other things about you that I find weird.”

Levi chuckled. “That’s rich coming from you, Eren.”

“I’m the most normal guy in the world. Just a guy trying to find his next nut. That’s me.”

“Get out of my office before you earn yourself a brutal tickling,” Levi warned.

“I’m out, I’m out!” Eren put his hands up in surrender. “I’ll see you later, Papa Bear~”

\--

Eren was texting on the couch while receiving his cuddles, and Levi relished the bond they shared.

His own phone rang, and he used the remote to turn down the music from the sound system.

“Speaking.”

Eren listened in quietly, and he felt Levi abruptly stir. He was unwrapped from a strong pair of arms.

“Yes, that’s fine. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

He ended the call and looked at a curious Eren.

“What’s going on?”

Levi began his explanation by ruffling Eren’s hair. “I’m sorry, love. A really important potential partner has asked to meet at the last minute. I’ll make it up to you later.”

“That’s fine.”

Levi half-jogged away to get showered and changed.

-

Levi emerged from the hallway wearing a stunning navy pinstripe suit and gray sunglasses in a hurry.

Eren craned his neck upward and puckered his lips expectantly. Despite Levi being in a rush, he made sure to come around and secure his kiss.

Without any further words, he was out the door.

It was fine. Eren decided to use the time to get some readings done and have some alone time.

-

It was almost midnight when Levi came back.

He’d been making it a point to eat dinner together as much as possible. Which was why Eren was thrilled to see Levi bring back some bags of takeout.

One of the upsides to living in a big city was that good, satisfying food was always available during late hours.

Levi knew Eren would be awake. When he took off his sunglasses, he shared a look with the couch dweller.

“What did you bring?” Eren welcomed Levi back with open arms, and drank in the feel of the toned body beneath the suit.

“I brought sushi and veggies. Why don’t you prepare us some plates while I change?”

“Roger.”

-

“So, how was the meeting?”

“It went very well. I normally don’t agree to meetings on a moment’s notice like that, but this client is a big deal.”

“What makes him a big deal compared to you?”

“He has many international connections that I don’t. He can open a lot of doors for our company this year, so I’m trying to establish that trust. He’s very… I’m trying to figure out how to describe him...”

“Inconsiderate? Disrespectful of your time?”

“Yes. All of the above. He’s a man that doesn’t often think about others. In business, you’ll see that a lot, but this man takes it to another level. Unfortunately I have to bear with it because the reward will be worth it.”

Levi touched a piece of sushi into the dish of soy sauce and moved his chopsticks to Eren’s mouth.

Eren thought about it while he chewed.

“And once again, I’m sorry that our cuddle session was interrupted.”

“It’s okay,” Eren reached out and squeezed Levi’s thigh. “I know how work is. Plus, we can cuddle any time we please. Opportunities like that are one in a million.”

He went in for another piece of sushi.

“You’re so understanding, Eren. I love you beyond words.”

“I love you, too. That’s why I cuffed you.”

“’Cuffed’ me?”

“Yeah. So during the colder months, like now, people stop seeking silly flings from others and tie themselves down with their true love. That’s how you know it’s cuffing season.”

Levi nodded. “’Cuffing season’…” he repeated.

Eren laughed. It wasn’t the first time he’s had to teach Levi new slang, and it definitely wouldn’t be the last. It was a funny and adorable aspect of having an older boyfriend.

“I don’t understand youths these days,” Levi shook his head a bit and had a piece of sushi.

“I don’t understand us, either,” Eren admitted. “But you learned how marketing to younger demographics is different from older ones, right? At work?”

“My expertise is more in administration and management, but yes, the marketing team has taught me a lot. Unfortunately, they can’t teach me slang, such as “cuffing season”, and “memes”. That’s more your jurisdiction.”

“I’m happy to take that role.” Eren dressed some sushi with a bit of wasabi and moved his chopsticks to Levi’s mouth.

He watched the man take a bite and chew. As with everything, he looked attractive as hell.

“I love feeding you. You’re so sweet, Levi.”

The look on Levi’s face was priceless. “You’re stealing my lines now, Mr. Jaeger?”

“I can’t help it. Doting on my husband is my favorite hobby.”

“I think you’ve earned yourself a brutal tickling…”

Eren’s body froze up, and he quickly scouted his surroundings. _Escape plan. Escape plan. Escape plan._

“You gotta be quicker than that,” Levi teased. He lunged forward and pinned Eren down to the couch.

“LEVI! I’m full! Please don’t do this!” Eren squealed.

Levi ignored the cries for mercy and dug his fingers into all those tender, sensitive spots of Eren’s torso and neck.

Finally, he stopped when Eren’s face had turned a scarlet red.

Eren climbed himself up to a sitting position. “Asshole,” he giggled.

“Excuse me? Are you fixing for another tickling?”

“No! Definitely not!”

“Good. That’s what I thought.” Levi dressed the last piece of sushi and moved his chopsticks to Eren’s mouth. “Take the last piece, sweetheart.”

Eren gladly accepted it and hummed contently.

As he chewed, Levi thumbed a rogue piece of rice off Eren’s lip and ate it, and proceeded to clean up the plates and plastic boxes.

Eren took the opportunity to unwrap the blanket from around his legs and go over to the glass wall to reflect on the view.

The city was beautiful below. The sky was crisp and clear in the midst of winter. The streets were sleepy as the last remnants of people made their way home for the night.

Levi joined him after the clean-up. “What do you say I take you to bed now?” he asked quietly.

Eren turned to grin at him. “Carry me.”

“So demanding,” Levi shook his head in defeat, but he took his boyfriend and lifted him up into his arms.

\--

Eren waiting for Levi to get into bed, and he climbed on top of him.

“Hello, Eren,” Levi looked into those endless emerald eyes in front of him.

“Hi.” Eren touched their noses together.

“Feeling tired yet?”

“Feeling… touchy.”

“I know that,” Levi explained softly, playing with the ends of Eren’s bangs, “because I noticed you become extra affectionate when you’re sleepy.”

“…Is that true? Am I really like that?”

“It is true. I know you very well, sweetheart.”

Eren sighed and tucked his head into the crook beneath Levi’s chin.

Levi relished the silence between them, and he rubbed Eren’s lower back beneath his shirt.

\--

Levi usually worked in his office at the company or his study at home—but today, he wanted to switch it up.

Since Eren was putting in a shift at the coffee shop, he decided to meet him halfway and work in the lobby.

As he entered the shop with his briefcase, a flood of memories returned to him. This was where he met and fell in love with Eren for the first time. There was also the day he decided to take a chance and ask the boy out. He remembered that day very clearly—Eren looking flushed from working so hard and the way his stomach grumbled from having skipped lunch.

And that adorable explanation of the two croissants. Levi smiled to himself just recalling it.

Sasha was working the register today, and after she finished fixing her ponytail, she washed her hands. Her head whipped around when she heard the doorbell jingle. “Levi! Welcome, welcome!”

At the name “Levi”, Eren looked up from his bar, and excitement just melted across his face. He joined Sasha at the register.

“Hello, Sasha. And Eren,” he offered an exclusive, extra-rare smile to his boyfriend.

“Are you done with the office for today?” Eren asked.

“I am. I figured instead of going home, I could work here for a few hours.”

“That’s a great idea! Switching up your environment is great for creativity. And then we can go home together.”

“Are we doing your dark roast or Americano?” Sasha asked Levi.

“I’m thinking Americano today.”

“If you’re going to stay a while, do you prefer a mug instead of a to-go cup?”

“That would be great, actually,” Levi began to take out his wallet by impulse, but once again, remembering that he had boyfriend privileges, took out two twenty-dollar bills and stuck them in the tip jar.

“We’ll bring it out for you soon, Levi,” Sasha offered him a bright smile.

Levi chose a corner table as he answered some emails and took some notes. Eren finished the drink and entered the café lobby through the other end of the counter, bringing the steaming mug on a plate.

He set it down, and the scent of rich espresso swirled between them, reminding Levi of that delicious scent that clung to Eren whenever he came back home during evenings.

“One fresh Americano for a gorgeous man,” Eren announced. He held Levi’s shoulders and leaned down to whisper into his ear: “Made with extra, extra love.”

“Thank you very much, baby,” Levi held Eren’s head still with his hand to offer a grateful smooch on the lips.

And with that, Eren returned to behind the counter to continue his shift.

The sounds of Eren greeting his customers and offering friendly chats could be heard from the distance. Levi noticed that Eren had _many_ regulars, and many people that were happy to see him. He was impressed by how long he could keep up the energy—always smiling or laughing about something. It was rare to see an unsatisfied customer.

He was glad he came a little earlier, because there were several rushes and long lines. Of course, Sasha and Eren handled them like pros, and he noticed that charming quality of Eren’s come to the surface. His personality and level of friendly control and finesse made the whole coffee shop come alive.

He loved working with Eren in his sight. There was something strangely something very comforting about the fact that he could see everyone that interacted with him. Call him controlling, but after recent events, Levi had been on high alert.

Sneaking glances at an adorable Eren through his tasks was enjoyable, too.

-

Eren counted drawers while Sasha swept the café, and the shop had a lull while they began to close up.

The students and careerists that made work spaces at their tables began to pack up, as well.

Levi had gotten a good amount of work done, and though he preferred solitude and silence while working, the low chatter of Trost Coffee was a nice change of pace.

Sasha and Eren finished their closing tasks after a while, and stood next to the door to personally thank each guest for coming, and invited them to come back soon.

Levi packed up his briefcase, and he waited outside as Sasha and Eren turned off the shop’s lights and locked the front doors.

It was time to part ways. Sasha spoke as she made her way to her car: “I’ll see you soon, Levi! You should come work more often in the store.”

“I’ll try. Thank you for your hospitality, Sasha.”

Eren double-checked that the front door of the shop was locked before coming over and putting an arm around Levi. “All in a day’s work, hubby-bubby.” He took a sip of his iced coffee.

“Should I follow you home, or do you want to follow me?”

“I’ll follow you. It might actually help me stay within the speed limit.”

“I think you might’ve been a race car driver in your past life,” Levi teased. “Alright. I’ll see you at home, then.”

They shared a hug before parting ways.

\--

“That was fun!” Eren said in the elevator at Trost Tower. “I liked having you in the shop during my shift. It makes me miss you less.”

“I loved watching you work,” Levi admitted.

“Why’s that?” Eren took hold of Levi’s briefcase so that he could unlock the front door to the apartment more easily.

“You have such an air of leadership and charm while you’re going about your work. It gives me a sense of pride that the cute barista behind the counter is my very own boyfriend.”

Eren laughed from the flattery. “You’re so cheesy. But thank you. I’m glad you think I’m a boss.”

Levi opened the door and made sure Eren entered before he did.

With the outside world shut out now, it was time to move on to more fun things.

“I don’t necessarily like to give up my control at home, y’know…” Eren purred as he touched Levi’s tie, and with both hands, inched his grip up to the knot so that one quick yank, and—

Eren met Levi’s lips firmly and possessively, not like the chaste, sweet kisses they’ve been opting for these days, but something a little more serious and harsh.

A short sound escaped Levi’s throat, but Eren swallowed it right up.

When he was sure he’s made his point, Eren ended the kiss, and began walking away as if nothing happened.

“Whoa, hold on there,” Levi caught Eren’s waist in his hands before he managed to get away.

Eren giggled as he was yanked back into Levi’s midst.

“You think you can just lay the honey on me like that and just walk away?”

Eren pretended to think about it, tapping his chin and looking off into the clouds. “Mmm… yeah.”

“Hm. We’ll see.” Levi lifted Eren off the ground bridal-style and away to the couch.

\--

The next day, Levi decided to take a few hours off of work to visit his future in-laws.

He was sure Grisha wouldn’t be there, since that man made his own workaholism seem tame, but he would be glad if he was just able to speak to Carla.

They always encouraged him to come visit more often, and he’d been meaning to follow through on that promise.

He drove to the familiar big house with blue shutters, and knocked on the door.

It took a minute to hear some footsteps approach the door, but Carla opened the door.

Her face lit up when she saw him. “Could it be!? Come in, Levi, come in!” She quite literally pulled him into the house and helped him out of his jacket. She was sure to get her signature hug in.

He hoped it wasn’t weird to notice it, but Eren’s mother shared a version of that signature scent he had. Pine trees. Woodsy and cozy. Carla’s scent was more feminine and motherly than Eren’s, though by just a little. “I wasn’t expecting you at all, but I’m so happy you decided to visit!”

“I figured work can wait for a little. I decided on a whim,” Levi explained.

“Well, I’m a happy camper.” She led him to the couch and he waited patiently for her to bring hot mugs of tea.

Carla sat on crossed her legs as she settled into the couch. “How have you been, dear? I’m assuming Eren’s in class right now?”

“I’ve been doing great. And yes, he is.”

Eren and Levi had very sobering conversations ever since the incident of abuse, and one of the things they’ve talked about was who to disclose the information to.

Ultimately, Eren decided he didn’t want his parents to know what happened. Armin, Mikasa, and Erwin knew—only because they saw him at the hospital—but Eren said he didn’t feel like any more people should know. It was something he talked to his therapist about; getting raped was a very serious thing, and as long as he had a support system (her, the therapist, plus his boyfriend), there was no shame in not telling his parents about it if he chose not to do so.

Eren wanted to keep the incident as private as possible from then on, and Levi respected that.

Levi told her about his company goals for this year, including his expansion efforts and climbing to the global level.

“That’s so exciting! I’m happy to be privy to the planning process. I’m so proud of you.”

Levi felt that tinge in his heart; a little squeeze that shrunk the void of motherly loss. “Thank you, Carla. I like that you think so highly of me. I’ll continue to work hard. For the company, as well as Eren.”

“Is Eren alright, by the way? He hasn’t texted much since Christmas.”

“He’s fine. I’m guessing it’s because he’s trying to get back into the academic mindset. He’s also started work again. I’ll remind him to call home more often.”

Levi felt a bit guilty that he knew exactly why Eren hadn’t been calling as much, but that guilt was suppressed when he reminded himself that Eren wanted the privacy.

“Okay, I’ll take your word for it,” Carla sighed contently. “My mama senses have been tingling lately. I just want to hear from him more.”

 _“Mama senses”_ , Levi thought. That’s something Eren would say.

“Nothing to worry about, I can assure you, Carla. He’s also been getting into his art more these days.”

Eren’s mother’s face lit up. “Really? You don’t know how happy that makes me. It’s his secret talent. I love that boy’s creative side. It’s such a shame he’s so shy about it.”

“Trust me, I know. Just getting him to show me the things he’s been working on is difficult. But I think he’s slowly warming up to it.”

“I have a whole secret stash of his art from high school. Would you like to see it?” Carla’s smile was mischievous and was totally something Eren inherited from her.

“I would love to.”

“He’ll hate me if I found out I showed you. But,” she gathered their empty cups and set them aside, “I think they’re destined to be shared.”

She led them to Eren’s bedroom and looked into the depths of his closet to carry out a stack of canvases of different sizes. It took her several trips to get them all out.

She spread them out on the bed and the floor.

Levi began looking at the hidden art.

There was a black-and-white portrait of a girl that caught his eye immediately. She was laughing and looked carefree. Levi wondered what the story behind this one was.

There was a mountain landscape piece that looked like it was made with colored pencils. There was another painting of an abstract forest, with twisting shapes and fantastic colors.

Levi didn’t realize he was getting lost in the art until Carla’s voice spoke up: “They’re wonderful, aren’t they? And these don’t even include his pencil pieces. I can show you all those, too.”

Levi picked up a very detailed, photo-style painting of a blue eye. It reminded him of Armin’s eyes—very large and innocent and so very blue. He was probably the inspiration behind this piece. “Carla, I have a wild idea.”

“What’s your wild idea, dear?” Even without saying, it was almost as if she knew what he was thinking.

“I want to hold an art exhibit for Eren. Nothing too extravagant, but I want to set up a little display so that other people can enjoy this art, too.”

“That sounds absolutely amazing,” Carla smiled wide. “I want to help plan it. Where would we hold the exhibit? I can start calling to rent a space for a night.”

“Up to you. But first, let’s ask Eren if he would be okay with it. I hope convincing him to do this can make him feel less shy about his talents.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

Planning the exhibit with his future mother-in-law, would be a fine bonding activity, Levi thought. He also wanted to help Eren feel a little more… esteemed after the incident. Something that would make Eren regret being in public eye a little less.

Eren was a gift worth sharing, anyway. Levi loved the idea of his boyfriend feeling cherished and admired. It was something he strived for every day.


	91. A Tall Glass of Water

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Continuing daily life with our boys <3
> 
> (Please leave a comment after reading and tell me your thoughts!)

“I think we’re finally done, Eren.”

“I think so, too.”

The thick planning notebook bursting with ideas, menus, layouts, and design choices had been utilized to its fullest extent.

Levi would now have one more source of income to his name. Although, this project was hardly about the money.

Now, he just had to import the inventory and furnish a shop. The tea shop vision was ready for the next step.

“Have you started looking for rental spaces?” Eren asked.

“Yes, I have a list of addresses we can visit today. We can figure out which one we like best.”

“Levi…” Eren rubbed his back with large, broad circles, “I’m so excited to see your dream coming to life. I’m happy I got to be part of the process.”

“I never would’ve gone through with it unless you pushed me, so thank you, darling.”

Eren offered a sweet smile. “Let’s go check out what we’re working with.”

-

They drove around the city to three different empty spaces. For two of them, the owner of the plaza was available to explain more details about the space.

Eren made sure not to say anything first. He wanted to gauge what Levi felt about it; an unbiased opinion. He noticed that Levi didn’t get that spark of excitement with the first spaces they looked for.

That was pretty difficult to gauge in the first place anyway, since Levi was a stoic man and very hard to read.

In the car, Eren hoped the final space on the list would make Levi happy. Otherwise, a new set of addresses would be in order.

They were back in the midtown now, where all the eccentric boutiques and fusion restaurants lined the streets.

Eren took hold of Levi’s hand as they walked.

Levi checked the address on his phone, and they both looked up. _This was it._

The empty building was bigger than the other ones they’ve seen so far. Next door was an udon restaurant.

Eren looked down beside him. Levi had that look—analyzing and planning. The corner of his mouth curled ever so slightly.

Eren slyly came up from behind to wrap his arms around the man’s shoulders. He murmured some words into his ear: “If I didn’t know you any better, I would say she’s a winner, huh, hubby?”

Levi smiled and basked in the moment. “I absolutely love it. When we were talking about the ideal building, we said space and surroundings were important. I like this part of the city, and it looks spacious from the outside.”

“Location, location, location, as a hot businessman once said to me,” Eren confirmed.

He relished the low chuckle that shook Levi’s body. “We have us a keeper, Eren. Let’s take a look inside.”

Eren squeezed his arms tight before standing up straight once more. Levi took his hand, and they stood looking at the building a little longer.

“..What will you name it?” Eren asked.

Surprisingly, it was one of the few things during the planning process they didn’t discuss.

A coy, knowing smile graced Levi’s full lips. “You’ll see.”

“It’s perfect.”

\--

Eren finished classes and headed over to his therapist for their bi-weekly meeting. He was making huge strides, and his therapist praised him on his progress.

He hated to admit that Levi was right about therapy, but that man was right about a lot of things.

Of course, after therapy meetings, Levi made it a tradition to get out of the house and do an ice cream or movie date.

Today’s plan was dinner at a nice restaurant Levi found. Even after showering, dressing in a nice shirt and slacks, and combing his hair extra nice, Levi still wasn’t home.

He decided to shoot a quick message:

_Levi, it’s almost 7, are we still on for dinner?_

Levi was quick with his response:

_I’m sorry, baby. I’m running a bit late at the office. I’ll be about 15 minutes late._

Eren smiled and it was almost a knee-jerk reaction to give a cheeky reply.

Levi glanced at his vibrating phone under the table of his meeting. The text box read:

_15 minutes!?!?!_

Animated ellipses showed that Eren was typing something else:

_I want a divorce._

Levi clicked his phone off and hid his smile behind clasped hands.

\--

Eren ate Hot Cheetos and watched TV while he waited for his man to return home.

The front door clicked open and Levi shuffled in to set his things down.

Eren wiped his fingers on a Kleenex and made his way over.

“You taste… spicy,” Levi stated after the greeting smooch.

“Let’s just say Hot Cheetos provided me with warmth and comfort after my divorce.”

“Mm,” Levi nodded in understanding. “A messy divorce, I bet?”

“The messiest.”

Levi’s mouth curled in a smile and his hands roamed over Eren’s hips, chest, and arms. “You’re so handsome, Mr. Jaeger. I can’t get enough of you.”

“Aw, thanks. I think you’re handsome, too.”

Levi looked up and went in for another spicy kiss. “I’m probably going to drink tonight, so I called a ride. It’ll be here in about ten minutes.”

“Can I get drunk, too?”

Levi scooped Eren off his feet away to the living room. “We’ll see. I don’t think I’m ready for a wasted boyfriend on my hands, legally speaking.”

“There’s, like, two months left. Let me loosen up.”

“Two months or not, it’s still technically illegal, Eren.”

Eren played with Levi’s tie quietly.

“I know you crave that buzz these days,” Levi said. “I understand. But I don’t want you to rely on alcohol too much. I don’t want you cope with issues negatively like me.”

“I know. Today in therapy we talked about being aware of my own limits. I don’t want getting drunk to be my first way of dealing with problems. But I think I deserve a little release after all this.”

Levi sighed and squeezed Eren’s thigh. “Alright. I hear you.”

\--

“Good morning, Eren…”

Waking Eren up for class was getting more difficult these days. The alarm jingling from his phone on his nightstand went ignored.

But, Eren’s bedhead was also worth adoring for a second. His long hair was ruffled over his eyes, and his snoring mouth formed a solid “O”.

Levi squeezed Eren’s arm: “Time to wake up, sleeping beauty…”

Eren’s eyes fluttered open, blinking into focus. He groaned and buried his face into his pillow.

Levi held back a smile, and he hopped onto the edge of the bed. The coaxing games have begun.

He knew Eren was awake, but was much too lazy to get out of bed. Levi began sweeping the hair off of Eren’s face.

“Baby….you know it’s that time. Come on, now,” Levi felt like he was talking to himself. But he used the time to reflect and think about his plans for the day.

Eren continued to ignore the sweet waking words. Levi leaned down closer to the boy’s ear. Eren was… all softness. Soft, like a kitten’s ear. Especially in the morning.

“Hey…” as he spoke, Levi’s lips brushed against the shell of Eren’s ear.

“Mmf…” Eren groaned, his eyebrows knitted together.

“Eren Jaeger… my love… it’s time to wake up.”

Eren opened his eyes again, and with a soft sigh he clutched the blanket closer to himself.

“I’ll fix you a nice, hot cup of coffee… How does that sound?” Levi continued.

Eren turned over so that he was on his back.

“And a delicious breakfast… and if you get up now, we might even have time to squeeze in a quick cuddle session...”

Eren rubbed his eyes, and though he said nothing, he pulled himself up to a sitting position and sat quietly.

Levi took his cheeks and gave the initial round of good morning kisses. “Good boy. Let’s go.”

Eren peeled off his blanket and crawled out of bed.

\--

When Eren’s therapist said recovery was not a linear process, she was not kidding.

He couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but Eren wasn’t having a good week so far. Everything was fine, but he just didn’t feel himself.

Levi was aware of this. That’s why he decided a pick-me-up was in order.

It was a cold, snowy day, and though they usually preferred to eat outside, Eren and Armin sat in one of the campus’ lounging centers.

Eren’s phone rang during his lunch. Armin paused his sentence.

“Hold on,” Eren told him. “Oh, it’s Levi. …Hey, hubby.”

“Eren. How are you doing? A little better?”

“Eh. Nothing much has changed. What’s up?”

“I have a surprise for you when you get home.”

“Oh, a surprise?” Eren couldn’t help but smile. “What is it?”

“It’s a _surprise_ , sweetheart,” Levi’s voice was stern and matter-of-fact, but even then, Eren could sense the kindness and love through his voice. “You’ll see. I’m hoping it’ll be enough to get you out of your rut.”

“Okay. I guess I’ll wait. I don’t have work today. So I’ll be home at like 5:30.”

“Kick some ass today,” Levi reminded.

“Oh, I will. The world is my playground. Bye, Levi.”

“I’ll see you later.”

Eren ended the call. “He says he has a surprise for me.”

“I wonder what it is?” Armin smiled coyly.

“The last time he said he had a surprise for me, he bought me a Lamborghini.”

\--

Eren was already halfway home when he remembered Levi had something waiting for him there.

But when he got to the apartment, and his eyes scanned the room, there wasn’t anything out of the ordinary.

“How was work?” Eren greeted Levi distractedly. He gave a squeezy hug, inhaling the scent of familiar cologne.

“It was just fine. I miss that pretty face of yours.”

Eren laughed dryly. “Stop.” He allowed Levi to help him out of his coat. “Where’s the surprise?”

“It’s on the way.”

“’On the way’…” Eren pondered aloud. “So it’s… a mobile item.”

“Don’t think too much into it, Detective.”

“Gimme a hint?”

“Nope. No hints. You’ll have to wait just like everyone else.”

“Delayed gratification is for losers.”

Levi sat back on the couch. “I think you’re becoming spoiled rotten, Eren.”

Eren sat down beside him, molding his own body against Levi’s chest. “Spoiled _ripe_ ,” he corrected.

Levi chuckled.

It was about ten minutes later that there was a knock on the front door.

Eren bolted up and followed Levi to the door.

When Levi opened the door wide open, a lady smiled at them, and at her side, a beautiful dog with a red vest sat patiently.

“Oh, my God!” Eren gushed. It was the usual reaction he had when he saw a dog, no matter the circumstance or setting.

He remembered his manners and took the owner’s hand. “Hi, how are you? Please come in!”

“Thank you,” the lady walked in, and Eren couldn’t tear his eyes away from the dog.

“Would you like something to drink?” Levi asked her. “Water, tea, coffee?”

“Tea would be lovely.”

Levi nodded and went to fix her a drink.

“Are you Eren?” the woman asked.

“Yeah, that’s me.”

“Your boyfriend said you were going through a rough time. Have you ever met a therapy dog?”

“I’ve seen them in public sometimes, but I’ve never been with one myself.”

“You’re in luck, Mishka’s all yours for an hour.”

“Mishka!” Eren gushed. The dog’s ears perked up.

“He’s a good boy. He loves to be petted,” the lady explained.

Eren sat on the ground and patted his thighs. So very obediently, the dog came over and lay down beside him, resting his head on Eren’s thigh.

“Good boy, Mishka~” Eren began scratching behind the dog’s ears, and already, he seemed at peace. “Is he a German Shepherd?” he asked the owner.

“He is.”

“He’s so pretty. I love German Shepherds.” He looked down to the gorgeous dog on him. “Ain’t that right, boy? You’re so pretty. And your fur is so, so soft~” he cooed contently.

Eren was now fully distracted with the pup, and Levi came around with the tea.

Levi joined the owner on the couch. “So, where do you usually go with Mishka?”

“We usually work for hospitals or on individual bases like this. Hospitals are more contractual, but sometimes I rent out Mishka’s time for an hour or two. We usually work with kids, but we’re starting to see more adults wanting to see a therapy dog.”

“Do therapy dogs have to go through training to earn their vests?”

The owner’s eyes lit up. “Yeah. We start them when they’re pups, usually…”

Eren was glad Levi was engaging the owner in conversation. He didn’t want to be rude to the guest, but when he had this dog with him, the whole world was blocked out and everything was okay all of a sudden. It was a similar feeling as having a cuddle session with Levi, but love for a man and love for a dog were different. And right now, a fluffy creature was just what he needed.

He carded his fingers through the scruff on Mishka’s neck. The dog shifted and got up to lay fully across Eren’s lap. He was a rather big dog, and Eren was elated that he had gained his trust.

Eren wrapped his arms around the animal and rested his head upon his. Dogs were truly a gift in this world.

-

“Thanks again!” Eren waved to the owner after the hour was over. He gave Mishka one last fur ruffle. “Bye, handsome!”

Levi shut the door behind the owner. “So, how was that?”

“Levi… that was perfect. A therapy dog was the last thing I expected, but I totally needed it. I feel better already.”

“Good. That’s what I wanted to hear. I know you love animals.” He opened his arms for a hug.

“The next step is to get me my own dog,” Eren hinted, not-so-subtly.

“…I’ll think about it,” Levi said.

Eren pecked a quick kiss on Levi’s cheek as a sort of down payment to accelerate the thinking process, as well as thanks for renting the therapy dog.

\--

The next day, Eren had a much easier time getting up in the morning. As he was sipping his coffee and wandering around the living room while listening to music, Levi emerged from the hallway and saw a nice sight.

Eren was back to wearing his boxers again.

After the incident, Eren had been rather shy about his body. He wouldn’t do shared showers, and he wouldn’t let Levi see or touch his bare legs.

He still wasn’t up to being seen naked, but being in his boxers sans the long pajama pants was a huge step.

Levi cleared his throat as he approached Eren, so not to startle him.

Eren had that sweet, mischievous smile about him.

“Mr. Jaeger,” Levi held him by the waist. “Walking around my house with all kinds of dick and balls and ass out.”

Eren’s brow cocked. “Your house? Honey, this is my house. I’m just letting you live in it.”

“How generous…” Levi murmured. “Come be with me.”

Eren followed him to the couch, where he let Levi pet his hair while they watched the news.

“What time does your shift end today?” Levi asked.

“Six. But I got a session right after that, so I’ll be home at like 7:30.”

“Still want to join me at the event tonight?”

“I wouldn’t miss it. I kind of crave the spotlight. I’ve been laying low. The world has been starving of my presence.”

“The whole world, huh?” Levi’s mouth curled in a smile.

“Plus, I got a cool new suit to show you today!”

“Have I seen it on you yet?”

“Nope. I got it just for tonight. Special. You’re in for a treat, Mr. Ackerman.”

“I’m excited to see you in it,” Levi said lowly.

Eren took a gulp from his mug and sighed. He noticed that Eren has been opting for black coffee these days. His tastes were changing.

\--

Eren came home after a long day and managed a quick shower.

He combed his long hair back, but didn’t bother parting it or slicking it back.

The suit he bought was a smooth, slick “spy-inspired” number. It had a matching jacket underneath, and a silver satin bowtie to top it all off.

The weather was also frigid this time of year, so Eren also opted for a dark tan fur coat.

In the floor-length mirror, he looked every bit a movie star. Hopefully Levi would agree.

He emerged from the hallway and into the living room, where Levi was awaiting him patiently. The man was looking out the glittery cityscape below, contemplating with a steady gaze.

His head turned at the sound of Eren’s footsteps and his expression shifted. At the sight of him, he let out a long, low whistle.

“You think so?” Eren asked with mischievous bashfulness.

“My, my.” Levi held his arms open for Eren to come to him. He took out the stereo remote from his pocket and paused the classical music resonating through the spacious apartment. “You’re looking _mighty_ fine tonight.” His eyes scraped up and down Eren’s body, and then he met those emerald eyes.

“We’re out here looking like a pair of snacks,” Eren confirmed.

Levi clicked his tongue and licked his thumb to groom Eren’s brow. “I’m not sure about me, though.”

He finished straightening Eren’s bowtie as well, and then he stepped back at arm’s length. “But you, Mr. Eren Jaeger, are a sight for sore eyes. A tall glass of water, you.”

Eren grinned and scratched the back of his neck. No matter how many compliments he received, each one didn’t get any less special coming from a man as attractive as Levi.

“Ready to go?” Levi asked.

“Ready.”

\--

At the event, Eren and Armin basked in the excessive glamour and luxurious ambiance. It was like playing dress-up for a night, but ironically, they didn’t really have to pretend. This was a regular part of their lives. Whether they wanted to participate in it—that was another thing.

It was a sort of a party within the business community where a certain organization would announce a list of _Best Companies To Work For_ , reflecting on the previous year. Survey Corp was a nominee this year.

Armin chalked it up as “The Grammys but for CEOs.”

At their table, Eren listened intently to the hostess. So far, two company nominees have won the honor. He desperately hoped Survey would win, too. He didn’t see how they couldn’t—it was a fabulous company to work for, and pretty much everyone that he talked to loved being there.

The hostess continued: “This company’s growth has skyrocketed over the last six years, especially. But, don’t let the recent history fool you—this company doesn’t plan on slowing down. With its unusual but effective concept of having Co-CEOs—“

Eren’s head whipped to Levi’s, and he squeezed his bicep encouragingly. This had their name written all over it!

Looking at Erwin, he hid his apprehension and bleeding excitement behind clasped hands.

“Hands-on leadership is their methodology, and their innovation in company practice continues to stun the business world. With an unbelievable employee satisfaction rate of 95%, I’m pleased to congratulate… Survey Corporation!”

The room erupted in claps and whistles. Levi let out a breath he was holding onto, and Erwin beamed brightly.

They both got up to accept the reward.

Eren took out his phone and video recorded the plaque acceptance and speech.

Erwin spoke first: “It’s such an honor for us to accept this award. We work tirelessly to make sure our employees enjoy the fruits of their labor, and enjoy the process to achieve Survey Corporation’s goals. We knew when we first founded this company that we would hardly be a traditional one. I know for a fact that this title is only thanks to our beloved and valued employees, so to them, I say: Thank you. I hope Levi and I can continue to work as hard for you all as much as you do us.”

The room gave another round of clapping and some people raised their glasses.

Erwin handed the microphone to Levi, and Eren’s smile stretched wider. He knew Levi didn’t like speeches, and tried to avoid them. But, it was a shame, because the man was actually a very inspiring speaker.

Levi’s deep, lovely voice resonated through the room. “I’m not the best at speeches, so I’ll keep it short.”

Some people laughed good-heartedly at the admission.

“Erwin was right about what he said. We’re only up here accepting this prestigious award because of the tireless ambition and brilliance of our employees. While we hope to create a comfortable environment, and give them all the tools and resources to achieve the company’s goals, we hope even more that they love working for us as much as we love leading them. We’re only going up from here. Thank you.”

The room erupted in hearty claps again, and Levi and Erwin exited the stage.

“Congratulations!” Armin gushed to Erwin. They shared a sweet kiss on the lips, and Erwin looked absolutely elated.

Levi sat down and Eren could not contain his happiness. “My very own husband! I’m so, so proud of you! Give me a hug!” he demanded.

Levi laughed and scooted his chair closer to accept the mandatory hug. “Ohh… Eren…” he groaned in low satisfaction. “I’m so happy about this.”

“You’re amazing. I love you so much.”

“May I have a kiss?” Levi asked.

“Yes, you may,” Eren took Levi’s chiseled face and went in for a hard, firm smooch. Levi usually didn’t like kissing when people were watching, but apparently he didn’t care right now. He held the back of Eren’s head and fisted the back of his hair to make sure the kiss lasted for a good while.

Neither of them realized how long and how hard they were going at it until Erwin spoke up. “Alright, alright. Let’s keep it professional, gentlemen.”

They tore away with much regret and Eren bit his lip at the hot memory of smooching Levi in public. Levi pinched the cheek of his giggly boyfriend.

\--

At the end of the night, a team of photographers were to take pictures of the recipients that won an award.

They waited for a couple other CEOs and their plus ones to have their pictures taken.

When it was Levi and Erwin’s turn, the lead photographer said they wanted a round of them together.

They both stepped forward and looked at a few angles. Eren never realized how powerful they looked, until they stood next to each other amid dozens of flashing lights.

“Do you have plus ones? We can take you first, Mr. Smith.”

Levi walked away, and Erwin ushered Armin forward.

Eren watched as the blond duo stood together for pictures. He noticed that Armin was particularly cute—his hair was getting cut shorter these days and he slicked it back just for the occasion.

Next was Levi’s turn. “Mr. Ackerman? We’ll take a round of you and your plus one.”

“Mr. Plus One?” Levi held up his arm chivalrously and a flattered Eren joined him on the red carpet in front of the printed wall.

Eren wanted to match Levi. He usually pulled his most charming smile when he was out spotted with Levi, but tonight, he wanted to act like a mystery.

As he rested his arm on Levi’s shoulder, and he felt Levi’s hand circle his waist, he gazed indifferently into the flashing cameras.

\--

At the end of the night, Erwin and Levi stuck around the venue a little longer to accept congratulations and meet some people, and the night got boozier over time.

Eren also had a few drinks, but he cut himself off after that. He didn’t want to get wasted and wake up hungover tomorrow morning. Going through morning classes hungover was more difficult than it was worth.

Erwin eventually took his leave with Armin, and Levi called a ride to call it a night.

Eren was busy taking pictures of the venue for his social media, and Levi said the car was on its way.

Outside, the burning lights and the body heat from the entrance of the venue made an otherwise very wintry night quite warm and cozy.

Levi was fixing Eren’s bowtie distractedly, and Eren gazed at an approaching limo. It must’ve been for them.

The driver stopped and exited his seat, and he opened the backseat door.

Levi gave Eren a very hard kiss right out there in the open.

And as much as Eren enjoyed PDA with this man, it seemed a little different when there was one person fixating right on them.

Eren ended the kiss shyly. “Levi, not in front of the driver…!” he whispered.

Levi took his hand and helped him into the car. As Eren bent over to enter the car, Levi got the opportunity to deal a quick swat on the butt. Oh, Eren would make sure he smacked Levi’s butt later tonight in revenge.

The night full of laughter and glittery gowns and smooth suits was shut out as the driver began making his way to their home.

Eren, having completed playing “movie star” for a day, sighed contently and unbuckled his seatbelt to lie down and rest his head on Levi’s lap.

The long drive home was strangely one of Eren’s favorite things about these high-status events.

Levi ran his fingers through his hair quietly, and he gazed out the window at the passing city.

\--

The receptionist at Trost Tower looked up from her desk and smiled when they entered.

In the elevator to the top floor, Levi hooked his fingers into Eren’s belt loops and yanked him closer.

“Hey, baby mama.”

Eren got shivers when Levi spat game with that delicious, deep voice of his.

“You’re drunk,” Eren breathed knowingly against Levi’s lips.

“Mmm…” Levi groaned his confirmation into the smooch. His hands wandered to the small of Eren’s lower back.

Eren puckered his lips shortly against Levi’s. “Down, boy,” he growled.

The elevator dinged, but they weren’t at the top floor. Someone else got into the elevator.

Eren stepped away from Levi and smiled politely. “We’re going up.”

The man checked his watch. He had a gym bag with him. “It’s alright, I got time.”

Levi recognized this man; they picked up their mail together sometimes.

On a whim, he palmed Eren’s butt without saying word.

Eren ducked his head and bit his lip. “Behave,” he said just loud enough for Levi to hear.

They finally got to their own floor, and Eren took Levi’s hand and yanked them to their door before the drunk man got any more fresh ideas.

“I’ll draw you a bath,” Levi said.

“You’re already a step ahead of me, baby daddy.”

\--

By the time Eren was all stripped from the night and was fresh and clean, it was about 2 am.

Of course, Levi was still awake and was in his study. He was going through a website, reading articles and looking at pictures from the event to review the night.

“Eren. Why are you awake? Go to sleep, you have class tomorrow.”

“And you have work. What’s your point?” Eren sat on Levi’s lap to look along at the screen.

“My point is that you are notoriously not a morning person, darling.”

Eren glanced at the photos Levi was scrolling through. He found the one taken of them.

“Wow. I don’t even recognize myself in that get-up,” he admitted. Although, wearing that suit and fur coat and a stoic demeanor made them look more like a power couple.

Levi tapped at the screen. “Why didn’t you smile here? I love your smile.”

“You damn hypocrite.” Eren squeezed Levi’s shoulders happily.

\--

When Eren woke up the next morning, he saw Levi near the glass wall, doing one-handed push-ups on a yoga mat while music played in the background.

“Well, hello there. Good morning~” Eren called.

Levi ended his set by lying on his stomach. He took a few deep breaths. “Good morning.”

“No gym today? Home workout?” Eren wondered.

“I slept in today. I just wanted to squeeze a few quick sets in before my meeting. It’s not ideal, though. I don’t have enough resistance.”

“Want me to get on top for a challenge?”

“You know, that might actually work. Come here.”

Eren went over to the glass wall and sat beside Levi.

“Lie down on top of me and hang on to my chest. Just keep your limbs secure.”

“Got it.”

Eren lay on top and held on. He was taller than Levi, so he had to bend his knees to make sure he fit properly atop the man. “Ready.”

Levi propped his arms in the ready position. “I’ll count down ‘3, 2, 1’ before ending each set. Here we go.”

Levi lifted off the ground and Eren laughed out loud. It was exhilarating! Going up and down like what felt like a seesaw. And when he turned his head to the side, he saw the cityscape outside the window.

“3…” Levi exhaled, “2… 1…”

He ended the current set by laying on his stomach, and he got the chance to catch his breath.

“Good job!” Eren praised, still on top.

“I have my very own cheerleader now?” Levi smirked.

“I’ve always been your cheerleader, big boy. Give me another set.”

Levi laughed. “Yes, sir.”

\--

Nights were much calmer these days, now that they’ve gotten back into the swing of their routine.

Levi was strangely in bed on time tonight.

“I feel like it’s been a minute since we spent some time together in bed like this,” Eren confessed. “Just us two guys.”

“Just us two guys,” Levi repeated. He opened up his arm and Eren settled against his chest.

Eren went through his tablet, particularly his social media. “Levi, this is so fucking stupid, but do you want to try this relationship quiz? It could be funny.”

“Sure. Could be fun.”

Eren smiled and read out the first question: “Do you know your S/O’s favorite color?”

“Blue,” Levi said.

“Yours is black,” Eren stated. He scoffed. “This is easy, we got this!”

He looked at the next question: “You and your partner want to go out for dinner. How do you decide on a restaurant?”

“I’m usually indifferent,” Levi said.

“Agreed. I’ll pick ‘They let me choose’.”

Eren scrolled to the next page. “Ooh. Now it’s getting juicy: ‘When did you first start talking about marriage; less than six months, within a year, after two years, or never’?”

“I think my boyfriend is a little wedding-crazy by nature… it was definitely less than six months when you brought it up.”

“Listen, my love,” Eren patted Levi’s chest knowingly. “A man like you? One in a million. I gotta lock it down. You know how it is.”

Levi pressed his lips into chocolate locks. “I think you’re one in a million, too. I wouldn’t get married to anyone else.”

“Mm?” Eren craned his neck up to get a quick kiss.

Levi met his lips with quick certainty.

Eren got back to the quiz: “Does your family get along with your S/O?”

“I told you a while ago that you might be one of the few people in my life my uncle actually approves of,” Levi said. “I was nervous in the beginning… I didn’t know how he’d react to me dating a man. I didn’t even plan on telling him until much later. But he found out about you before I could even tell him.”

“I’m the perfect boyfriend,” Eren said. “No one can resist me.”

“Apparently,” Levi squeezed his smiley boyfriend. Eren’s charming cockiness was secretly one of his favorite things about him. “Kenny would be an idiot not to like you.”

“And you’re the first person I ever brought home to my parents. I think they like you more than me at this point; and I’m their son. So to answer this one, it’s a big, fat ‘yes’.”

He continued: “Are your personalities similar?”

This one made them laugh. “No. In theory, absolutely nothing about our personalities is compatible,” Levi admitted. “But somehow, it worked out that we’re so different.”

“Agreed. You know what they say: ‘Opposites attract’,” Eren said. “But this question is a no.”

The next one made Eren smile before he read it: “Who wears the pants in the relationship?”

Levi answered by lifting the comforter, showing their legs. He eyed Eren’s boxers knowingly. “I think I quite literally wear the pants in this relationship,” he chuckled.

“Literally,” Eren said. “Yeah, I mean, this is my house, but having a savvy, sexy, intelligent man to bring in the dough and do all the heavy lifting helps out considerably.”

“Oi,” Levi pinched Eren’s cheek, “I’d watch how that mouth speaks to me. Otherwise I might have to heavy lift you right out of my bed.”

“Nooo!” Eren begged. “What will I do without my husband in the house?”

“Let’s hope we don’t have to get to that point,” Levi’s mouth twitched in a small smile.

Eren selected an answer, then scrolled down. “Alright, we’re at the last one: On a scale of 1 to 10, how much do you disclose to your S/O?”

“That’s a ten,” Levi nodded.

“Big ol’ ten!” Eren agreed. He selected ‘finish’.

“Drumroll… we are ninety-two percent compatible!”

“Ninety-two percent, huh?”

“It’s a better result than I expected from these meaningless app surveys.” Eren was already tuning back out and paying attention to his tablet

“Ninety-two…” Levi drew out loud. “Ninety-two…” His fingers moved slowly, ever down into the blanket and up Eren’s shirt.

“Levi, don’t—“ Eren’s heart quickened when he noticed.

Levi dug his fingers into Eren’s ribs, earning him a loud squeal and Eren flailing around to escape.

But Levi was ruthless this time around, and just when Eren had escaped his grip and crawled away swiftly for dear life, Levi reached over and grabbed him by the hips to drag him right back into the torture.

Eren thought he was in the clear. But Levi pinned him down into place and continued abusing all of Eren’s ticklish spots with his fingers.

He usually stopped when Eren went red in the face, but this time, it was only when Eren laughed so hard that his voice went raw from begging for mercy, that he finally let up.

“This is my guilty pleasure,” Levi stated. “Being able to tickle you is a privilege I love to take advantage of.”

“Privilege?” Eren panted. “Privilege implies I can take that right away from you. …Asshole.”

“Asshole,” Levi nodded, matter-of-fact, “that’s very brave considering your position right now.”

“This is why we scored a ninety-two and not a hundred on our compatibility,” Eren said with a face-splitting grin. “What kind of man takes advantage of his boyfriend’s weak spots like that?”

“This kind of man,” Levi pointed to himself before taking Eren from beneath the arms and hoisting him back up to a sitting position.

Eren’s hair was wild and tousled from the skirmish. Levi reached out and combed through it with his fingers.

“Can you pet me for a little bit?” Eren whispered.

“Of course, lover. Let’s get back under the covers.”

“Calling me ‘lover’ is bold after that stunt you pulled just now,” Eren winked.

Now that they were settled back against the pillow, Levi took Eren back in with open arms. “And that, my dear, is why we scored a ninety-two on our compatibility.”

As he worked, Levi hummed lowly. “We have an eventful week ahead of us…” He ran his fingers through Eren’s long hair, tenderly, until soft snores filled the room and it was just the perfect life that a certain asshole could ever want.


	92. True Love is Like Taking a Good Shit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ...It just comes out.
> 
> Ahhh sorry this chapter took so long to put out >< Enjoy more daily happenings from our favorite pair! 
> 
> (Please leave a comment after reading and tell me your thoughts!)

Eren took notes on his readings and checked the syllabus to make sure there weren’t any upcoming exams he needed to pay attention to.

He stretched his arms to the ceiling, and a little moan escaped his throat.

The vibration of his phone on his desk caught his attention.

Levi:

_Where are you, Eren?_

Eren replied in the only way he could:

 _I’m wherever you need me to be, baby._ He added a winky-face emoji for good measure.

Elsewhere, Levi hid his smile.

_Can you come to the living room and give me some sugar?_

_Yes sir………._

Levi clicked his phone shut and waited patiently. He normally waited for Eren to ask for affection and attention (and Eren wasn’t shy about asking for those, in the least bit), but today he felt in need of a certain boy to hold.

Eren emerged from the hallway, in his usual state of being in that he wasn’t wearing anything special, but even the plainest clothes like basketball shorts and an oversized sweatshirt made Levi’s heart flutter.

Maybe it was Eren’s chin-length, overgrown hair that resembled a wavy bob. It was lazily combed back and tucked behind his ears.

“I heard there was a man who’s been craving some sugar…?” Eren made sure to draw his words out slowly and deliberately, walking his fingers up Levi’s chest like a pair of legs.

“I missed you,” Levi confessed. He watched Eren’s eyes fixate on his chest, and he wanted for those endless green eyes to meet with his.

“It’s been… what, three hours since I saw you?” Eren teased.

“Three hours unsatisfactory,” Levi confessed.

Eren finally looked up and gazed into brooding, steely-gray eyes. He moved closer and pressed a solid, sweet kiss into Levi’s mouth. “I’m here for you… you know that?” Eren re-adjusted his position so that he was sitting squarely on Levi’s lap, and he wrapped his arms around broad shoulders.

It was just something about the way Eren held Levi’s head to his chest, so securely and so surely, that was ever so intimate and quiet. It was a touch that was confident and motherly in just the right way… something that sparked a tinge of hope and melancholy in Levi’s heart.

There was a little sound that resounded in Levi’s chest, and with all his experience, Eren learned that he made slightly different grunts which all meant different things. This one meant: “I’m already feeling better.”

Eren ran his fingers through Levi’s silky, jet-black locks, a treat for Levi, but more for himself. Levi’s hair was just about the softest, most luxurious feeling in the world. Eren felt honored that he was the only person beside Uncle Kenny who was allowed to indulge in this sensation.

He reached into his pocket to turn on the stereo and fill the air with sweet background music.

\--

That evening, after a dinner of chicken and roasted potatoes, a TV binge session was very much in order.

They’ve been working on a new show, and while most couples found it difficult not to secretly tune in and continue without the other person, Levi and Eren were much too busy during the day to have to deal with this problem. In fact, watching an episode or two of their show was quickly becoming a nightly tradition.

Not even five minutes into an episode, Levi’s phone buzzed from an incoming call. Eren sighed and paused the show, and rested his cheek patiently on Levi’s lap while he waited.

“Hello, Alyssa. How are you?” Levi answered.

Eren was glad that it was someone he knew and not just any client. He wondered why Alyssa would call so late.

Levi listened for a long while, carding his fingers through chocolate locks beneath him. When he heard something troubling, he paused.

“I think the best course of action is to switch manufacturers now, while you’re still ahead,” Levi advised. “Do it now before it becomes out of your control. You’re smart to have caught this early.”

Eren tried to connect the dots, but he could only hear the phonetics of Alyssa’s voice, and not much of what she was saying.

“It won’t become a problem if you publicly address it first. Be ambiguous, but be honest about your plan. Lawyer-speak, Al. It’s what you do.”

He listened a little more. “…Alright. Meet with them tomorrow and tell me how it goes. ...Okay. You’re very welcome. Let’s catch up soon.”

Levi was about to hang up, but Eren stuck his hand out. “Lemme talk to her,” he whispered.

“Hold on,” Levi said into his phone. He handed it to Eren.

“Hey, Alyssa, it’s me, Eren.”

Alyssa’s voice was as milky and smooth as it always was, and the pleased smile was audible in her voice. “Eren, my darling. How are you? I’m so excited to hear from you.”

“Everything’s okay… I started a new semester recently.”

“Oh? And how are your classes?”

“They’re all fine. I’m becoming more interested in psychology so I’m exploring more areas in that department.”

“I remember you told me how much you love learning about how people think. You’ll thrive wonderfully, I can tell.”

“Aw, thanks,” Eren smiled. “Let’s just hope I don’t crumble under the workload. I’m taking three more credits this time around.”

“I have a feeling you’re not one to crumble under pressure. Just manage your time well and seek out help as soon as you need it. And,” Alyssa added with what sounded like a mischievous wink, “if you get too stressed, put on a face mask and pamper yourself. It’s crucial to treat yourself well.”

“I already have several exams at the end of this month. I think I might need you to send me a face mask care package, pronto.”

Alyssa’s laugh was genuine and full. “Will do, darling. Alright. I think I’ve interrupted your time with Levi. I will let you go now. Bye, now. Remember my advice.”

“I will. Bye, Alyssa.”

Eren ended the call and gave Levi back his phone.

“Never in my wildest dreams did I think my ex-girlfriend and my current boyfriend would get along so swimmingly,” Levi mused.

“We’re hardly a traditional function around here,” Eren said.

“Very true.”

\--

The next day, Levi sat in his office on a crisp winter day.

Despite the glittering snow still on the ground, the sky was incredibly blue and bright. The warmth streaming through the glass wall made the room feel dreamy and thick with quiet.

There were several items that needed to be looked at and signed for approval.

Scouring through fine prints and business proposals, Levi could feel himself beginning to lose focus… and drifting away into a world of words and black ink…

-

Erwin was making his rounds about the building, checking off a list in his head, like catering to a well-oiled machine.

It was a nice day. Cold, but not unpleasant. Armin had work today, but after that, they had plans for a dinner date. Going to London was a treat, but ever since the new semester started, Armin has engulfed himself in preparations and studying ahead of his classes. Erwin knew it was time to drag that boy out of the house for a breather, whether it was requested or not.

Erwin hummed while pondering tonight’s possibilities, and when he arrived to the top floor, he knocked on Levi’s door, checking his watch while he waited.

When a few moments went by and there was no response, Erwin took the handle and walked in anyway.

The sight before him made him smile.

Levi, pen still in hand, was resting his head upon the surface of his desk. His back rose and fell slowly with deep breaths. The man was asleep.

Erwin took a seat opposite Levi and cleared his throat lowly. Levi was an extremely light sleeper. That would probably be enough to wake him.

Levi bolted up straight and immediately checked his watch. “Oh. Hello, Erwin. Wasn’t expecting you.”

“Levi, when was the last time you slept?”

“Just now. I took a nap.”

“No,” Erwin clarified. “When was the last time you had a full night of sleep? On a bed with the lights turned off. Underneath a blanket. Not surrounded by work. The whole nine yards.”

Levi rubbed the bridge of his nose irritably. He honestly could not remember. Two nights ago, maybe? He checked his laptop and began organizing the stacks of paperwork on his desk. “I’m fine, really. I have a lot to do. Did you need something?”

“Levi.”

Erwin’s stern, unyielding voice caught Levi’s attention. That was the voice Erwin used with employees and business partners. It was the tone he used when he was about to give a formal instruction. Levi would recognize it right away.

“Go home,” Erwin’s voice softened a bit this time. It was friendly, genuine advice. “Go get some sleep. I can hold down the fort. Whatever’s on your agenda can wait a day. You won’t be productive in this state.”

Levi reclined on his chair, but he remained silent. Erwin was right. And that got pretty fucking annoying sometimes.

He clicked his pen shut and began to pack his briefcase.

“That’s the way,” Erwin smiled.

Levi stood and slipped into his coat.

“Get out of here,” Erwin rubbed his back as they walked. “We here at Survey Corp. do not encourage voluntary sleep deprivation.”

A smile twitched at the corner of Levi’s mouth. “Oh, fuck off, Blondie.”

“Irritably and aggression are linked to a lack of sleep,” Erwin then laughed out loud and held the door to the office open.

“Oi. You don’t even know the half of it if you keep that shit up right now.”

“I know, I know,” Erwin held his hands up in a surrender. Despite how long they’ve known each other, Levi’s threats, friendly or not, never really affected him. He never figured out why.

They took the elevator down together, and they passed by Petra’s desk.

She was typing away, glancing back and forth to her planner all the while. As she met Erwin’s eyes, she smiled.

“Petra, I have one very sleep-deprived CEO with me right now. Hold off on sending him briefs and schedules for now. Otherwise he’ll dream about it.”

Petra rested her chin on her hand, with the same teasing smile that mirrored Erwin’s. “Levi. We talked about this. Consistent sleep is a very necessary thing.”

“Everybody’s a critic,” Levi admitted. “And with you two not letting me hear the end of it, I don’t even know why I bother anymore. Fine… I’ll go home and sleep.”

Petra and Erwin shared a hearty laugh, and though he didn’t have the best relationship with sleep, Levi appreciated deep-down that he had these people in his life that genuinely cared about his well-being.

Although, with how big of a jolly his secretary and Co-CEO were having right now, he wasn’t going to tell them that.

\--

“Honey, I’m home!” Eren announced theatrically.

Levi was lying on the couch with his arm draped over his eyes. The classic TV greeting brought quick smile to his face. Eren joined him on the couch, and his hands began to wander over his calves.

“I saw your car in the garage. I’m surprised you’re here so early, actually.”

“Erwin told me I should go home and get some sleep.”

“Didn’t you sleep last night?”

“I tried to. But I was feeling a bit restless, so I ended up getting out of bed and working for most of the night.”

The concerned look on Eren’s face was becoming way too frequent now.

“Nothing to be worried about, though,” Levi assured. “I’m fine.”

“Well, I’ll tell you what. I’m actually fixing to take a nap right now, so why don’t you join me? We’ll catch up on sleep together.”

Levi extended his hands out for Eren to help him sit up. “Alright, boss. Sounds like a plan.”

“Mmm. Boss. I think I like it when you call me that,” Eren said cheekily. “So the first plan of action is getting out of those stuffy work clothes of yours. Once you’re comfy, join me on the bed, where I’ll make sure my man gets the sleep that he needs.”

Eren snaked his hands from behind as they walked. There was nothing soft about Levi’s body. It was rugged and weathered and so very, very tired right now.

He squeezed Levi’s waist quickly before parting ways.

If Eren had any talent at all, it would be removing his clothes in record time. He got into his pajamas in a flash and prepped his bed for Levi’s arrival.

Levi opted for a soft t shirt and shorts. He jumped onto the bed and crawled closer—sleep dragging his eyes down more and more each second.

“Come here, my love,” Eren opened his arms wide against the pillows. A long yawn shaped his next words into an airy, inaudible mumble: “I’m so tired…”

Levi chuckled and pulled the covers over them before settling in. “What a little old man you are,” he teased, “having to take a nap after classes.”

“Hah!” Eren took Levi into his arms, and he loved that the man wrapped his arms tight around his torso and lay his head possessively on his tummy. “That’s so rich coming from my senior citizen boyfriend….”

“Oi…” Levi shut his eyes. “I think I’m too exhausted to fix that sassy mouth of yours.”

“Good. That means I can get away with making fun of you.” Eren petted silky, jet-black locks, and Levi was already drifting away into sleep.

The memory of Levi—so weary and short-tempered—now rendered a sleepy, adorable, short man in his arms made Eren grin to himself. He shut his eyes and drifted away as well.

-

The mattress shifted and Levi’s eyes fluttered open.

He felt someone card their long, knowing fingers through his hair.

When he looked up, he saw sleepy green eyes. “Hey, you.”

Levi rested his chin on Eren’s chest. “Mmm.”

“Good nap?”

Levi felt more rested than he’s been in a long time. Maybe he should give this “consistent sleep” thing a try. “It was wonderful. I’m not usually a napper but I might be a convert after today.”

“That’s it…” Eren cooed. “Maybe you just needed the right man to hold while you slept.”

“You know what, sweetheart? I think you’re right.”

“I’m always right.” Eren yawned and stretched his arms out.

“My little husband is always right, huh?”

“You better believe it.”

“Huh…?” Levi repeated. His hands snaked up Eren’s sides, and when he got close enough, he dug his fingers into those exposed armpits.

The tortured giggles and squeals that filled the air was just a continuation of some dream Levi was having during his nap; something so familiar and warm and sugary-sweet.

\--

Eren was still a little bitter that Levi took advantage of his trapped position on the bed for a tickling session (which was usually reserved as a punishment for when Eren was being extra sassy), but he was ready to begin the evening nonetheless.

He set the table, bringing the bowl of salad that he proudly created from scratch, and waited for Levi to take the lasagna out of the oven.

As he sat, he checked his phone and replied to messages. He was so engulfed in his task that he didn’t even notice that Levi had already set the plates down and waited patiently with hands clasped beneath his chin.

Eren clicked his phone shut and looked at the ever-so-patient man opposite him.

“Oh, sorry. I get distracted sometimes.”

“It’s quite alright.”

“Bon appetit, baby,” Eren winked.

“Merci beaucoup,” Levi watched amusedly as Eren cut into a piece of his lasagna and blow on it to cool it down.

“You’ll really like my salad today. I made it with a little extra somethin’-somethin’. A little bit of that Eren love and magic.”

“A secret ingredient?”

“I made my own vinaigrette today.” Eren took a bite and chewed. “Tell me what you think.”

Levi took the tongs and served himself some salad. As he crunched, he thought about the magic factor. “It tastes a little more… fruity. Refreshing.”

Eren’s sweet smile struck Levi’s heart weak. “I know we usually only do olive oil, but this time I also mixed in lemon juice and apple cider vinegar! Isn’t it good?”

“It’s absolutely delicious, Eren. I love it. You’re such an innovator.”

Eren grinned and served himself a helping of the salad.

“So, there was something I wanted to ask you about,” Levi started.

Eren looked at him expectantly, chewing as his listened.

“I was thinking about how much more you’ve been getting into your art lately, and how great it would be if you had the opportunity to share your talent. I was talking to your mom, too. We know you’re a bit nervous about displaying your work, but would you mind it terribly if we planned you an exhibit to showcase your work?”

“Levi, you know I’m shy about that…”

“I know, darling. It would be a very lowkey event; nothing too fancy. It would help you get out of your creative shell a little more.”

Eren sighed and moved his salad around with his fork. “Knowing you and Ma, you guys probably already have the whole thing planned already, huh?”

Levi pursed his lips. _Well, yeah. Yeah, they did._ They got so excited about the idea of showcasing Eren that they forgot to ask the star of the show for permission. “…We do. But, that’s not to say you can’t decline. It’s entirely up to you. No pressure.”

A smile twitched on the corner of Eren’s mouth. “Fine. What the hell; let’s do it. I don’t want to waste your efforts.”

Levi was delighted. “That’s my boy.”

“When is it?”

“The day after tomorrow. I talked to the building staff and we can reserve the event space in the lobby floor for the evening. You can invite anyone you like. And we can make it a for- or non-profit, also up to you.”

“My art isn’t worth actual money.”

“Why so hard on yourself?” Levi’s voice softened. “I think your art is wonderful. And everyone else will agree.”

“Let’s sell the art and donate the money to charity,” Eren offered. “We do this right.”

“I can arrange that. What kind of charity are you thinking?”

“…Let’s help sexual assault survivors. It’s only fitting after recent events.”

“Excellent idea. I promise you won’t regret this, Eren. I’m proud to show off my talented boyfriend.”

Eren smiled shyly, and he looked down into his lasagna. “…Stop.”

A low chuckle resounded in Levi’s chest.

\--

Eren shuffled around the living room nervously in a nice short-sleeved shirt and slacks. Glancing at the glittery city beyond, the vastness of the night made him feel even more out of control.

Levi entered the front door and checked his watch. He was wearing a crisp navy blue dress shirt, and as usual, the top few buttons were undone. His slacks hugged his ass and thighs just right, and all Eren could think about was how unfair that was. That man had muscles in all the right places. “We’re all set for you downstairs.”

Eren approached him, still apprehensive that there were real people waiting for him and were also going to view his art. The art that he tried so hard to keep away from the judging eyes of the world. He sheepishly collapsed into Levi’s arms. “I’m getting cold feet.”

“You have nothing to be nervous about, sweetheart. Nothing at all. Everyone is very relaxed and interested in your display. All you need to do is walk around and look pretty. Which, based on my experience living with you, you have no problem doing.”

Eren giggled a little.

Levi took his face and squished those sweet cheeks together. “Some people will want to know the backstory behind some of your pieces, and you can just have a chat with them. Just be yourself. I think you’ll see that the crowd is friendlier than you think.”

Eren placed his hands over Levi’s.

“And we have a great cause on our hands. So I really do think this is your night, Mr. Eren Jaeger.”

“Okay. Wish me luck.”

“Good luck,” Levi spoke against Eren’s mouth, and pressed a firm, confidence-boosting smooch into it.

Hand-in-hand, they took the elevator downstairs.

In the event space—a wide, spacious room with smooth light-colored wood flooring—the heels of women’s pumps clicked as they browsed around, and the low chatter of voices bounced off the walls.

The paintings were artfully scattered around the room on easel displays, and the plethora of pencil sketches were strung along a string and were attached by clothes pins. Towards the back of the room was a poster with the name of the charity Levi chose, as well as the prices of each piece. Eren decided he wanted all the 7 x 11 pencil pieces to be $10, and everything else, $30.

Against a different wall, a table was set up that held various pastries, coffee, and an array of prepared champagne flutes.

“Honey bunches!” Carla brisked forward and pulled him into a hug.

“Hey, Ma. Thanks for planning this with Levi. Even before I gave my permission. But, I gotta admit it looks great.”

“I would never miss an opportunity to share my son’s talent with the world. I’m so excited you agreed to this. It’s going to be a lovely night. There might even be some unlikely appearances.”

“I think you’re more excited about tonight than I am,” Eren grinned teasingly. Carla held him at arm’s distance, and her normally sunny face twitched in an all-familiar frown.

“Eren Jaeger. I leave you for a few weeks and you let your hair get to this state.” She began violently combing through it with her fingers, fashioning it into a makeshift side-part.

Levi pursed his lips amusedly at the sight.

“Ma…” Eren groaned. Carla only stopped once his hair was a little more “presentable”, as she put it.

She took his arm and ushered him forward. “Excuse me, may I have everyone’s attention, please?”

A whole room of eyes directed their attention towards her.

“This is my darling son, Eren. He’s the artist whose art you’re all looking at today. Please feel free to look around and take something home with you. All proceeds will go to a sexual assault resource center. And help yourself to any refreshments.”

She turned to Eren and stroked his cheek, and she lifted his chin up higher with a mental message. _Be confident, baby._

With Carla making her way around the room as a hostess/curator hybrid, the room was feeling less of a judgement-free zone. Eren figured he should start making his way around to thank everyone for coming out. He figured people were probably wondering about his angsty art subjects, too.

He looked around for Levi, but the man was suddenly nowhere in sight. That was weird, he was here just a minute ago.

 _Well, whatever,_ Eren thought. _He probably went to the restroom or something._

He used the time to walk around and begin engaging his guests.

\--

Eren finished telling a pair of women about a particular painting of a field of daisies. This was inspired by when they were studying Van Gogh in school.

One of the women, a resident of Trost Tower (though Eren had never seen her before) decided to take it home.

Carla happily stepped in and attached a tag on the easel, marking that the painting could be viewed for the rest of the night, but was no longer available to purchase.

Eren smiled as his mother squeezed his arms encouragingly.

And in the near distance, a calm, familiar voice approached.

“Excuse me, are you the young artist of this exhibit?”

Eren and Carla looked up, and Eren immediately kicked up into a jog to meet the guest halfway.

“Pops!”

Two Jaeger men embraced warmly, and Eren stepped back to shake his father’s hand in playful formality. “How do you do on this fine evening, Dr. Jaeger? Well, I hope?”

Eren’s father laughed, which was not a common occurrence, due to his profession. He ran his fingers through his son’s hair, careful not to mess up the impromptu side-part that Carla fashioned. “I’m a happy man tonight, Mr. Jaeger. Do you know why? Because my son is displaying his hard work and talent.”

“I wouldn’t call it “hard work”,” Eren scratched his neck bashfully. “To be honest with you, the only reason I decided to go through with it is because Ma and Levi had the whole thing planned already, pretty much.”

“You’re not a shy person, Eren. I don’t know what it is about you and your art. Embrace your talent. It’s one of many.”

“I just don’t find anything marketable about being able to paint or draw. Not for me at least.”

Grisha led him to an empty corner for a little more privacy. “Son, where did you get this outlandish idea that a skill is useless unless it’s marketable?” His voice was stern, but Eren knew that his father’s sternness always came from a good place.

Eren shrugged, and he just realized that was a thought he wouldn’t even feel comfortable divulging to even his mother or Levi.

“Look around,” Grisha took Eren’s shoulders close. “All these people are here are enjoying your work.” His voice softened a little: “Do you mean to tell me there’s nothing valuable in that?”

Eren shook his head. “I guess you’re right. I think I’m just living in a time and generation where if you can’t put something on a resume, it’s almost not even worth embracing.”

Grisha nodded knowingly. “I understand what you mean. And I see how that ideology was ingrained into you. If you’re finding it difficult to be proud of your hidden talents, I’ll be proud for the both of us. Me, and your mother. And I’ll never stop embracing every facet that you have to offer.”

Eren smiled and wrapped his arms around his father’s torso. He didn’t really need to say anything. His dad just _got_ him.

“I’m surprised you turned out tonight, Pop. I’ll be honest.”

“I wouldn’t miss a night as important as this. I decided to stop by and take a few hours off for lunch.”

Eren laughed out loud. “Dad, it’s 7 pm. Normal people would call this dinner time.”

Grisha sighed in defeat. “You don’t think I hear enough of that from your mother?”

“You workaholic men. I don’t understand you at all.”

“Speaking of which, where’s Levi? I haven’t had a chance to greet him and thank him for organizing this.”

“I actually don’t know. I haven’t seen him around lately. I think he’s answering a call or something. He’ll probably be back.”

“Alright. In the meantime, I think I’ll have a look around and brag about my son.”

“ _Pops_ ,” Eren groaned and rolled his eyes.

“It’s one of the joys of fatherhood,” Grisha said. He massaged Eren’s shoulders firmly.

“Don’t leave tonight before coming upstairs and checking out the apartment,” Eren ordered.

“Absolutely. I promise,” Grisha nodded.

Eren gave one last smile to his father before walking around a bit and engaging the guests.

-

Someone touched the small of his back with a possessive touch, and Eren turned around.

Levi held up a bouquet of flowers. “Congratulations on your night, love.”

Eren looked around to make sure no one was looking, and he took Levi into a hug. “Leviiii. You know how I feel about flowers.”

“I know. This one was more for formalities. That’s why…” Levi took Eren’s hand and led him to the refreshments table, where an artfully arranged bouquet of fruit sat. “This is the true bouquet for you.”

“Hell yeah,” Eren smiled. “This is more my style. Did you write me a card? For formalities?”

Levi reached into his coat and took out an enveloped card. “You know how we do tradition, you and I.”

Eren’s heart fluttered. “Levi. Kiss me.”

Levi took his face and provided two full, sweet smooches.

“So that’s why you left…” Eren smiled when he stood back up straight. “And here I was thinking you left me at the altar.”

“Me? Leaving you at the altar? I was hoping you thought a little more highly of me.”

“Of course I do, boo. Oh, before I forget, my dad showed up. I think he was looking for you.”

“I’ll find him,” Levi nodded. He squeezed Eren’s hand before turning on his heel.

Eren eyed the bouquet of fruit and took out a skewer on the edge closest to him. The “flower” had melon slices for leaves, and a pineapple flower with a peach center.

He nibbled at it, and he rested his back against the wall.

Some time later, another voice could be heard from the entrance of the event space: “Where’s Eren?”

Eren looked up from his skewer, and right then, he and Armin locked eyes.

Armin dragged Erwin’s hand along as he walked.

“Wow, what a cool space!” Armin said after they shared a quick hug. “I’ve never seen so much of your art all at once.”

“That was on purpose,” Eren laughed dryly. “I’m glad you two showed up, though.”

“I hope you wouldn’t mind too much, but I made a few calls to some art aficionados,” Erwin said. “I heard there was a great cause.”

“I don’t mind anymore. The more the merrier. Plus, I really, really want to get all this work off my mom’s hands.

“Excellent.”

“Do you gentlemen want some refreshments?” Eren beckoned to the table full of desserts and drinks.

“Such a good host,” Armin teased. “Whoa, is that fruit?”

They looked at the arrangement on the edge of the table. Eren nodded. “Funny story about that. Levi wanted to buy me flowers for the special night, but we both know I can’t handle keeping flowers alive, so he also bought me a bouquet I could eat.”

“That… is so like you,” Armin shook his head and took a skewer.

Eren met gazes with an inquiring visitor, and he excused himself.

Armin smiled at Erwin and they began browsing the exhibit.

A painting of a big, blue eye made Armin grin. “This is me! Eren used me as a subject for his art project back in senior year of high school.”

“It’s incredibly detailed…” Erwin breathed, and he leaned in to get a closer look at it.

“He was learning about photo-realism at the time. If I’m not mistaken, I think Eren won an award for this piece.”

“Well, no doubt I’ll take it. I think it would look great in the library,” Erwin said.

“As flattering as that is, I’m not sure how I feel about my own eye staring at me while I’m reading.”

“A little unsettling, huh?” Erwin laughed. “We’ll figure out an appropriate place.”

Eren had come by once more, and he had a very knowing look to him. “I knew you two would gravitate towards this one. You’ll take it?”

“Absolutely,” Erwin confirmed. “You’re very talented, Eren. Work of this caliber belongs in a museum. I mean that.”

Eren shook his head bashfully, and he took a tag out of small bag attached to his hip. “Even showing my art to family like you guys is a huge feat for me. Let’s chill on the museum idea for now.”

He attached a tag to the easel to mark that it was taken.

When he stood up straight, his brow cocked, and he looked back up at Erwin. “Erwin. Whatever you’re feeding this boy, you need to feed him more of it.” He walked behind Armin and squeezed his thin arms. “He needs more meat on his bones.”

Erwin laughed. “I’ll do my best. Although, I’ve tried. Armin can’t seem to gain any weight.”

“I like how the two of you are talking about me as if I’m not standing here,” Armin said.

“Hey, I gotta make sure Erwin is meeting my expectations for you,” Eren said. He rubbed Erwin’s back firmly. “Right, Erwin?”

“Rest assured that I’m treating Armin like a king,” Erwin promised.

“Good. Alright, I’m gonna go work some more sales.” He nodded politely, and a mischievous smile curved his mouth. “Gentlemen.”

Eren took his leave.

“What was that all about?” Armin mused, and he led Erwin’s hand to a bench.

“An interesting person, your friend, there.”

“He seems to have very high standards for you,” Armin said. “Even when it’s just us two conversing, he likes to know about our relationship.”

“I think it comes from a good place,” Erwin assured. “I’ve never told you, but Eren sat me down when you and I first became official.”

“What did that idiot say?” Armin braced himself for embarrassing personal facts to come full circle.

“Well…” Erwin recalled the memory fondly. He remembered vivid green eyes and bold, knitted brows. “He said that after getting to know me a bit more, he was determined that I was a suitable match for you.”

Armin pursed his lips to hide his smile.

“And… verbatim: ‘ _You better treat my friend right_.’” He took Armin’s shoulder assuredly.

“You know…” Armin started, and he gazed across the room where Eren was welcoming a wave of new guests, “as much as I dog on Eren, I really do owe him for a lot. His matchmaking is what brought us together. I was way too shy to make the move at that barbeque. He was the one that literally dragged me over to meet you.”

“He’s a good young man,” Erwin confirmed. “I can tell he cares about you a great deal.”

“He does. I hope to look out for him, too.”

Erwin lifted Armin’s chin. “Let me go pay for the painting before I forget. I’ll be right back.”

Armin rejoined Eren on the floor, who was looking quite overwhelmed for some reason.

“Are you good?”

Eren clenched his fists and looked around. “Erwin knows way too many people. All these new people are here because of him. And they all think I’m an established artist, and I keep telling them I’m not, but they don’t believe me.”

Armin laughed. “What a dilemma you’re in, Picasso.”

“Stop!” Eren shoved his shoulder. “They’re literally comparing me to Picasso and Monet. This is too much pressure!”

“But it seems you’re making a lot of sales,” Armin pointed to Carla in the distance, who was quickly marking taken pieces with tags. The guests were keeping her quite busy. “Plus, it’s a great cause. So, I think you’re a smashing success. I’m glad Levi did this for you.”

“You know, in a sick, twisted way, I’m glad, too,” Eren said. “I talked to Pops, too. And he’s teaching me to be more proud of my talents, even if they’re not mainstream or quantifiable.”

“’Quantifiable’,” Armin repeated. “Look at you, with those big words.”

“Hey, I’m learning new words left and right these days,” Eren said proudly. “So, mock me all you will, but I’m climbing up the IQ ranks _quick_.”

“ _Eren_ ,” Armin giggled and shook his head.

“Hey,” Eren changed the subject with a fresh sparkle in his eyes. “That champagne over there is calling my name. Wanna join me?”

“What if Mom or Dad catch us?” Armin followed him over.

“I don’t think they would’ve allowed alcohol in my exhibit if they really wanted it to be a dry night.”

“I think they were hoping it would be for the guests,” Armin pointed.

When they got to the table, Eren’s fruit bouquet was looking very bare, as many impressed guests have helped themselves to it.

Eren didn’t blame them. They didn’t know it was a gift.

He took a glass for himself and another for Armin. “Cheers! Bottom’s up,” Eren lifted his glass.

“Cheers,” Armin clinked their glasses together.

They shared a few sips together in silence (Eren’s were more like gulps), and Carla’s voice spoke up from somewhere:

“Can I have your attention, please, everyone?”

The room hushed considerably.

“It’s a bittersweet feeling to let you all know that all the pieces have been officially sold! Let’s all hear some words from the artist himself, my darling son, Eren!”

Grisha, who was standing nearby with Levi, started a round of applause, and the guests joined him.

“That’s all you!” Armin pushed him forward.

Eren set his glass down quickly and joined his mother.

He felt a bit nervous that all eyes were fixated on him now.

“Hey, everyone. Umm, thank you very much for coming out tonight and enjoying my art. It took a lot of guts for me to show it, so I appreciate all the kind words you all have given me. Umm… we have a great cause tonight. 100% of the proceeds will go towards providing resources to sexual assault survivors. You can read more about the charity in the back table. I loved hearing all your thoughts on my pieces. Thanks again for such a great evening. It truly means a lot.”

Eren ended his mini-speech with a decisive nod, and the all the guests clapped once more. Levi put his fingers to his mouth and made some flattering whistles. When those precious emerald eyes met with his own, he gave Eren a secret wink.

“Good job, honey!” Carla gushed lowly. She rubbed Eren’s back encouragingly.

Eren blew out a breath of air.

She spoke to the audience again: “Please don’t forget to pay for your pieces if you haven’t already! And have one last look at the pieces—you can take them home in thirty minutes!”

The low chatter and laughs resurfaced in the room, and Eren went over to join his father and boyfriend.

He immediately walked into Grisha’s open arms, and his hair was sufficiently ruffled. “I’m going to help your mother with collecting the payments,” he spoke near Eren’s ear. “I’ll give you some time with Levi.”

Levi nodded politely at Grisha before he left, and now it was just him and the star of the show. “Well, well, well. If it isn’t my famous boyfriend.”

Eren hid his face shyly. “Stooop…” he groaned. “I’ve had enough fame and attention for one night.”

“I’m so proud of you,” Levi took Eren closer by the belt loops. “Eren… look at me.”

Eren met his eyes finally.

“Sweetheart,” Levi said lowly. “You’re the greatest.”

“Thank you, hubs…” Eren murmured just as lowly. “I know.”

“There he is, that’s the Eren I know.”

“You know, as fucked up as my emotions are about this whole thing…” Eren smiled slyly, “I think I can get used to being coveted by strangers. I feel like… a celebrity. A culture vulture. An undiscovered talent.”

Levi listened to Eren’s explanation of his newfound stardom. “Mmmm… I think I want to discover a little more of you later…”

Eren put a firm hand up. “Nope. If you want to flirt with me, you’re gonna have to go through my publicist and manager first.”

“The fame is starting to get to your head,” Levi said. He pulled Eren in and laid a round of smooches all over his face.

Eren giggled and pecked a retaliation kiss on Levi’s cheek. “Okay. Let me go help the parental units close this out.”

“Do your thing, honey bunches,” Levi called.

Eren looked over his shoulder with wide eyes. “Don’t call me that!”

\--

The night was coming to an end, and the exhibit was looking more empty as guests were matched with their pieces and payments were collected.

Levi helped the building staff clean up. He folded away the easels and packed away the refreshments table.

Guests were beginning to trickle out little by little.

One of Erwin’s connections that showed up tonight, a serious older man with a vintage outfit and delightfully intricate facial hair, handed Eren a business card. His introduced himself as a curator of one of the city’s museums, and urged him to give him a ring if he was ever serious about making his art public.

Eren stared at the card long after the curator took his leave. This whole night felt a bit like a fever dream.

-

“Looks like we’re all packed up,” Grisha said.

“How ‘bout we all go upstairs and have some coffee?” Eren offered.

“Sounds good to me,” Levi said.

Carla was busy thanking the building’s event manager for the space, and she joined the group momentarily.

As they made their way to the elevators, Levi placed his hand on the small of Eren’s back. A comforting, consistent reminder.

-

“Woow,” Carla gushed when they entered the apartment. “Oh, it smells heavenly, too.”

“Incense,” Levi divulged. “It lasts longer than air fresheners and even essential oils.”

“No kidding…” Carla seemed enlightened. “I think I’m going to take some notes. Now that Eren’s not home as often, I think a house makeover is in the works.”

“I’m gonna start some coffee. Does anyone want tea instead?” Eren wondered.

Pretty much everyone except Eren and Grisha opted for tea.

“Honey, I think it would be best to hold off on the coffee for now,” Carla told Eren. “You have classes tomorrow.”

“I would say the same, son, but I’d be a hypocrite,” Grisha said.

Carla glared at her husband, and though she said nothing, her thoughts were very clear: _Encourage your son to make healthy decisions!_

Grisha joined Eren in the kitchen. “What do you say you go for some decaf? I have to go back to work after this, but it’s important for you to get your sleep,” he told Eren.

Eren looked at his father. “…Fine.”

Grisha turned back around to his wife. _See, I’m a great father._

Carla hid her smile, and she cocked her brow, teasing him. _Hmph._

Though Eren told his father that he would go for decaf, he secretly made himself regular coffee, along with the cup for his dad. His emotions were running haywire after tonight’s event, and he found caffeine to be strangely calming.

While Eren got to work on the drinks, Carla and Armin settled on the couch and caught up, and Levi, Erwin, and Grisha talked about a game of pool.

While he was waiting for the water to boil, Eren came around and sat beside his mother.

“I have great news for you,” Carla stroked Eren’s cheek with the back of her knuckles.

“Hm?”

“You raised $9,000 tonight, honey!”

Eren looked quizzical. “Nine stacks? There has to be some kind of mistake. I don’t think I even had enough pieces to add up to that.”

“It’s no mistake, son,” Grisha said from where he was helping set up the pool table.

“Well, all your pieces were sold,” Carla explained, “plus, on top of the mandatory prices we posted, some people were so inspired by you that they donated just because.”

“Wow…” Eren smiled slowly. “That actually makes me happy. I like the charity Levi picked.”

“It should make you happy,” Carla pinched Eren’s cheek. “You’ve made such a large impact. We’re all so proud of you.”

“I know Mikasa is, too,” Armin said.

“I’m gonna go check on the drinks,” Eren got up quickly. He was more eager for the opportunity to hide his shyness and disbelief that his art actually made all that money.

-

With drinks dispersed, the apartment felt warm and welcome with this big family.

Eren joined the game of pool, and it was a doubles match between him and his father against Levi and Erwin.

“Sorry, Levi,” Eren whispered into his ear. “But you’re going down. My dad’s in the mix, and he’s not playing games.”

“We’ll see about that,” Levi whispered back, and he polished his pool cue.

Sleeves were rolled up, and a very pride-filled but low-energy game commenced.

\--

“I’m telling you boys, you might have to wine and dine your clients, but I have plenty of practice in this department, too.”

The Jaeger men took the victory on doubles pool. Eren attributed it mainly to his father, and he had to admit, seeing Levi lose at something was quite refreshing.

“Next time, this will be for money,” Levi said.

“Agreed,” Erwin said. They both looked in a sorry state of disbelief.

“You businessmen always need incentive,” Grisha shook his head, a smile curling his mouth. “Treat every round like life or death, that’s the trick.”

“Spoken like a true doctor,” Eren nodded proudly. He collected everyone’s sticks and helped set back up the lounge.

Grisha put his watch back on and glanced at the time. “Alright. It’s been wonderful, gentlemen. I need to go put another shift in.”

“Alright, Grisha,” Levi and Erwin took turns shaking his hand and promising him a rematch.

“I’ll walk you out,” Eren told him.

Carla, who was holding Armin in her arms, roused him so they can see Grisha out, too.

“Bye, Dad,” Armin hugged Grisha, and had his soft blond hair ruffled. He grinned and returned the couch.

Carla said her good-bye by taking Grisha’s face and pressing their lips together quietly.

Eren, who was waiting for his turn, cringed a little at the mild display. “Gross,” he smiled.

His parents ended their smooch just to yank him in by the arms and smother him in kisses.

Levi was watching the scene from afar and his heart warmed a bit.

“We’re so proud of you, son,” Grisha said. “Always remember that.”

“I will. I’ll call you soon, alright, Pops?”

The doctor took his leave, and Carla smiled sympathetically at Eren. “It’s getting late, I think we should all go soon.”

-

Once it was just Eren and Levi again, after having said good-bye to all the guests, it was quite late.

Eren was glad his mother took the bouquet of flowers off his hands. They would be alive for much longer under her care.

“Alright, Mister, off to bed,” Levi said. He patted Eren’s butt firmly with his decision.

“But I’m not tired…”

“I normally wouldn’t argue but you have an early class tomorrow and you’re not a graceful waker when you’re running short on sleep.”

“I’m extremely graceful. 24/7.”

“24/7, huh?” Levi asked. “Gracefully find yourself in bed and I’ll meet you there soon, okay?”

“Alright.”

-

Eren was showered but still wide awake in bed.

He figured he was running high on emotions from tonight. The number 9,000 kept floating around in his head.

Levi slipped into the room and sat on the edge of the bed and stroked Eren’s cheek silently.

“So, what did you think of tonight? Yay or nay?”

“It was a yay,” Eren confirmed. “I was so nervous at first. God, Levi, you shoulda seen me. I was quaking in my damn boots.”

“I know, baby…” Levi soothed.

“But,” Eren continued, with a heavy exhale, “the exhibit was great. I got to meet some great people. An actual museum curator said he can even get my art in a museum if I decide to get serious. Plus, we raised a shit-ton of money.”

“I’m so happy for you, Eren.” Levi patted Eren’s cheek. “See? You had nothing to worry about.”

Eren turned his face to kiss Levi’s palm. “And thank you so much for planning it with Ma. You always do so much for me.”

“It was no problem at all,” Levi said. “I had a great time tonight, too. …Still a little bitter that your father whooped my fucking ass in pool, but I’ll get over it.”

Eren laughed. “Levi, I told you. That man does _not_ play. He doesn’t lose at anything.” He puckered his lips expectantly.

Levi leaned down and offered three goodnight kisses. “Good night. I love you more than anything.”

“Good night, love you more.”

\--

Levi was immersed in work, completely in his element.

There was a soft padding of feet into the study, and Eren touched Levi’s shoulder to get his attention.

“Eren. What’s wrong, lover? A nightmare?”

Eren shook his head. “I can’t sleep. I’ve been tossing and turning for the past two hours.”

Levi pulled Eren into his lap. “That wasn’t decaf you drank earlier, was it?”

“…”

Levi chuckled lowly. “I knew it.”

“I regret my decision,” Eren let his head fall back on Levi’s shoulder. “I figured the caffeine would calm me down.”

“What do you say…” Levi spoke quietly into Eren’s ear, his voice so rich and warm like it usually was, “we go for a night drive? Just you and me?”

“That’s a good idea.”

“Come on,” Levi whispered encouragingly.

Eren slipped on his shoes and brought his blanket along. Levi put his coat over his pajamas and found his keys.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in public with your pajamas,” Eren smiled.

“What was that thing you told me once? About being naked?”

“Oh!” Eren laughed, “The Lord said: ‘Come as you are’. He was not kidding.”

“There we go,” Levi chuckled. “We’ll be in a car so I suppose it doesn’t matter, anyway.”

In the Aston, Eren reclined his seat all the way and Levi threw the blanket over his body.

As they drove through the quiet, hushed city, Eren found himself comforted by Levi’s presence and the low hum of the engine. His eyes fluttered shut despite his will, and memories of the night echoed in his mind.

The gorgeous cityscape at night calmed Levi, too. Eren’s low snoring beside him was a familiar sound.

He glanced at his snoozing boyfriend for a moment. The passing streetlights casted golden-yellow beams over his face and body.

That young man was so adorable. _So damn lovable_. Levi smiled a bit.

Life may have had its unpleasant moments, and turbulent times, but life with Eren? Cruising through smooth roads in the sleepy 2 am morning… it made Levi think: there was nothing unpleasant about life with Eren Jaeger.

\--

Eren drove to the Survey Corp. headquarters after his class. He didn’t surprise Levi at work much these days, but sometimes, he just wanted a quick mid-day fix of that man.

He hoped Levi wasn’t too busy with a meeting. He was hoping they could take an hour and grab lunch together.

He walked right towards Petra’s desk.

When she looked up, her face brightened more than usual.

“Eren… so nice to see a familiar face around here!”

“Hey, Petra. How was your day so far?”

“Staying busy, but can’t complain. Did you have a class today?”

“Yeah… I was hoping to whisk Levi away for lunch.”

“Ooh, honey, I’m sorry,” Petra looked sympathetic. “He and Erwin are away to do the magazine interview shoot today. Did he tell you about that?”

Eren thought back on it, and he finally remembered. Levi got the offer after Survey Corp won “Best Companies to Work For”. Some business magazine wanted to do a section called “Brains and Brawn” about Erwin’s and Levi’s approach to being Co-CEOs.

Eren nodded. “He did, but he didn’t mention it was today. That sucks.”

Petra reclined in her chair and smiled knowingly. “He’s probably trying to keep it lowkey. Levi doesn’t have the highest regard for magazines.”

“What do you mean?”

“He doesn’t really like being interviewed. Not for business, but especially about his personal life. Men’s Health magazine is always harassing our PR team to do a piece on Levi.”

“Whoa, Men’s Health? That’s huge!”

“They want him to pose shirtless for the front cover, but I think at this point, they’ll even take him fully clothed. He’s hardly a typical CEO. He declines every time.”

“Levi never told me about this…!” Eren’s eyes widened. “I still don’t get it… why doesn’t he want to do it? It would be such an accomplishment.”

“I think he’s just annoyed they keep bothering PR after he initially said ‘no’… but, as he puts it:” Petra cleared her throat and lowered her voice so that it was low and smooth like the man in reference, “’I’m a _businessman_ , Petra, not a swimsuit model.’”

Eren laughed. “No wonder he didn’t tell me. I definitely would’ve harassed him to go for it, too.”

“Between you and I…” Petra whispered, and cupped her hand around her mouth for the secret, “I want him to go for it, too.”

They shared a knowing laugh. Eren was glad he learned something new about Levi. Despite their honest relationship, Eren always managed to learn more about his man through Erwin or Petra.

“Alright, well… it was nice catching up with you, at least, Petra,” Eren readjusted his backpack straps and began to turn away.

“Of course,” Petra grinned. “I love when you visit. Even if it is just for a few minutes.”

\--

While Eren had the rest of the day off, he had lunch at a pizza parlor by himself, and then drove to the police station to talk to some of his officer friends.

“If you wanna go on that ride-along, Eren, we’d love to take ya…” one of them said.

“Yeah, I’m good ‘til nighttime. I’m so pumped.”

The department temporarily deputized Eren to give him a real experience, and a vest for extra effect.

Eren was officially an enforcer of the law.

…At least for the evening.

\--

“I guess some stereotypes are true,” Eren said.

After the halfway break six hours into the shift, the cops on duty figured Eren had gotten a proper taste of the job. And for the break, coffee and donuts were well underway.

“They sure as shit are,” one of the officers said after a hearty bite of a jelly-filled donut. “How was your experience, pal?”

“Intense,” Eren said. “So much happened in one shift. I’m surprised you guys are able to remove yourselves from the trauma so well.”

Amidst the domestic calls, the milder speed limit violations, and even a foot chase of an attempted restaurant robbery on the outskirts of town, Eren got a front-row seat to the criminal justice scene in Trost. Admittedly, he had to stay in the squad car for most of the incidents (as the cops feared for Eren’s safety), but he still saw most of the action first-hand.

“You gotta learn how to separate yourself from work, especially in law enforcement,” one of the more serious cops said. “Otherwise, your body will cave in on itself from the stress and worry. Having outlets to blow off steam are important.”

“What are your outlets?” Eren asked them curiously.

“I go to the gym and pump iron,” one of the cops said.

“I play my guitar,” said another.

Eren’s favorite one of the bunch, the one that visits him at the coffee shop most often, said: “I cook mean plates for the wife. I’m a vegetarian.”

The other cops looked at him for a moment and burst into laughter. “Your chubby ass is NOT vegetarian!”

“I swear to God, I am!”

“Your wife’s a champ for that.”

“You fucker. It’s _healthier._ ”

Eren laughed, too, and someone peered into the open door of the office.

“Eren, you’re here and you didn’t tell me, kiddo?” Hannes asked. He entered and helped himself to a donut.

“Hey, Hannes. I didn’t know you were around. Are you on duty?”

“Paperwork stuff,” he nodded. “How’s your mom?”

“She’s alright. I went on an official ride-along today,” Eren pointed to his TPD department vest.

“If you wanted a ride-along, you could’ve just called me.”

The vegetarian cop spoke up, “Eren needs to experience a shift _without_ the influence of booze,” he teased.

Though all the cops guffawed heartily at the insult, Hannes went to the disher himself and put him in a half-playful chokehold from behind. “I should kill your vegetarian ass, Chub.”

The serious cop reached over and massaged Eren’s neck with his hand. “You visit us at the station more often, got it, kid?”

“Yes, sir.”

\--

When Eren got home, Levi’s car was in the garage, but he wasn’t in the apartment.

Eren shot a quick text message:

_Where is my husband at this hour?_

_I’m downstairs at the gym. I’m just about finishing up._

Eren daydreamed about a freshly exercised Levi. _Oooh. Send pics ;)_

He was joking a bit, with his flirtatious request. With how long they’ve been together, Eren surprisingly hasn’t ever asked Levi for saucy selfies. But, within a minute or so, he received a photo that made his eyes go wide and he definitely sat up straighter.

Levi sent a mirror picture of himself; his black tank top and porcelain skin drenched with sweat. The sheen of his muscles made them look absolutely taut and delicious and healthy… his hair was slicked off his forehead and with his free hand, he held up the hem of his tank top to show a good peek of those defined, rock-solid abs.

Eren’s definitely seen Levi naked in person plenty of times, but _hoooooolyyyy shit_ , did Levi take a _damn_ good gym selfie.

His fingers were frantic over the keyboard:

_HUBBA HUBBA!!!! YOWZA!! AWOOOOOOOOGA!!!! HOT HOT HOT!!!!!_

From where he was sitting on a bench to catch his breath, a flattered Levi hid his smile as he replied:

_Are you objectifying me?_

Eren’s next response made Levi laugh out loud, and he was glad there was no one around to stare at him:

_I absolutely am! Come back home so I can objectify you properly, stud!!!_

\--

Eren did some homework, studied for a couple of hours, and went to Levi’s study to drag that man to bed.

To whomever he was on the phone with, Levi was speaking in short, quipped sentences, and the annoyance could be heard through his closely grimacing teeth.

Eren was approaching from behind.

“Alright. Thank you.”

Eren sat down on Levi’s lap, and after ending the call, Levi calmly placed his cell phone face-down on his desk. “…Fucking cunt,” he cussed lowly.

Eren laughed sympathetically. “Is everything okay?”

Levi took a deep, much-needed breath. “Annoying business people,” he explained. “That don’t understand that there’s more to life than just sitting pretty and wiping your ass with one hundred dollar bills,” he finished.

Eren figured he could work out a more coherent explanation later. For now, a fix was in order. “Sounds like you need a strong cup of tea…”

He stood up and extended his hands outward to help Levi to his feet.

He made sure Levi was seated at the living room couch and some gentle music was turned on to soothe the man’s nerves before going to the kitchen to prepare the drink.

-

Eren treaded lightly on his feet over to Levi, who was still looking absolutely irritated.

He placed the mug down on the coffee table. “Stop scowling,” Eren instructed. “You’ll ruin that handsome face of yours.”

Levi sighed again and took the mug for a grateful sip. He immediately seemed a bit more relaxed. “Thanks for the pick-me-up. I apologize for being pissy.”

Eren rubbed Levi’s thigh soothingly. “Don’t apologize. I’m here for you, always. I’m just curious to know who in the world could possibly get under your skin this badly.”

“Potential partners that try to micromanage our company,” Levi explained. “It’s one thing to try to take advantage of me, but when motherfuckers try to take advantage of my employees, then the gloves come off. I want to be cooperative, but I’m trying to decide where to draw the line. ”

Eren nodded. “I think I understand.”

Eren noticed that about Levi. He was very protective of his own. It was such an attractive, respectable quality.

Levi took another sip and wrapped his arm around Eren’s shoulder. “Thanks for listening to me rant.”

“Always.” Eren pecked a kiss on Levi’s jaw.

-

Now that they were in bed, and Eren had given Levi more time to vent his thoughts (plus a back massage), the atmosphere was now good enough for a proper night of sleep.

“You sure know how to treat your boyfriend, Eren,” a relaxed Levi said.

“You’re more than my boyfriend,” Eren explained. “You’re the man that I lie down with at night. You’re my better half.”

Levi put his arms behind his head. “Such a romantic…”

Eren straddled Levi’s hips and looked down lovingly. “What can I say? You bring out my cheesiness. You have that effect on me.”

He leaned down, so that their noses were practically touching. “I have a confession…”

“What’s your confession, darling?”

Eren came out with it in a fast, breathy whisper: “I love you.” He placed a fat, obnoxious smooch on Levi’s cheek.

Levi looked smitten. “You’re about fifty years too late trying to plant one on me, boy,” he growled. He knocked Eren off balance to drag him down to the mattress, holding him tight in his arms.

Needless to say, Eren received a fair share of sweet nothings and secret squeezes after that.

\--

While Eren was getting an early day started, his phone buzzed from a message from Levi:

_What do you want for breakfast, sweetheart?_

Eren sighed.

 _Levi, I’m constipated._ He added a depressed emoji face _. I’m stuck on the toilet._

He half expected Levi to tease him, but he should’ve known better:

_I will make you some barley tea. It helps with constipation._

_My bathroom is unlocked_

-

Levi knocked before entering, trying not to smile or tease Eren about his predicament. He was known to make a really good shit joke, but he refrained and tried to be the caring older boyfriend.

Eren sat boredly on the toilet seat, and his boxers were pooled around his ankles. “Hey, playboy. You come here often?”

Levi handed the hot mug over and placed his hand on Eren’s head. “Don’t flirt me with me when you’re sitting on the toilet.” He pinched Eren’s cheek in warning.

Eren took a sip and sighed again. “It feels like I’ll be sitting here for eternity, so I might as well get my flirting in while I can. Y’know?”

Levi chuckled lowly before turning back around. “I’ll check up on you in a bit.”

Eren watched as the door shut after Levi, and he took another sip. He got to thinking. Levi’s cures were so unconventional. Who the hell knew that barley tea helped with constipation? _Levi was such an old man,_ Eren giggled to himself. When Eren was constipated as a kid, his father would give him half a dose of a laxative, or have him drink lukewarm coffee for regularity. It made him think of where Levi learned these kinds of things.

\--

In any case, the barley tea did in fact end up helping. 45 more minutes on the toilet, and Eren was finally able to poop.

The enlightened look he shared with Levi upon entering the kitchen was priceless.

“How are you feeling, Mr. Jaeger?” Levi teased. “You look like a new man.”

“I won’t lie, I actually had a really good shit after that tea.” He handed Levi the empty mug, which he washed immediately.

“Glad to hear it,” Levi smirked.

“I think that’s also the first time you’ve seen me on the toilet,” Eren said.

“Do you have some kind of weird relationship bucket list that I don’t know about, Eren?”

“Yeah.”

Levi expected some sort of elaboration, but Eren didn’t add anything. Instead, he looked around absentmindedly.

“Oi…” Levi came around and crossed his arms.

Eren raised an eyebrow. “Mm?”

Levi sighed heavily. “Never a dull moment with you, huh?”

Eren swiveled his barstool and ushered Levi over.

With the man nestled between his legs, Eren held Levi’s face in his hands. “Why have dull moments when we can make everything spicy?”

“I’m a very simple man,” Levi said lowly. “All I crave is stability and normalcy.”

Eren knew he would be in for it the moment he said it, but any opportunity to poke fun was one that he took: “No, that would make you an _old_ man.”

Levi made sure to dig his fingers into Eren’s ribs in punishment for that.


	93. Seabound

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ah this chapter was so long that I decided to split it into two halves so you guys wouldn't have to wait 30 years for an upload.
> 
> Enjoy ><
> 
> (Please leave a comment when you're done reading to tell me your thoughts!)

Eren yanked down his pants in one efficient pull.

Maybe it was a generational thing. He used to enjoy sending full-on nudes to Levi. He got a little kick out of it—the prospect of catching his boyfriend off-guard in an important meeting. He also knew that Levi had a whole album on his phone dedicated to him. But… Eren found his own tastes were changing.

Eren was more into subtlety these days. A little tease here and there, maybe even a flash of skin. Black coffee; and chaste, admiring kisses with minimal tongue.

Ever since the incident over winter break—and having been violated—he’s been a bit shy about his body. At first it was a complete disgust, but with the continuing work with his therapist and the fact that Levi was just the most comforting, patient man… Eren has learned to start owning himself once again.

This morning, Eren felt cheeky. Quite literally. He figured Levi could benefit from a little mirror selfie of his butt.

With his pajama pants and boxers yanked just enough to expose his ass, and his sweatshirt pulled up, Eren hopped on the edge of the granite counter to complete the selfie.

He twisted his torso to look at himself through his phone’s camera lens, and to make sure his ass looked very marketable, but his leg slipped off the edge and he clumsily fell off the counter.

“Ow,” Eren rubbed his bare thigh where the counter scraped past his skin.

He felt a bit foolish for a second; half-naked and crumpled lazily on the bathroom floor. But he was determined to get this ass selfie done.

He stood back up, and with a little more gumption he hopped back onto the hard counter. The surface was pleasantly cool against his bare cheeks as he slid back closer to safety towards the mirror.

He twisted his torso once more, lifted his sweatshirt, and with a flirty wink and bite of the lip, he snapped the picture.

He inspected it to make sure it was up to standard, and he sent it to Levi with the following caption:

_I took a stumble to provide you this pic, Levi._

Levi was attending an event with Petra this morning. He had arrived early to the event hall, a grand Corinthian display of beige marble architecture, and he was walking through a vast hallway to pass the time when he received Eren’s picture.

He really did think that Eren has mastered the art of tasteful nudes. The boy already possessed that natural charm—so effortless and youthful. He just seemed to glow from within. Eren’s body was a lithe masterpiece: all long limbs and tan skin and lean muscle. Levi could never, ever tire of it. Eren’s loveliness was amplified in the nude, too. Levi found himself loving the way Eren displayed himself these days—always just keeping something away from his gaze. A little treasure, that young man.

_I appreciate your sacrifice for my viewing, darling._

_For a minute, I thought you were gonna tell me to get my balls off your counter._

_That, too._

Eren laughed to himself from where he was perched on the counter, kicking his feet casually.

_Did you get to your event yet? Are you busy?_

_No, I just got here. I arrived a bit early so I’m scoping out the venue. Let me hear your voice._

Eren’s name flashed in the caller ID, and Levi kept walking as he answered.

“Hey, hubs. Didja like my picture?”

“I sure did, Eren. You’re exquisite. I think you look like a little Adonis.”

“Aw, shucks! Thank you,” Levi heard Eren say, and he couldn’t help but smile at his boyfriend’s humility. “You know… I think I’m over tasteless dick pics. I’m all about classy nudes now.”

“Are you, now?” Levi mused. He paused his stride and gazed up at four massive columns that were protecting a balcony. A royal family probably walked that balcony, overlooking hundreds of their subjects. “Classy nudes from a classy young man like you.”

“You think I’m classy?”

“Of course, sweetheart. You’re the classiest young man I’ve ever dated.”

“I’m the _only_ young man you’ve ever dated.”

“And I would take nothing less than you,” Levi confirmed.

“Levi,” he heard Eren’s voice soften a bit. “…I miss you already. I don’t like starting my mornings without you.”

“I don’t like starting my mornings without you, either.”

“I hope you have a great time at your event. But I’ll diligently await until we’re reunited.”

“And I hope you have an amazing day of class and work. I should be back by the time your therapy session’s over, so I want to do something with you. I love you more than anything, darling.”

“I love you more,” Eren’s smile could be heard through the other end. “I’ll see you later.”

“Bye, baby.”

Levi ended the phone call and wandered off somewhere more private to continue admiring Eren’s selfie.

\--

Eren was immersed in studying, and his music was so loud that he didn’t even hear Levi enter his room and place his hands on his shoulders.

“Wah!” Eren flinched. “You startled me.”

He turned the volume of his stereo down until it was almost mute, and he pushed his chair out to greet Levi.

“I don’t understand how you manage to focus or read with that metal blaring into your ears.”

“I don’t understand it, either,” Eren confessed. “But it’s the fix I never knew I needed. Silence makes me antsy.”

Levi tucked some hair behind Eren’s ear. “I wouldn’t say so. When you’re with me, you manage silence wonderfully, actually.”

Eren grinned. “You’re an exception, my dear husband.”

“Eren. May I have a kiss?”

Eren stood from his chair, and he made sure to sit Levi down on the edge of his bed for what he planned to be the best damn kiss Levi Ackerman has ever received in his damn life.

He loved that Levi’s hands wandered and found his waist. He placed a hand on the left side of Levi’s jaw, and he leaned down to the other side of Levi’s face, where he planted his lips to the smooth, porcelain skin of Levi’s cheek.

But it wouldn’t be over that soon. Eren suctioned all the air out of the kiss and sucked harshly to make the most obnoxious sound, and he screwed his eyes shut before ending the smooch with a loud “ _MWAH_!”

Levi touched the wet spot on his cheek tenderly. “Oh, my. That was a very intense kiss, Mr. Jaeger.”

“If you ask me for a kiss,” Eren sat on Levi’s lap and wrapped his arms around broad shoulders, “I’ll kiss you the only way a man like you _ought_ to be kissed.” He went back in and pecked some milder, sweeter kisses on Levi’s face.

Levi rested his head on Eren’s chest. “There’s something very nostalgic about you, Eren…” he said quietly. “You feel like home.”

Eren wondered if Levi felt his heart pang against his chest. It was shit like that—those little confessions Levi made at random times that just fucking destroyed him in the best way.

“Levi… skip work tomorrow and stay home with me.”

Levi looked up at him amusedly. “I need to make money, sweetheart.”

“A CEO being lazy for one day won’t make a difference in his income,” Eren pointed.

“Mmm… it’s the principle that counts, though.”

“I just want to keep my man at my side. I’m sick of those private jet rides…” Eren’s smile stretched wider. “I’m sick of those shopping sprees and high ceilings.”

“Are you sick of those sports cars and fur coats, too?” Levi played along, and he tried not to smile, but it fought through.

“ _God_ , yes,” Eren groaned and rolled his eyes. “I’m glad you understand…”

“What a piece of work you are,” Levi stirred so that he could throw Eren down on the bed and try to work some gratefulness into this boy. “I should take you over my knee..” he warned.

Eren was trapped beneath the bulky weight of Levi’s body. “You’d have even more opportunities to take me over your knee if you stay home with me tomorrow,” he purred.

“You know, that might just work out then,” Levi said.

Eren lifted his head up a bit to peck a kiss on the tip of Levi’s nose, and his eyebrow cocked flirtily.

“What am I going to do with you…?” Levi wondered out loud.

“Whatever your heart desires, stud.”

“ _Oi_.”

\--

Eren wasn’t much of a planner. He went through his weeks, his classes and work, and it was only when he was in a grocery store with Levi that he realized that an important event was coming up.

They passed by the overly pink-and-red heart-infested sweets aisle.

“Is Valentine’s Day today or tomorrow?” Eren checked his phone for the date.

“It should be tomorrow,” Levi said. “I’ve been meaning to ask you what you wanted to do.”

Eren thought about it. “I… don’t know. I’m okay with anything you want.”

“I haven’t celebrated Valentine’s Day in six years,” Levi said. “I’d say we’d stick to what’s safe, but I like making things special for you.”

Eren looked at him cheekily. “None of your one night stands coincided with Valentine’s Day?”

Levi tried to recall, and he took a jug of orange juice out of the fridge. “I don’t think so. No, I don’t think they have.”

Eren pushed the cart along.

“So, what do you want for tomorrow?” Levi placed his hand on Eren’s lower back.

“Surprise me. We’re traditional.”

Levi chuckled. “We are anything but.”

“I know,” Eren pouted. “But we like to think we are. I trust your judgement.”

“Why don’t we spend the night on your yacht?” Levi asked. “I can plan a night around that.”

“Yes!! I’m so excited to see it, finally.”

“We have ourselves a plan, then,” Levi gave Eren a reassuring back rub.

\--

Eren packed a rolling suitcase and waited with Levi for the private ride.

To see his very own yacht should have been the most eventful thing that’s happened in Eren’s life thus far, but his lifestyle within the last year made this a strangely normal experience.

That didn’t mean he wasn’t quivering with excitement.

Besides, it was Valentine’s Day. He had Levi all to himself for the evening, and a very valid excuse to be cheesy and romantic. His true form.

Levi was answering emails and returning last-minute phone calls in the meantime, and he emerged from his office when he got the call from the driver.

“Ready, Eren?”

“I’m always ready!” Eren grinned.

Levi reached up for a quick, admiring kiss.

-

In the car, Eren rubbed Levi’s thigh absentmindedly. “So, where does one buy yachts? At the yacht store?”

Levi chuckled lowly. “There are yacht dealerships and yards… but for this one, I bought it off a business partner.”

Eren nodded. “I’m so stoked… this doesn’t feel real.”

“It will feel more real once you’re in it.” Levi pinched his cheek softly.

\--

At Trost’s waterfront, the driver unloaded the bags from the trunk and Levi thanked him before taking Eren’s hand.

It was early dusk now. The sky was a murky cobalt, and the moon was a faint crescent.

Levi led them onto the dock, where a few yachts were parked small distances from each other. Levi led them to a middle one, where several men stood at the edge of the dock.

Eren squeezed Levi’s hand. “Is that one ours?!”

“It is,” Levi shook Eren’s hand playfully.

“Wait, I wanna take a picture and stunt on my haters.” Eren stopped moving and took his phone out to take a picture of the docked boat in all its glory.

“Who are these haters, I wonder?”

Eren looked satisfied with the pictures he took and held Levi’s hand once more to board the dock.

A quick introduction with the men near the boarding zone revealed that they were the captain, as well as a maintenance person and the manager of the dock.

Eren could tell Levi had instructed them to provide a certain experience. Later, Eren would try to get his boating license to take the yacht on some joy rides. He planned to have plenty of yacht parties, as well.

But, he wouldn’t lie to himself. Having a staff wait on him hand and foot was something he rarely tired of.

Levi placed a hand on the small of Eren’s back as he boarded—ever chivalrous.

Eren rolled his suitcase along, and he entered a gloriously chic and refined interior room.

“Whoaaa…” Eren breathed dumbly. He dragged along his suitcase and walked around a living room ( _a whole living room in a boat!_ ) and took in all the sights. The room was furnished with dark, smooth mahogany and the linings were a brushed matte black—it was _just_ Levi’s aesthetic. Looking up to the ceiling, there was a simple twinkling chandelier that provided cozy light, and along the edges of the room were dark panels that Eren assumed were liquor cabinets.

It was when Eren peeked into a narrow hallway that he felt the presence of the man that made this all happen.

“How do you like it so far?” Levi asked.

Eren turned and immediately went in for a hug. “Levi… I’m speechless,” he shook his head. “This lifestyle is out of my league. Thank you for everything you’ve given me. I don’t deserve any of it.”

“Darling, we’ve had this conversation many times. You deserve anything and everything you desire. It was my absolute pleasure.”

“I seriously can never thank you enough,” Eren said. He stood back up and took both of Levi’s hands in his.

“And yet, with all things considered, you still can’t shake off that humility of yours. I admire that so much about you,” Levi confessed.

“Do you want to come look around with me?”

“I’ve already seen it all, so why don’t you go and take your time touring? I’ll go talk to the chef and we’ll get the night started.”

“A chef, Levi?” Eren’s eyebrow raised amusedly.

“I hired him just for tonight,” Levi winked, but the rest of his face remained completely stoic as usual, which made Eren giggle.

“I can’t wait.”

As Levi walked away, Eren left his suitcase on a couch and continued on with his tour.

One corner of the living room contained a little entrance to the hallway he spotted earlier. It led to a sliding door that opened up to the exposed edges of the boat, where the only thing between himself and the water beyond was a smooth metal railing.

As he crossed the wood-boarded siding of the boat, he entered another sliding door that was much wider, and it was more like a glass wall. This door was meant to remain open, when the weather was nice.

And when Eren entered that door, he knew why.

He walked into a muted, concealed bedroom, which had a warmer vibe that the living room. The bed comforters had a dark, loosely striped faux fur end piece ( _or real fur_ , Eren pondered), and much of the room contained furniture with yellow backlights that glowed romantically. There was a desk, too, and a TV that was fixed into the wall so no wires were visible.

On the furry bed, there sat a box. Eren smiled as he approached it—it was very clearly for him.

He knew Levi wouldn’t offer roses. They would die under Eren’s care, and Levi didn’t feel the need to be cruel to nature. He wondered what Levi bought him, then.

Which made him wonder… he was Levi’s first boyfriend. He thought about how Levi treated his ex-girlfriends for Valentine’s Day.

Actually, he probably did know. He remembered something Alyssa told him a long time ago. Back when they were dating, and they fought, Levi was the type of man to buy her diamonds, not designer bags.

Eren thought about that while he stood in his very own yacht. He figured Levi was running out of things to buy him. Eren wasn’t the type to want for much anyway.

The box was deep and wide. When Eren took the lid off, he immediately found a small card that had a familiar cursive written on it:

_My heart belongs to you._

_-L_

Eren bit his lip shyly. He didn’t know how Levi managed to slay him with just a few words time and time again.

Beneath the card was a warm fabric, and taking it out of the box revealed it was actually a large blanket. It was a fur blanket that had a pattern of an animal Eren had never seen before. It was like an exotic zebra.

He pressed the fabric against his face and sighed deeply. It smelled faintly of Levi’s addictive cologne—whether Levi did that on purpose, he didn’t know.

Eren set the blanket aside and looked into the box once more.

“Of course,” Eren found himself saying aloud.

He pulled out a tan teddy bear. It wouldn’t be a gift from Levi if a teddy wasn’t included. The traditional Valentine’s Day bear was holding a stereotypical satin heart to its chest.

Eren’s eyes glazed over the message, and his brows shot up in surprise. The heart read:

_SHIT BITCH_

_YOU IS FINE_

Eren laughed out loud, and his own heart squeezed with love and adoration for his man. Levi’s sense of humor was something else. _Where did he even find this obscene teddy bear!?_

Next in the box was a mug that was wrapped in layers of newspaper for protection. When he peeled off the paper, Eren smiled at the message that was printed across the white mug:

_Good morning, handsome._

It was a written in a girly cursive with a heart doodled next to the last “e”.

“Awww,” Eren cooed out loud. “Levi…”

Continuing with his gifts, Eren took out another folded fabric. When his shook it out, he realized it was a very soft, luxurious house robe. It had a black textured print, and he remembered how Levi always tells him how good he looks in black.

Eren would be sure to wear this tonight.

He looked into the box one more time to make sure he didn’t miss anything, and he threw himself on the bed to land on his back like a starfish.

He was staring at the small white lights fixed into the ceiling, thinking about tonight’s events and how much he couldn’t wait for Levi to come back so he could smother him in hugs and kisses.

But for now, he would finish touring the yacht.

He found the bathroom, which was a compact unit that had fancy, high-tech fixtures that promised intimate activities.

Dragging his fingers along the smooth, sleek surfaces, it made him think about how he forgot to bring a bath bomb tonight. What he did bring, however, was an expensive new lotion as an excuse to pamper and get his hands on Levi.

He kept weaving through the interior, and he stopped in an exposed lounge room. It had a square seating unit, a modest but cozy fireplace, and the adjacent wall was a low, wide glass wall panel with the sea’s horizon calling for him.

Eren had multiple paths to take to keep exploring. He found a set of stairs in the exterior and climbed them onto the upper deck, which had seating and a full bar. This part of the yacht was strange. While it technically exposed to the outdoors, there were panelings above him that he was sure were retractable, like a convertible vehicle. He planned to keep them open tonight so he can look at the stars with Levi tonight.

Continuing back through the cabin, Eren found an area that he was sure was the cockpit area, and he wandered into the kitchen.

The chef was looking over written notes while he sharpened his knives.

“Hi, how are you?” Eren entered and smiled.

The chef looked at him. “Hello. You must be Eren. It’s nice to meet you.” He put his knives down to shake Eren’s hand. “I’m Liam. It’s a pleasure to serve you tonight.”

When Eren listened to him speak, he realized the man had a British accent.

“I already spoke to your boyfriend,” Liam told him. “I have a wonderful experience planned for you both.”

“I’m looking forward to it,” Eren said. He took his leave to find Levi once more.

Back in the initial living room, Levi was sitting on the couch patiently, albeit waiting for Eren.

“There you are,” Eren grinned and joined him.

“Here I am,” Levi confirmed. “Did you get a good look around? What did you think?”

“Eh,” Eren shrugged his shoulders. “Everything was totally average and I was underwhelmed. You need to do better.”

He could hardly finish his sentence before dissolving into giggles and collapsing weakly on Levi’s lap.

Levi was laughing, too, and he brushed Eren’s hair out of his face. “I think all of your new toys are starting to throw your ego off balance. An attitude adjustment may be in order.”

Eren reached with his fingers and felt around Levi’s jaw. “I think so, too. No, but seriously, the yacht is great. You have great taste. And I love you. In conclusion, you’re a keeper.”

“I’m glad I’ve passed the test,” Levi mused.

“Levi, I got my gift. You’re such a good man. And where the hell did you get that teddy bear?”

“That teddy bear was a creative choice that I found in a drugstore. It just screamed your name to me.”

“I loved it. He’s way more inappropriate than my other bears.”

Eren’s eyes lit up. “Oh! Before I forget, I have to give you yours!”

He sat himself up and jogged to his suitcase.

“Oh, no, Eren, you didn’t have to,” Levi rejected.

“Nuh-uh,” Eren shook his head firmly. “Save it, boo. I’m not tryna hear that tonight.”

He brought over the gift bag and presented to Levi. “Happy Valentine’s Day, Levi Ackerman.”

Levi took the bag and with his free arm, he pulled Eren beside him to the couch with one of fluid movement.

“Let’s see…” Levi said lowly. He pulled out a flat box that was wrapped with a single ribbon, to which he unwrapped to reveal a rich, indigo tie. The material was uncommon, though; turning it on its side, the vine pattern caught the light and gleamed with a different, lighter violet color.

“Oh, wow, how intricate,” Levi admired it and kept turning it to catch the light.

“Dare I say… exquisite?” Eren asked, using one of Levi’s signature words. “And, it gets better!”

Levi reached for the other item in the box, and he groaned in low satisfaction. “Yes, Eren… you know me so well…”

It was a matching handkerchief with the same pattern.

“Vampires love things that match,” Eren confirmed.

“They do,” Levi said.

He continued going through the bag, and he seemed a bit nervous about taking out a stack of his favorite rare chocolates, all tied together with twill. Levi held the tag that was attached:

_For the only man that’s sweeter than sugar._

_-E_

As much as Eren’s note warmed his heart, Levi was becoming a little concerned. “Eren, be honest. Do you want me to get fat?”

“We talked about this,” Eren rolled his eyes lightly. “Trying to make you fat is my main hobby. If you get fat, I’ll have more to hold. It’s a win-win for me.”

“I’ll never understand that,” Levi pulled Eren closer and sighed into his hair. “…But thank you,” he whispered.

“You’re welcome,” Eren smiled coyly. “Keep going.”

Levi pulled out a heavier, familiar box. “Darling, you know the way straight to my heart.”

His favorite whiskey of all time, his Van Winkle 23, glistened seductively in the light. “How did you even get this on such short notice?”

“I have connections…” Eren said vaguely.

“Oi. I’m sure you do,” Levi kissed Eren’s head, and he wouldn’t pry further. Wondering how Eren thought about buying gifts and his means to get them was a surprise that was too sweet to spoil.

(Eren was just thinking about how invaluable Erwin was during gift-giving seasons.)

Levi then pulled out another heavy box which was padded with Styrofoam from the inside.

He lifted the lid to reveal what at first glance was a new short whiskey glass. But he knew gifts from Eren were never that simple.

The glass had a frosted glass etching of his initial _L_ within a shield crest design. Etched on the opposite side was the simple phrase _Valentine’s Day_ , including the current year.

Levi knew Eren had just started a new tradition.

“This is absolutely gorgeous. I could never think of this.” Levi turned the glass in his hand.

“Aww. I’m glad you like it. Anything for you, baby.”

Levi reached for the last item and the bottom of the bag, an enveloped card.

“You know how much I look for a chance to write you a love letter,” Eren said.

“I would expect nothing less from the cheesiest individual on planet earth.”

He tore the envelope open neatly and took a few minutes to read through the message.

Eren could tell when he was finished, because Levi squeezed him even closer and lay grateful kisses into his hair.

“Come sit on my lap,” Levi instructed. He set his gifts aside to make room.

Eren got up and straddled a very familiar place.

He watched Levi play with his tie (he dressed up extra-nice in honor of the holiday). He knew Levi struggled with words. He was a man that demonstrated himself through actions, especially when it came to romance.

“I love you so much, Eren. …My life was so incomplete without you.”

Eren went in for a slow, much needed hug. He sighed deeply and scratched gently at Levi’s undercut. _I know how you feel…_ he thought to himself.

When he ended the hug, he ran his thumb across Levi’s jaw and bright emeralds gazed into steely-grays, and the words were understood.

Levi took Eren’s face in his hands, and he brought it closer to share a full, romantic kiss.

Eren took a moment to bask in the absolute bliss that was sharing a kiss with Levi.

He was the tiniest bit surprised when Levi pulled him right in for another round.

Eren didn’t disappoint—he molded his own lips against Levi’s, kissing like they have so many times before. It was all-consuming, just a little bit nasty, and slightly breath-taking.

Eren realized they had staff on the yacht and so they should probably be a little more discreet about their lovin’.

He tore away gently, loving that Levi tried to linger and prevent the end. Eren pressed their foreheads together, and his lips were swollen pink. “Hey. We should be more careful about where we make out. I don’t want to traumatize the staff if they’re around here somewhere.”

“Let them watch,” Levi whispered deliciously.

Eren went in for a quick, sneaky smooch to satiate this man. This man right here was becoming a little more of an exhibitionist each day.

“You’re becoming quite slutty these days,” Eren teased.

“Why should I deny myself the pleasure of my boyfriend? You’re just the most delicious thing I have in my life right now.”

“Mmm. I bet,” Eren giggled lowly. He went in for another round, just one more to hold Levi over until later.

-

Despite Levi being well-dressed for a night out, he opted for yet another outfit change before dinner.

Eren waited patiently on the edge of the bed, going through his social media.

Levi emerged from the bathroom, and a quick hint of his cologne filled the air.

Eren turned to the man, and he grinned slowly.

Even when Levi wasn’t wearing anything out of the ordinary—just a fresh, form-fitting black number with silver cufflinks—he had a way of making the world stop for a moment.

“Daaaaamn~….” Eren purred. “You clean up nice, Levi.”

He stood and opened his arms, and it was a deceptive move. Because as soon as he had Levi in his arms, Eren leaned down to smack and then grope Levi’s toned behind shamelessly.

“Eren,” Levi warned dangerously.

“Sorry. Husband privileges.”

Making their way to the kitchen area and lounge (the chef said he was ready and waiting), Eren made sure to walk ahead of Levi. He knew because of his height, and the fact that he was an ass-man, Levi would totally be staring at his butt.

At the lounge, Eren pulled out Levi’s chair for him.

“Such a gentleman,” Levi said in thanks.

“I learned from the best.”

The chef began pouring them a chilled red wine.

While they waited, Eren ran his nails over Levi’s hand absentmindedly.

Just as absentmindedly, Levi gazed at the way Eren styled his loose bob for tonight, slicking one side of it back and securing it with two bobby pins.

 _A damn cutie_ , was all Levi could think.

\--

The captain began moving the boat before dinner to give the lovebirds the best experience possible.

Eren loved anything that overlooked the sea. Especially at night, when the twinkling lights of other distant boats and the neon lights of the cityscape gave the deck a romantic glow.

And there was nowhere he’d rather be with Levi.

After a slightly boozy and very heavy dinner was over, Eren and Levi thanked the chef for the treat and retreated into the bedroom. Luckily, they had doors for privacy this time.

“Ohhh, that was great,” Eren sighed. “We need to bring Liam home. That man can cook up a storm.”

“Erwin recommended him to me,” Levi nodded. “He’s a master of his craft.”

“I feel like I’ve gained fifteen pounds from that meal alone.” He splayed himself across the bed unattractively.

He noticed Levi began loosening his belt and stripping his clothes away.

“Oh ho ho~” Eren mused at the increasingly naked man.

“Maybe I should go to the bathroom to get away from your prying eyes,” Levi said.

“That won’t be necessary,” Eren said sweetly. “I like having naked men in my presence.”

Levi smirked at him, and Eren became rather disappointed that he stripped everything but his underwear, before slipping into his robe.

“Boo!” Eren called. “Give the audience what they want.”

“The audience is being very immoral tonight.” Levi made his way on the bed.

Eren sat himself up slowly. “Do you think you can give me a tummy rub once I’m changed?”

“No, I can’t do that for you. Absolutely not,” Levi said in mock seriousness.

Eren looked at him expectantly, his smile ever brightening.

Levi’s face melted in demeanor, and he lifted his arm to stroke Eren’s cheek. “Go change, lover. A tummy rub awaits you.”

“Glad I could get you to cooperate, Mister Man.”

“Wait, Eren.”

Eren stuck his head out the bathroom.

“Keep those clips in your hair for me. I like them.”

The cocky, shit-eating smile that Eren had on when he heard the request made Levi’s heart squeeze. This boy had him wrapped around his little finger. “Yes, sir,” he purred. And in a moment’s change, his eyes lit up boyishly. “I want to wear my new robe that you bought me!”

He re-emerged from the bathroom and retrieved the warm article before returning to the bathroom.

While he waited, Levi gathered his own gifts and placed them on the bedside console. He tore away a corner of his favorite chocolate, half-cursing Eren for spoiling him and encouraging him to eat sweets often. Granted, it was dark chocolate, so it wasn’t as sugary, but these bars were supposed to be pick-me-ups, not daily fixes.

Eren slipped out of the bathroom and hopped onto the big, fuzzy bed.

“You look so good in black…” Levi confessed.

“You do, too. It runs in this family.”

Levi broke off a few squares off his chocolate bar and handed it to Eren. “Share with me.”

Eren took it and placed it on top of his tongue, letting it melt and paint his palate. He situated himself against Levi’s chest to get his promised tummy rub.

Levi slowly undid the belt for him, and he opened up the front of the robe with careful hands.

Levi hadn’t seen Eren’s naked chest in a while. But Eren seemed to be okay with how much he was showing now, so he proceeded.

“Mm,” Eren grunted. Warm hands over a full stomach was heavenly. He rested his head back against Levi’s shoulder.

\--

After Eren’s tummy rub, Levi took advantage of Eren’s lazy pose on the bed to take a few pictures.

“Levi, I’m your dream guy, right?”

“What kind of a silly question is that? I plan to marry you. If you weren’t my dream guy, marriage would be out of the question.”

Eren smiled. “I know, I just wanted to hear you say it. You’re my dream guy, too, but you knew that already. I can’t wait until we’re married on paper.”

Levi finished opening his whiskey that Eren gifted him, and he went over to a hidden bar to fill his glass with a few ice cubes.

“I can’t wait, either.” Levi came back to the bed.

“I’m expecting the best proposal from you,” Eren said. “In a McDonald’s.”

Levi took a sip and his brows furrowed in satisfaction. “I’m not proposing to you in a McDonald’s, Eren,” he said firmly.

“Why not?” Eren seemed exasperated.

“If your parents or friends ask me where I proposed to you, I don’t want to say it happened in a fast food restaurant. You deserve something classier.”

Eren pouted, his brilliant green eyes going wide and doe-like. “It’s not about them, baby…” he cooed. “It’s about us…”

“God, if you were any cuter, I wouldn’t be able to say no to you. But a McDonald’s proposal is where I draw the line.”

“Fine. We’ll keep it “classy”.” Eren put up air quotations. He pointed at Levi’s glass. “Can I taste some?”

Levi handed the glass over.

Eren took a sip and his face twisted in what seemed like pain and surprise. “Wow!” he puckered his lips. “That just punches you right in the gut!”

Levi took the glass back and chuckled. “I like a drink that kicks my ass.”

“Of course you do, you closet masochist,” Eren laughed. He sat beside Levi and crossed his legs.

“What kind of wedding band do you want?” Levi asked. He took Eren’s hand within his and squeezed it soothingly.

“I don’t want anything too extravagant. I want a very simple band. Maybe platinum. Nothing that looks to flashy on the surface. And preferably something etched on the inside.” Eren ended his explanation with a decisive nod.

Levi stared at him quietly and sipped his whiskey.

Eren cringed nervously. “What, too specific?”

Levi shook his head and chuckled lowly. “Not at all. You’ve clearly thought about it before. You always know exactly what you want. It’s one of my favorite things about you.”

Eren smiled. “I started planning our marriage during our first date. I had plenty of time to think about what kind of ring I wanted.”

“Oh, my. During our first date?”

“Levi, I already told you. You’re the man that shook my whole world. Even if you didn’t want to marry me, I’d _make_ you. Because I’m crazy about you.”

“Luckily it doesn’t have to get to that point,” Levi said. “I’d be honored to marry you.”

“You’d be honored?” Eren leaned a bit closer, clearly flattered by that sentiment.

“One hundred percent.”

“Careful,” Eren whispered. “If you keep spitting game like that, I might have to tackle you to the ground and have my way with you.”

“We don’t have to wait for that—“ Levi placed his glass on the bedside table and pinned Eren down to the bed.

He took Eren’s lips, the quick first preemptive strike of his drunkenness registering in his system. It made him bolder, just a little less polite, and considerably hornier.

Of course, Eren was always up for a good time. He clawed Levi’s back as he returned the aggression, and he loved that he could hear those satisfied little groans from his man’s chest.

It was a flurry of fabric and limbs and impatient grunts as they stripped each other down to the underwear.

Eren pushed Levi away with much strength to crawl away and grab some supplies from his suitcase.

\--

A very quick preparation had Eren’s legs spread and Levi looming over him ready to get started on round one.

He gazed at Eren. The boy’s chest was rising and falling rapidly, and he was panting shallowly. Levi couldn’t tell if it was because of how hot and bothered he was, or the anticipation of it all.

Eren shut his eyes, willing himself to calm the fuck down and just be himself. _Why was he so damn nervous!?_ They’ve done this dozens and dozens of times. This was his future husband; his soulmate. Sex is supposed to be a pleasurable release. It was one of the special times their completely different wavelengths harmonized like so many times before.

The thoughts raced around in his head, and Eren swallowed it down.

“Eren,” Levi whispered lowly. The green eyes that opened and met his were troubled and uncertain. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

Eren clenched his jaw and nodded. “My therapist and I talked about reclaiming my body,” he explained sharply, almost matter-of-fact. “I need things to be normal again. We’re doing this.”

Levi stayed quiet, giving Eren an opportunity to talk himself out of it if he still wanted to.

They haven’t had sex since Christmas. It felt so much longer than that, though. Not that Levi minded—his sex drive was not _nearly_ as intense as Eren’s, and he was a busy man. Whenever he had the time to spend with Eren, sex was normally not the first thing on his mind, anyhow.

But, Eren; Eren had many mixed feelings about it all.

“Do it.”

Levi’s length was hovering at his entrance, and he took Eren’s legs into the crooks of his arms as he pushed in slowly.

The first few thrusts were okay. Eren was emotionless through it, gasping lightly as he registered the fullness.

Levi looked back up at Eren’s face, drawing his hips back and pushing back in slowly.

Eren’s mind went blank, save for the faces of several men that took advantage of him in the past. He couldn’t seem to unclench himself. He felt uneasy and gross, and those deceptively soothing male voices overpowered the voice in his head that was trying to convince him that everything was actually okay.

The war in his mind was overwhelming, and suddenly, Levi’s cock felt super invasive. Eren’s expressionless face broke and he began sobbing noiselessly. “Red. Red, red, red—“

“Okay,” Levi confirmed, pulling out immediately and pulling his briefs back up. That was the first time Eren had ever used the safeword, and that was a big fucking deal.

Eren placed his arm over his eyes and continued crying. He didn’t feel attractive. At all. In fact, he felt ugly and disgusting and shameful.

But he felt strong arms lift his back off the bed, and he noticed Levi working his boxers back up his legs for him.

“Hey, it’s okay, it’s okay,” Levi assured. He quickly slipped his own robe on so Eren would have something softer than his naked chest to cry on.

“I’m so sorry…” Eren managed. “I’m sorry, Levi. I feel like an idiot.”

“Why are you apologizing?” Levi asked firmly. “You’ve done nothing wrong.”

Eren rubbed at his eyes and sat back against the headboard. It was clear through his bloodshot eyes and shaky nerves that he was struggling to find the words.

Levi got off the bed and quickly rifled through Eren’s suitcase to find him a t shirt. By the time he returned and slipped it over Eren’s head, his boyfriend collapsed into his arms.

“I really thought I could,” Eren said vaguely. “I thought I was ready. But in the thick of it, I just got so many shitty memories and thoughts that I died inside a little bit.”

Levi carded his fingers through Eren’s hair. “I don’t understand why you feel the need to explain yourself. I understand exactly how you feel. I’m not upset, darling.”

“It’s not that I think I upset you,” Eren explained quietly. “I just… I feel like a piece of shit. I don’t want you to feel like your sex life came to a screeching halt because of me. It’s taking me so long to get my shit together. You deserve better.”

Regret squeezed Levi’s heart when he heard those words. He took Eren’s face into his hands. “Eren, look at me.”

It took some time, but Eren finally met his eyes.

“Since when was sex ever the most important part of our relationship?”

Eren stayed silent.

“That’s hardly the most significant thing you have to offer me. I thought we had a bond that went deeper than that.”

Eren nodded and sniffled.

“I don’t want to hear any of that shit about me deserving better,” Levi told him. “I’ll wait months if I have to, if it means you’ll be ready. I’ll always be here, Eren, for better or for worse. Alright? We tried it tonight, and it didn’t work. But we can try again once you’re ready. Whenever that may be.”

Eren pressed his cheek back against Levi’s chest, so grateful that this wonderful man found his way into his life.

Levi’s voice was so steady and low and calm, and he never sounded malicious or mean.

Eren remembered a conversation him and his therapist had recently. She wanted to know more about the role Levi played in his life. Eren remembered what he told her: “He’s my rock. He’s my everything.”

And now, as he thought back on it, Eren realized he couldn’t have said any truer words.

Eren sat back up and took Levi’s hand.

“Thanks for… reassuring me,” Eren said. “I needed that so badly. I hope I didn’t ruin Valentine’s Day for you. I wanted tonight to be perfect. And I feel like I just made it awkward.”

“Are you forgetting that I’ve seen you on the toilet? Nothing is awkward with us,” Levi said lightheartedly. “Tonight is still perfect to me. We can move on from that, and we’ll keep having a good time.”

Eren smiled a bit, once again remembering that Levi had seen him through it all.  “Sounds like a plan.”

“You’re the boss tonight, sweetheart.”

Eren’s heart fluttered when Levi called him those kinds of names. He might not have been ready for sex at the moment, but _God_ , did those words make him feel some type of way.

“Take a bath with me? And then we can… cuddle? Netflix and chill?”

“Okay, boss.”

“Careful, if you keep calling me boss, you’ll see a whole new side of me,” Eren said. He helped Levi off the bed.

“I didn’t know your ego was so fragile,” Levi chuckled and rubbed Eren’s back as they made their way to the bathroom.

“You have no idea, baby daddy.”

\--

Back in the exposed lounging area, Eren brought his new blanket along and wrapped them up together within it to stare at the night sky and the cityscape.

Levi brought along his whiskey, but Eren opted for wine. They fed each other chocolates in between long periods of talk and long periods of cozy, comfortable silence.

Eren was glad they had an opportunity to open up to each other tonight. In a state of flushed, quiet drunkenness, it was the perfect time to spill all those unsaid things, though there wasn’t much of those to begin with.

He wasn’t sure if he was getting more buzzed as the night progressed (and why Levi let him drink this much tonight, he didn’t know), but Eren relished that the scent of Levi’s cologne was so warm and musky and spicy, just like the man wearing it.

And Levi didn’t know if it was because he was extremely inebriated (he was a quiet drunk), but as he shut his eyes and breathed in the crisp winter sea beyond the fireplace, all he could say for certain was that there no one he’d rather be with than this chocolate-haired young man curled up beside him.

\--

Not even two days later, Levi had knocked on Eren’s door while he was studying, and once he was granted entry, he made his way onto Eren’s bed.

“Eren, we need to talk.”

Eren hopped onto the bed and cocked his head to the side, trying to think about what this could be about. Though Levi was a generally stoic person, Eren was able to pick up on his slight facial shifts and he could tell the man seemed troubled.

Levi patted his thighs. “Come closer.”

“I’m getting nervous, Levi. What is this about?”

But, Eren draped his legs over Levi’s lap and listened intensely.

“I have some… news,” Levi started. He took Eren’s hand and ran his thumb over it, trying to figure out the right way to say it.

Now Eren was starting to feel uneasy. “Out with it, hubs. You’re killing me here.”

“I’ll be going on a business trip soon.”

Eren looked around in confusion. “And? Is that supposed to be an unusual event?” He laughed lowly and shook his head. “And here I was thinking someone died.”

“There’s more, baby. Remember that one client I met on last-minute notice the other day?”

“The one who has international connections?” Eren finished. “What about him? Did he hurt you?” His eyes lit up with a dangerous fire, and though he wasn’t the fighter in the relationship, he was fully prepared to engage in fisticuffs if someone wronged his man.

Levi chuckled lowly and shook his head. His heart melted that Eren was ready and willing to go into battle for him, although he was fully capable of defending himself if need be.

“Quite the opposite, actually,” Levi explained. “He managed to provide us an opportunity to expand our business overseas. I’ll be traveling to Hong Kong and staying there for a month to scope out the business scene there.”

The words were registering to Eren in such a bizarre way.

“…A month?” Eren asked sheepishly. He retracted all his limbs and sat beside Levi quietly. “That’s a long time. I think that’ll be the longest I’ve been away from you.”

“I know…” Levi said. “I don’t want to leave you either. But this opportunity can be the key to taking Survey Corp to the next level and compete on a global scale. Do you understand that, love?”

Eren chewed the inside of his lip. “I get it, but…” he bargained alternatives within himself, feeling more stubborn about it now that the reality set in. “Why can’t Erwin go instead of you?”

“Erwin manages a lot more local ventures than I do. My side work can be managed away from home.”

Eren’s brows furrowed, and he said nothing for a long while. “Take me with you,” he said firmly.

Levi took Eren’s hand again, realizing how hard this was for himself, too. “No, Eren,” he said gently. “You have class and work.”

Eren sighed deeply. “When did you find this out? That you would have to go?”

“A few days ago.”

“And when would you have to leave?”

“A couple days from now.”

Eren flinched internally. “Damn. I know I’m just being selfish, but a big part of me doesn’t want you to go.”

“I know, baby…” Levi repeated again. “Truthfully, I’d rather stay, too, but if this trip goes right, I can expand the company’s opportunities for us. A month will go by before we know it.”

Eren nodded, having recognized that the bargaining would be for naught. It was time to begin the acceptance process. “Fine, alright. I’ll miss you like hell, though.”

Levi reached over to pinch Eren’s cheek softly. “I’ll miss you like hell, too. But we can FaceTime as often as our schedules allow. And I’ll be back right in time for your birthday.”

That last part made Eren feel more relieved. It was definitely something to look forward to. “I’m gonna get my fill of you for the next two days, then. You better clear your schedule.”

“Already cleared. I’m all yours.”

“Mine,” Eren echoed, and he held Levi’s jaw in his own hands. He would miss running his thumbs over this chiseled face soon enough.

\--

The fateful day arrived in which Levi would have to board his plane to go halfway across the world.

They both agreed an airport farewell would’ve been too emotional. Eren just hated the idea of having to say ‘goodbye’.

He hated even more that Levi’s suitcase and his briefcase beside it made this seem so permanent.

“Leeeeevi,” Eren half-sobbed, half-laughed, feeling bittersweet that his man was such a hustler but it meant them having to be separated for some time.

He threw his arms around Levi, squeezing with all his might. He inhaled the rich cologne, and he was glad Levi had backups of it in his bathroom, so Eren planned to sniff those bottles whenever he felt lonely. The leather jacket that Levi was wearing right now reminded him of early fall dates that they had way back when.

Levi squeezed his arms just as tight around Eren’s waist, hoping his strength wouldn’t crush the boy’s frame. His heart felt heavy and doubtful. Home was wherever Eren was. And Eren wouldn’t be in Hong Kong with him for a whole month.

“I’m gonna miss you so, so much…” Eren breathed. “So fucking much.”

“I’ll miss you more, baby boy. Hey. Give me a kiss.”

They separated, and Eren usually made a little show out of his lip-locking, gazing into steely-gray eyes and massaging broad, toned shoulders. But right now, there was no need for theatrics. He took Levi’s face and smashed their lips together, tasting and tasting away his desperation.

He could feel the melancholy on Levi’s mouth, the way his hands would hold onto him possessively, as if trying to memorize the shape and feel of his body.

When Levi was given an opportunity for air, he took Eren’s head and pressed firm, decisive smooches all over—on Eren’s eyelids; his lips; his cheeks; the sides of his mouth; his forehead.

Levi hated goodbyes. He didn’t get to say one to his mother before she passed, and saying goodbye to Kenny when they spent time together only made him resent the trauma that much more.

Having to say goodbye to Eren simply ripped his heart in two. He could taste the bitter memories of those years before he met Eren—painfully lonely nights of sleeping alone on his huge bed in a drunken, depressed haze.

 _It’s just a month_ , he told himself. He would miss this sweet thing like crazy, though.

Eren ran his fingers through glossy black locks, scratching gently at Levi’s freshly buzzed undercut. “I want you to sleep for at least 6 hours every night. And eat three meals a day. I’ll be asking you what you ate. And FaceTime me whenever you can, heard? And no work marathons. Take breaks and relax.”

The motherly edge to Eren’s voice ignited a tender feeling within Levi. “Yes, sir. I promise.”

Eren’s voice went quiet, and his eyes looked sad and glassy. In that moment, he seemed years younger than he actually was. “…Think about me, okay?”

Levi pulled Eren back in, meeting their lips gently but assuredly once more. “I’m always, always thinking about you, Mama.”

His voice was so rich and low, and Eren relished that warmth that would spread in the base of his belly whenever Levi was like this.

He hung onto Levi’s shoulders, and he was lifted away into the air and spun around once or twice. He would miss being airborne, too.

“Call me as soon as you land,” Eren said when he was back on his feet. “Even if it’s nighttime here, I don’t give a shit. Call me anyway.”

“I will.”

Eren figured now was as good a time as ever. If Levi didn’t leave right now, Eren would _never_ let him leave the apartment.

Levi stroked Eren’s cheek with the back of his knuckles, and in his other hand he took hold of his luggage handles. “I love you, Eren Jaeger. My everything. I’ll be back before you know it.”

“I love you more, Levi Ackerman. Go get your work done and come right back home to me.”

He pulled Levi’s hand from his face to place a chivalrous, romantic kiss on the man’s hand.

They shared one more squeeze, and that was that. Levi was out the door.

Eren stood in the entrance, alone, and suddenly the apartment felt way too spacious for him.

 _It’s just a month_ , he reminded himself. Better than several months, or God forbid: a year. Four weeks. _Yeah, he liked that better_. Four weeks felt less impactful than one month.

He would drown himself in class and work. Having all this time to himself would give him an opportunity to work on himself.

But in the meantime, he prayed that Levi would have a safe flight and that he would get to hear that chocolatey voice soon.

 


	94. Donuts and Tentacles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's see how Eren fares without Levi...
> 
> (Please leave a comment after you're done reading and tell me your thoughts! We're nearing the end now <3 )

When Eren woke up the next morning, the realization that he wouldn’t be able to start his day with Levi set in.

It was depressing. Eren took his time getting ready and then made his way to the kitchen to get some caffeine in his system.

On the countertop adjacent to the fridge, there sat a box of a dozen donuts that Eren hadn’t noticed yesterday.

He smiled and read the yellow slip of paper on top.

 _Good morning, Mr. Jaeger_ (A very minimalistic sun was drawn beside the sentence)

_There is iced coffee for you in the fridge. I miss you already._

_-L_

Eren smiled. Even when Levi wasn’t around, he made sure he was well-taken care of. What a sweet man.

Sure enough, Eren found a pitcher of iced coffee in the fridge. He remembered when he taught Levi how to brew it just right a while ago.

He poured some into a tall glass and added a few ice cubes and a splash of milk. He grabbed a chocolate-frosted donut and turned on the TV while he enjoyed his breakfast.

He wanted to busy himself while Levi was away. It would make the loneliness easier to handle. He decided to start going to the gym more regularly and get his volunteering opportunity underway.

 _It wouldn’t be all that bad_ , he thought.

\--

On the plane, Levi hooked up to the wifi and checked his tablet. He was rather surprised to see he received an email from Eren.

Eren usually didn’t email. He usually texted or called. This must’ve been unusual.

Levi opened up the message and saw a link to a video.

The only caption that Eren left on it was:

_Watch this when you get lonely_

Levi wondered what it could’ve been. He wasn’t particularly lonely at the moment, but he figured now was as good a time as any.

He plugged in his earbuds and opened up the video. The opening frame was an artistic time lapse of an airport lobby, and Levi immediately knew what it was.

The Paris footage video that Eren would spend hours editing was finally done and ready to view.

Levi relaxed back into his chair, and as he watched Eren’s lovely face on the screen “vlogging”, his heart squeezed with joy and yearning.

There was even footage that Levi didn’t know that Eren shot. The winter wonderland of Paris during December seemed like a not-so-distant memory. In fact, the way Eren edited it, it was like a diary entry—full of love and personality and an almost melancholic sense of nostalgia.

He saw footage of Eren with his new friend Estelle. Levi remembered when they took her to lunch. She was a sweet girl. And he couldn’t thank her enough for keeping his boyfriend safe on unfamiliar streets.

Eren made sure to sprinkle in footage of the two of them kissing in many locations, and he just realized how much of a treat smooching Eren was. Even Eren’s mannerisms during kissing—a flirty tweaking of his collar; a knowing bicep squeeze; a quiet gaze into his eyes; or a motherly back scratch—Levi never realized how spoiled he was as a man to have such a lover like this one.

Then came his own footage, the one that he sort of filmed as a joke when Eren got lost. He chuckled that Eren decided to add it in.

Levi also saw the drone footage from when they had their balcony breakfast. That was probably his favorite view. He remembered how the weather was that day: strangely mild for a winter day, a blanket of mist covering the sea below. He remembered how Eren was such a sweet thing that morning (probably because he downed an unholy number of espresso shots). He also remembered how fresh the fruit was from that breakfast.

And all throughout the video, Levi admired Eren’s editing skills and strong command of cinematography. He found out that first professional camera that he bought for Eren was the first of the sort that he’s ever worked with. He recalled one evening during dinner that Eren had told him that he taught himself how to edit, after his friend Connie told him of a good editing software.

Still, this video looked like it was filmed and cut by a professional crew. Eren was a fast learner to produce this kind of work with no prior experience.

Towards the end of the video was the footage of their experience on the Eiffel Tower.

 _God, it was like he was there again._ He remembered how winded he was after climbing all those flights of stairs, and how he promised himself that he would need to do more cardio to prevent that.

He recalled that awestruck look in Eren’s eyes when he looked out at the City of Lights sprawled beneath him. Levi meant it when he said that the whole city was for him.

He also wasn’t sure why Eren craved a McDonald’s proposal when being on top of that tower was an experience literally like no other.

An interesting stylistic choice that Eren did was that he ended the video with a segment of them lounging in the hotel. It was a quiet night. Eren was sleepy and Levi was more drunk than he cared to admit.

But he watched Eren’s fingers scratch his chin absentmindedly. And the words he admitted—such sweet nothings that Levi realized he was way too drunk to appreciate fully at the time—they set in now and Levi half-debated of just taking an early flight home to be with Eren, business ventures be damned.

Reliving that spectacular week had Levi feeling renewed but also sad. The video was about 25 minutes long, and Levi didn’t realize how much he was entranced by it when he finished rewatching it for the third time.

He unplugged his earbuds and waited for a stewardess to come by so he could order some rum. Eren had sent him that video as a cure for loneliness, but right now at this moment, he felt lonelier than ever.

\--

Eren was in class the next day, and it was in the middle of his lecture that Levi called him.

He slipped out of the lecture hall to take it. The people seated near him turned to glance at him, but then tuned back into the lecture.

“Levi! My love!” Eren tried to keep his voice muted as he wandered through the wide hallway, and away from the quiet hall behind the doors.

“My dearest Eren, I just landed. How are you? Are you busy?”

“I was just in a lecture. Thank you for calling me… I feel better that I get to hear your voice.”

“I don’t want to keep you from your lecture. I’ll make it quick,” Levi said. “I’m 12 hours ahead of you, darling. It’s midnight here, so it must be noon for you.”

“Oh, ok. Got it. We can talk more about it later, but let’s plan for me to call you when it’s 6 or 7 pm here, and 6 or 7 am for you. I know you’re an early bird.”

Levi was about to open his mouth to say something, but Eren’s voice over the phone cut him off.

“Wait, Levi! Tell me everything! How was your flight? Are you in your place yet? What is the food like there?!”

Levi hid his smile. “Eren, I landed minutes ago. My flight was fine. I will fill you in on everything else once I’m settled, but for now, go back to class. I promise I’ll call as soon as I can.”

Eren sighed contently, and he played with his hoodie string. “…Okay. I miss you. And I love you.”

“I love you more,” Levi’s voice said. “Go have a wonderful day. We’ll talk soon.”

“Bye, hubby.” Eren ended the call and slowly made his way back to the lecture hall, not in any particular rush to get there. 

\--

Eren tried to go through the rest of his week as usual. Levi was still settling in and setting up his first meetings with potential partners, so there wasn’t much to report on his end.

During his therapy session, Eren told his therapist about the failed sex attempt on Valentine’s Day. He didn’t think much about it after the fact, but now that it was all on the table, it bubbled up feelings of anger, especially because Levi was in Hong Kong now. It sucked that the fumble was one of the last intimate experiences they got to share together.

But his therapist reminded him once more that recovery was not linear, and that Levi’s words were true: They could try again later, and it was not something worth dwelling over.

But, she also said there was something to be said about his willingness, almost rashness, to do the act. ‘ _Why are you in such a rush?_ ’ she had asked. She also inquired on his word choice, to “get it over with”.

His homework from her was to think deeper about his thoughts on the matter.

Eren thought about that question on his way home. Why _had_ he been in such a rush?

He suggested to her that perhaps sex was one of the most impactful ways he learned to express himself. _A common thing among men, unfortunately_ (his knowledge of psychology kicked in as well).

At any rate, Eren was glad Levi had been so understanding that night.

\--

Eren put in a shift at the coffee shop.

He pulled shots and created a frothy foam for a cappuccino, and he noticed Jean gazing at him soundlessly from the register.

Eren looked up once, then twice. “Take a picture, it’ll last longer,” he said.

Jean shook his head. “Sorry.”

Eren plated the two cappuccinos he completed and smiled at the two customers waiting at the handoff.

He returned back to his station and leaned back against the counter. “How’s your internship going?”

“It’s awesome,” Jean said. “We’re finally done with the dirty work of mail sorting. We actually get to sit in on presentations.”

“Who’s your favorite out of all of them?”

“As hyper as Hange is, I have to admit she’s brilliant,” Jean admitted. “But it kind of makes me wonder why she co-executes with Moblit. It’s unusual that Accounting is the only department that has two leads.”

“Hmm. I wish I knew. I’ll ask Levi about it.”

“How are things with him?”

“They’re good. He’s in Hong Kong for a month to explore the business scene there. But everything’s okay. He said he’ll start calling more once he’s settled in.”

Jean had a knowing look on his face. “So that’s why you seem off. Your man is in another country.”

Eren snorted. “I’m not ‘off’. …And don’t rub it in.”

“I didn’t mean to. That must suck,” Jean said in that limited-empathic way that only he could.

The front door bell jingled upon someone’s entrance.

“Hey, guys!” Armin smiled.

Eren stood up straighter and grinned. “Hey, sorry, Arm, we’re closed.” Even though it was only 3 pm and the store was far from closing hour, Eren loved playing this joke on Armin.

Armin giggled. “Of course you are. Every time I come in, you’re closed.”

Jean ended Eren’s charade. “What would you like today?”

“Large London Fog, please?”

“Comin’ up,” Jean took the five-dollar bill that Armin presented, and he nodded to Eren to get the drink started.

Eren did not move from his spot, and he shrugged. “I don’t know why you’re looking at me. We’re closed.”

Jean rolled his eyes at Eren’s playfulness. “It’ll be ready down there for you, Armin,” he pointed at the hand-off plane. He went into the backroom to do some inventory.

Eren got to work on the drink, and the way Armin peered over the glass guard served as a familiar reminder that he wasn’t as lonely as he thought. “You going to work after this?” Eren asked.

“Yeah. 4 to close. When does your volunteering start?”

“Monday. I’ll finally get to see what I’m working with.”

“Oh, I forgot. Erwin said you can stop by for dinner tonight, if you want. He’s cooking.”

“Hell, yeah. I’ll be there.” Eren’s mouth already watered at the prospect of Erwin’s cooking.

“Awesome! And honestly, you can come over as often as you like. I know you probably feel lonely without Levi.”

“I’ll definitely take you up on that.”

He finished the drink and took out his Sharpie to doodle on Armin’s cup. It read:

 _Stop by again when we’re not closed._ He drew a winky-face next to his message.

Armin read the cup and shook his head. “Asshole,” he smiled. He took a sip and sighed before walking out. It was perfect, and it had that cozy taste that came along whenever Eren made his drink. “I’ll see you tonight,” he called over his shoulder.

“See ya,” Eren called back. Beyond the store’s windows, he watched as Armin climbed into the passenger seat of his driver’s Mercedes.

\--

At around 6 pm, Eren was on standby. Levi should just about be waking up in Hong Kong.

He got the video call and answered it immediately.

“Leeeeviiii~” Eren grinned brightly and waved. “Good morning!”

Levi smiled back. The man was still in his pajamas. “Good morning, Eren. Or should I say, good evening for you. You’re adorable as ever,” he stated.

“What’s poppin’, boo?”

Levi looked a bit confused. “’Poppin’?”

“It’s a synonym for ‘happening’,” Eren explained the slang. “What’s happening on your end? What’s poppin’?”

“Oh, okay,” Levi nodded. “’Poppin’,” he repeated. “I’m finally settled into my temporary apartment.”

“Aw, that’s great! Make a video tour of it later so I can see.”

“Will do. How is class and work?”

“Same ol’. I’m starting my volunteering experience on Monday. I’m excited.”

“Good, I’m glad you’re expanding yourself. You’re a natural leader, so it’ll be great for you.”

Eren had gotten the role of assistant coach for his old middle school’s track team. As a high school track star himself, he figured he had a lot to offer the current middle schoolers, and the coach said he’d be a great asset to help run the team. Eren also figured it would be a good incentive to stay in shape.

And, in a weird way, Eren liked kids. So it was essentially a win-win-win.

Eren rested his chin on his palm and he gazed into the camera. “Have you hit the streets yet? Or learned any Mandarin?”

On the screen, Levi reached over on his desk and lifted a red pocketbook. The title was _500 Useful Mandarin Phrases to Know_. “I’m still learning. But I think I’ve mastered the basics. Many people in the business sector of the city speak English quite well, so this is more for when I’m around the city on leisure.”

“How do you say ‘I love you’?” Eren asked.

“I practiced that one just for you,” Levi said. He opened up to a bookmarked page, and he read the phrase so that his pronunciation was correct: “ _Wǒ ài nǐ,”_ he read.

Eren repeated it back. “ _Wǒ ài nǐ_ , Levi.”

Levi put the book down. “You’re so sweet, Eren.”

Eren basked in the compliment. “So, tell me how things are there! What is the culture like?”

“I must admit, the culture is unlike Trost. I went to a mall to pick up some things for the apartment, and it’s commonplace for people to haggle prices here. For just about anything.”

“Have you tried haggling?”

“I don’t find the need to, but it seems exciting,” Levi said. “Plus, I think my shabby Mandarin would make it difficult to argue with natives.”

“And the business partners? How are they?”

“They’re just fine. They have a strange way of showing hospitality, but I suppose it’s part of their culture, too.”

Eren was intrigued now. “Strange, how so?”

“Their hospitality is quite aggressive,” Levi chuckled lowly. “For example, they offered me cigarettes during meetings several times. I tried to tell them that I don’t smoke, but I think they took the decline as a challenge. I smoked with them just to be polite, but it wasn’t enjoyable at all.”

Eren laughed. He knew Levi thought smoking was disgusting. “As unhealthy as I know it is, the image of you with a cigarette dangling out of your mouth turns me on a bit. I’ll be honest.”

Levi laughed. “I think your honesty is one of the strangest things about you, sweetheart.”

“What else?”

“They prefer to conduct business meetings completely drunk. I sometimes forget that we’re there to talk numbers.”

“That seems crazy… totally unlike Trost, huh?”

“Totally,” Levi agreed solemnly. “But at the same time, they’re quite serious about their business. I can appreciate that, at least.”

“What have you done for fun so far?” Eren asked.

“You’ll chew me out for this…” Levi started, “but I haven’t exactly let loose since I got here. There’s a gym in my apartment building. I’ve been going there whenever I have free time. It helps me feel in control.”

“I won’t chew you out, hubby. Just be sure to take a day off here and there and go see a movie or something.”

“I will, Eren. Thank you for keeping me in check.”

“Pssst… I heard Hong Kong has quite the vibrant underground scene,” Eren said. “If you get too stressed out, maybe you can seek out the services of a couple of female companions.” With the last two words, Eren waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Levi rested his chin on his hand. “And how would my boyfriend feel about me spending a steamy night with some female companions?”

Eren pretended to think about it. “You know…. In theory, the idea of you having a steamy night makes for some great fantasies… But, I would get super possessive at the last minute and pull the plug. Also… the idea of you being serviced by some ladies when you’re all stressed and tensed up makes me feel fuzzy inside… Gah! I don’t know! I’m complicated,” Eren finished.

“Even if you gave me permission to spend a night with some girls,” Levi said, “I wouldn’t go for it. I only crave you, baby.”

Eren smiled. “Aww. You’re such a heartthrob.”

“Are you being sarcastic?” Levi wondered.

“Not in the least bit, stud muffin,” Eren winked.

“I will take that and run with it,” Levi nodded seriously. “But, enough about me. Tell me about your day. I want to hear about you.”

“My day was perfectly boring and mundane without you,” Eren admitted. “Armin came into the shop today. Oh, that reminds me, I’m going to his and Erwin’s apartment for dinner today.”

Levi nodded. “Good. I told Erwin to cook for you every now and then.”

Eren felt a little embarrassed, but pleased that his boyfriend always looked out for him. “Levi, I’m not totally useless. I can feed myself.”

“I know that,” Levi soothed. “But I think you deserve a good home-cooked meal every now and then. Erwin’s food is a treat even for me. I just want you to know that you have plenty of people looking out for you in my absence.”

“…Okay. I feel a little better about that. Also, I was talking to Jean about his internship today, and we were wondering; why does Accounting have two executives while all the other departments have one?”

“That’s actually a funny story,” Levi started. “When our previous accounting executive resigned, Erwin and I opened up applications for the position. It was a very difficult process, because all our employees are so qualified, but we finally narrowed it down to Hange and Moblit. It was a months-long process. Finally, we whittled it down to Hange for the spot. But, in a shocking turn of events, she said she would not accept the position unless Moblit got the same benefits and pay grade, too. Erwin and I were surprised at that turnout, but we couldn’t see why they couldn’t co-execute. So we offered both Hange and Moblit the position with the expectation that they would run the department together. And here we are today.”

“Aw. I like that story. It actually makes me like Hange even more than I already do.”

“She’s quite eccentric, but I trust her deeply,” Levi said. “She has a heart of gold. I don’t tell her that enough.”

Eren realized Levi had a hard time expressing himself to pretty much anyone besides him. But the man has made some serious strides.

“Make sure you tell her how much you appreciate her,” Eren said. “I know you’re a phenomenal CEO, but employees need to be recognized often and plenty.”

“You’re absolutely right,” Levi agreed.

Eren got more comfortable in his seat. “What did you have for dinner last night?”

Levi thought back on it. “I had sweet and sour pork, rice, and wonton soup. It was very delicious.”

“Ooh, yum. Only the best food for a hardworking man,” Eren said.

“What did you have last night?”

“I had a BLT. But here’s the kicker…” he explained mystically, “I put a fried egg into it out of curiosity, ‘cuz I’m trying to get some more protein. It was great. Perfectly oozy and tasty.”

“Wow, a fried egg?” Levi seemed amused. “I might just have to try that, then. But then the BLT would become a… BLTE, if I’m not mistaken?”

“BLTEs are going to be a part of the lineup from now on,” Eren agreed.

“For sure.”

“I miss you making my sandwiches,” Eren confessed.

“Is that the only thing you miss about me?” Levi wondered.

“Yeah…” Eren sighed dreamily.

“Oi. You’re lucky I’m halfway across the world. You would’ve earned yourself a brutal tickling if I was there.”

“You should be flattered!” Eren said. “No one can make my sandwiches as good as you can. They just taste different. You know what else I’ve been craving, though? Croque Madames…”

“I remember you couldn’t get enough of those while we were in Paris,” Levi nodded. “We’ll make sure you get a Croque Madame soon, alright?”

“But you know what I crave most of all?” Eren asked. He gazed into the camera of his tablet. “I crave you, Levi. My delicious husband.”

“I crave you too, sweetheart. I’m trying to drown myself in work to make myself forget about how lonely it is here without you. I love hearing your voice. I miss you terribly.”

“I miss you more,” Eren cooed sadly. “But don’t feel lonely. I’m there with you in spirit. If you ever need something to distract yourself, you can think about the fact that I can say whatever I want to you and I can avoid being tickled to death.”

“Take advantage of that while you can, Eren. You’re only safe from ticklings for a spell.” He watched Levi stretch and scratch his undercut. “Alright, dollface. I need to go start my day now. Remind me of what you’ll do tomorrow.”

“I am going to get up nice and early, start my day off right, kick ass, study hard, and change the world.”

“Good boy,” Levi praised. It made Eren melt on the inside that those words were uttered. He was strangely missing those two words.

Levi loved that he could physically see Eren basking in his favorite praise.

“I miss you sosososososososooooo much, Levi,” Eren said. “I love you more than anything. Have an awesome day for me, okay?”

“I love you and miss you more, Eren. Sleep well tonight. I’m thinking about you always.”

“Kisses….” Eren kissed his fingers and touched the camera.

Levi did the same and ended the call.

And now, Eren was left with a blank screen and he figured he could go get some work done before heading over to Armin’s and Erwin’s apartment for dinner.

\--

There was a knock on the front door, and Armin ran to the door to open it up.

“Hey,” Eren greeted. He hugged Armin tightly and went over to the kitchen to squeeze Erwin’s shoulder in greeting.

Erwin was busy finishing up something on a pan, but he welcomed Eren warmly.

“I got a lot to catch you up on,” Armin said, and he led Eren to the library.

\--

The next day, Eren channeled his inner Levi and went to the gym downstairs before the sun was even up.

Waking up was the hardest part. The receptionist at the front desk was pleasantly surprised that it was Eren that was up so early, as it was usually Levi that was like that.

As Eren held a bar over his shoulders and squatted slowly to train his glutes, he felt a surge of determination to push himself to the limit. He silently vowed to himself to follow an intense workout regimen while Levi was away. Now that he was also going to help train a track team, he felt it to be hypocritical to be out of shape, even though he technically didn’t have to run.

He was the type of person who couldn’t seem to gain much weight no matter what he did, but he wanted to get toned and see what Levi would say about it once he came back.

Levi always told Eren that he was “perfect just the way he was” and that his body was “spectacular”, but Eren wanted to be even better.

-

After spending about 15 minutes in the sauna after his workout to sweat himself out, Eren exited the gym looking flushed and ratty, but feeling great.

It was still pretty early and he had some time to spare. He got into his car and decided to visit his parent’s house.

-

Eren waited patiently after knocking. He looked around at the lawn, which had some residual spots of winter frost in some places.

The door swinging open caught Eren’s attention once more.

“Honeyyy!” Eren’s mother pulled him into the house and trapped him in her arms.

“Hey, Ma,” he kissed her cheek and shut the door behind him.

“What do you say I fix us some cocoa?” Carla asked. She ran her hand through Eren’s freshly trimmed hair.

“I say yes,” Eren grinned. “Is Pops here?”

“He should be coming back from a shift within an hour or so. Unless he picks up a double.”

“I hope he doesn’t. That man is quite scarce these days.”

“I’ve been saying that since Day One,” Carla clicked her tongue teasingly.

-

On the couch, Eren got a chance to catch up with his mother.

She could sense Eren was hurting from within. “I know it’s difficult that you can’t see Levi for a month, hon. But be optimistic. This will give you a chance to self-reflect and focus on you.”

“Yeah, that’s my take on it, too. I started going to the gym more seriously. I’m also learning how to manage my time better.”

“Mm-hm,” Carla nodded satisfactorily, and she took a sip of her cocoa. “See; good can come out of any situation.”

Eren looked down shyly, thinking about his next words. “Ma… he’s the one. I’m fixing to marry him one day. We’ve been talking about it these past couple of months.”

Carla massaged Eren’s thigh knowingly. “I couldn’t imagine a better man for you. I’ve known all along that he was the one.”

“How did you know?” Eren cocked his eyebrow.

Carla looked at Eren dead-on. “Honey. He’s the first one you’ve ever brought home to us. We were getting concerned. We thought you’d never find someone.”

“Wow. Never, though?”

Carla laughed. “You know I didn’t mean it like that,” she assured. “But I want to watch my son get married one day. You know? It’s on my bucket list as a mother.”

“Okay, Mother. I guess I’ll just be a part of your weird bucket list.”

“It’s more like a to-do list,” Carla winked and pinched Eren’s cheek.

They sipped cocoa for a little longer when the front door unlocked with a turn of a key and a weary Grisha shuffled in.

Eren craned his neck back over the couch and called out. “POPS.”

“Eren, how are you, son?” Grisha hung up his keys on a peg near the door and shrugged off his coat. “The house is always so much louder when you’re home.”

“That’s my job, though,” Eren smiled. He sat up straight so that his father could come around from around the couch and provide a shoulder massage and a quiet kiss on the head, respectively.

Eren breathed in his father’s scent. The sterile smell of the hospital clung to his clothes, and it mixed well with his subtle cologne.

“And my beautiful wife and mother of my child,” Grisha greeted Carla, and they shared a full kiss.

Eren watched them silently and refrained from teasing them this time around.

“You have good timing, actually,” Grisha told Eren. “We were talking about flying out and watching one of Mikasa’s fights live. It would be on a Saturday so it wouldn’t interfere with classes, but we expect you to come with us to support your sister. I’m even taking a day off from the hospital.”

“You don’t gotta ask me twice,” Eren said. “I miss her so much. I’ve been watching her on TV but it’s not quite the same.”

“My thoughts exactly.”

Carla stood up to gather empty mugs, and she looked at her husband. “Have you eaten at the hospital?”

“I have not. I’ll go take a quick nap first and maybe we can all go to brunch.”

“Yay, brunch,” Eren sang in a monotone.

\--

Along with brunch, the Jaegers also caught a movie and browsed through the mall.

Eren realized he ought to take advantage of Levi’s absence to rely on his family more for company.

\--

On Monday, Eren finished his classes and drove over to his old middle school.

When he got to the indoor auxiliary gym, he tried not to park his blue Lamborghini too close to the entrance as to not distract the kids.

His old coach welcomed him warmly, and they caught up after so much time.

The coach blew his whistle to gather the warmed-up team, and they all sat around them in a semi-circle.

“Alright, listen up, team. I got someone special here today. This is Coach Eren. He’s going to be my assistant this season. He ran for the high school and shattered some records, so he really knows his stuff.”

The kids stared at Eren, probably expecting a few words from him.

“Hey, guys. I’m Eren. You can call me Coach Eren, if you want. I go to Trost University. Like you heard, I ran for the high school. I was the fastest runner at the time, so I expect one of you to smash my record one day. I’m volunteering for you guys. I hope we can make this a great season. I’m excited.”

The kids remained silent. Some squirmed, some sniffled. Some took sips of water. Eren could tell the head coach didn’t like the kids speaking up all that much.

But he smiled at them, hoping to make them a little more energetic. “I’ll try to learn all your names eventually, and during practice I’ll talk to Coach about where I think everyone would fit best. Sound good?”

The kids nodded.

“Can I lead their warm-up?” Eren asked the head coach.

“They’re all yours.”

“Okay, everyone stand up and give yourself some space. Let’s get our hearts pumping.” He took a few steps back and held his arms out.

The kids peeled themselves off the ground, seeming lethargic and bored. Eren had a quick fix to that.

“Okay!” The field was quiet, and the walls of the gym echoed a bit. Eren thought about when it would be warm enough to go outside, he would probably need a megaphone to project his voice.

“Let’s start running in place,” Eren instructed. He started jogging in his spot, and the kids followed along.

When they began breaking a sweat, Eren smiled to himself. These kids didn’t know what was coming for them.

“Okay!” he called. “We’re in the ghetto now! We have to watch out for our surroundings. Just follow my lead!”

The kids kept running in place, seeming confused.

“Hobo!” Eren called, and he jumped in the air as if clearing an obstacle.

Some kids followed, jumping in the air, and some kids giggled.

Eren kept running. “Hobo!”

More kids jumped along with him, and Eren loved that he finally managed to get them to laugh.

Eren ran in place a little faster. “DRIVE-BY!” Instead of jumping, he crouched low to the ground and jumped back up again.

The kids crouched along with him, and some kids were too giggly to focus. But Eren didn’t mind that for now. This kids needed to learn to have fun.

“HOBO!” Eren shouted, and he jumped again.

The kids jumped as high as they could, feeling more determined now to make it through their pretend ghetto.

Eren kept it up, mixing up the options in random intervals. “Hobo! Hobo! Drive-by! Hobo! Another drive by! Hobo!”

The team seemed way more exhilarated now than when Eren first met them. He slowed down his jog and smiled. “Alright! Good job!”

The kids slowed down to a stop and caught their breaths.

“Fun, yeah?” Eren asked, also catching his breath.

The team nodded and smiled.

“That’s one thing I want you all to understand. This is supposed to be fun! If you’re not having fun, what’s the point? Go get some water and meet me back here.”

The team dispersed and Eren went over to the head coach, who was watching the warm-up on the side.

“Whaddaya think?” Eren asked.

The coach tried not to crack a smile. “I’m not sure if your scenario is the most middle school-appropriate, but I’ll take it for now.”

“My biggest goal is to get them pumped up. They seemed so bored.”

“I forget that they’re kids sometimes,” the coach confessed.

“We’ll work on it,” Eren promised.

\--

Eren ended practice by taking attendance; his way being to ask each kid for their name and one interesting fact about them. He studied their faces and hoped to get them all down within a week.

\--

Eren came home from the middle school, and took a quick shower to get back into the car to make his therapy session.

After that would be the every-other-day video call with Levi, which would happen during the early evening. He had a lot to talk about.

\--

A few days later, Eren was busy at work.

It was a mid-week rush, and many students took up space in the lobby. Midterms were just around the corner. Today was also a particularly chilly day, which meant more people flocking in to get a warm drink.

Sasha and Jean were on the register, and Eren cranked out drinks and refills one after the other.

It seemed like the rush would never end, and though it felt like 3 hours, Eren knew only 30 minutes have probably passed.

Finally, the three of them had a lobby full of satisfied, chattering customers, and a hectic, messy space behind the counter.

“Okay, kids,” Jean said on an exhale. “Please clean up. Sasha, I’d like for you to re-organize the pastry case, and Eren to re-organize the tea selection and wipe down the syrup bottles.”

“Kay,” Eren and Sasha sang in low unison.

Sasha crouched down in front of the case with a pair of tongs, and Eren grabbed a warm sanitizer rag when the front door bell jingled.

Eren hoped it wasn’t another wave of customers.

Surprisingly, it was just one person. It was Annie.

The serious girl walked up to the counter, her white hoodie pulled up over her head.

Eren put his rag down to go over and take her order.

“Hey, Annie! I haven’t seen you around in a few months. Welcome back!”

“…Thanks.”

“Did you hear? Mikasa signed up with a federation. She fights on TV now.”

Annie nodded shortly. “I know. I’ve watched her a few times. We trained together one last time before she left.”

“Why don’t you sign on professionally, too? Mikasa said you’re probably even better than she is.”

“…My father would never let me.”

Eren blinked. _Oh._ He was sorry he even asked. _Although…_ he thought, _With Annie’s personality, he wouldn’t be surprised if her father actually was as controlling as he seemed._

“Oh, well…” Eren scratched his neck. “If it makes you feel any better, Mikasa always talked about how formidable you were.”

Annie stared at him, and Eren could’ve sworn he saw a twitch of a smile on her mouth. “That makes me happy.”

Jean watched the interaction quietly from a distance.

“So. Annie,” Eren smiled. “Please tell me you don’t want a cold drink today. It’s freezing out there. Let me make you something warm.”

“I’ll just take my usual,” Annie said. And with a slightly lighter voice and another twitch of a smile, she said, “I’m weird.”

Eren sucked his cheek and grinned. “Alright. I don’t know how you do it, but alright. Your usual coming up.”

She presented the money and Eren cashed her out, and he got to work on the drink. On Annie’s cup, he drew a smiley face next to her name.

Though she was standing right there at the hand-off plane, Eren announced her drink clearly and a bit theatrically. “One small mocha frap’ for Annie. With extra whip.”

Annie took the drink and stared at the cup where Eren drew a smiley face. Eren expected her to just say a quick thanks and slip out the door discreetly like she usually did, but she did something different today.

She blushed. Her skin was already pale, so Eren didn’t know if it was just some residual effect from the biting cold outside, but it seemed to fluster her. “…Thank you, Eren.”

“You’re very welcome. Please come back and visit us soon, okay?”

“…I will.”

With that, Annie took a quick leave and Jean searched for something to say. “Jaeger. You have a talent. I can’t manage two words out of her at a time, and here you are having a whole conversation with her. I don’t get it.”

Eren picked his rag back up and began wiping down the bar. “…I think she’s just misunderstood.”

Sasha sighed from her position near the pastry case. “That bit about her father saddened me. I’m very close to mine, so I could never imagine how that must be.”

“Me, too,” Eren admitted.

\--

Eren blew off steam from his day by putting in an hour or so at the gym.

He was no longer at the point where standard runs—distances that he used to consider warm-ups—destroyed him. Even within a week, he felt his energy levels increase dramatically.

But, by the time he came back upstairs, Eren was winded and just wanted to lay on the couch forever. He managed a shower, at least. He personally thought he looked ratty after workouts, not like Levi, who looked healthy and literally glistened with sweat after his.

Eren was bored tonight and found himself short on things he urgently had to do, so he took out his mic and decided to stream himself playing a video game.

But as he gazed at his set-up, and suddenly realized he wanted some alone time away from viewers, he had another idea.

He got up from his chair and grabbed a bottle of lube and a tissue box from his bedside table. He was just going to see where this took him.

Eren turned his mic’s audio settings to a podcast setting, where the slightest shift of his breath could be picked up.

He put on his headphones and started an audio file before pulling down the front of his shorts.

With a quick drizzle of liquid, Eren began handling himself gently.

Eren sighed contently _. Ohhh. Yes._ It’s been quite some time since he pleased himself like this. _Just him and himself. Company’s overrated._

 _Schlick, schlick_. Eren shut his eyes and let himself get lost in his fantasies.

“Levi…” Eren moaned into his microphone. “Levi… I miss you. I’m thinking about you.”

With his free hand, Eren gripped his armrest and tried to maintain a steady pace, just the way Levi would.

Eren used to think about the way he used to jack off—fast and aggressive, almost mindless. But he loved Levi’s method more now. A medium grip, all the way up and down, all while maintaining an efficient speed.

 _It feels better this way, doesn’t it?_ Levi’s low voice resonated in Eren’s head, and just the thought of it sent shivers down Eren’s spine.

“I wish you were here…” Eren whispered into the mic. He moaned softly once more, and his voice cracked a bit. He let his head fall back against his chair.

He wasn’t sure if it was because his body was still full of adrenaline from his workout, but Eren felt vulnerable and exhilarated at the same time.

Despite how badly he wanted to hike up his movement, the painstaking steady pace made him melt like chocolate on a hot day.

He leaned back into the mic, whining quietly. “Levi… I want your hand wrapped around me… No one can handle me like you…”

He sighed morosely, and he felt his toes curl from a quick spike of pleasure.

“Levi… I want to hear you say my name so badly… I want you… I want you to take me over the edge…”

Eren yanked a Kleenex out of its box and prepared himself for completion.

“Levi… baby… I love you so much… I miss you… ah… ahh… _shit_ …”

Eren aimed himself into the tissue and moaned deeply, his eyes rolling to the back of his head as he came. He stuttered and quivered weakly.

Levi always used to say that his orgasms resembled possessions. _But_ , Levi had said with a knowing look, _those possession-orgasms were cute._

Eren panted lightly into his mic. He gulped and began speaking again. “Ohh. That was good. I was feeling a little touch-starved. …What do you think? Did I do good? I love you. I was thinking about you.”

Eren pulled his shorts back up and stopped the recording. He considered giving the file a listen, but listening to his own moans seemed a bit cringe-worthy. He converted it and emailed to Levi, raw and uncut.

_This is dirty. Listen when you’re alone in your room._

_Kisses_

_-E_

Now, he felt completely exhausted, and he gratefully climbed into his bed after a long day.

\--

Levi walked around a crowded, lively street, looking for new foods to try.

As he peered at stalls grilling fresh, exotic food, he knew he would be in for a culture shock.

He decided to try grilled squid tentacles. He knew Eren would love to try one. His boyfriend loved eating unsightly things.

He didn’t mind unsightly foods all that much, either. He tried escargot in Paris and it wasn’t actually horrible, despite what people would think.

This stall was probably the most crowded out of any of the others on the street. Plus, there seemed to be a lot of people his age at this stand, so that was assuring.

He saw youths gathering around the pineapple bun stand, which Levi avoided for now. He didn’t have much of a sweet tooth.

After ordering and paying for a skewer, Levi stepped aside to make room for the next customer.

The sweaty young man working the grill completed the skewer and handed it to Levi. “ _Qǐng xiǎngshòu~_.”

Levi vaguely recognized parts of that from his nightly studying. He knew the first two syllables. The man said “ _enjoy (something)_ ”, most likely.

“ _Xiè xiè_ ,” Levi said.

The young man nodded gladly, and after taking a couple of napkins nearby, Levi took his skewer to an emptier part of the street.

While it was evening and the sky was dark, excessive lanterns in addition to the streetlights kept the street bright and lively. There were lots of yellow signs, red and gold streamers, and white banners.

He sat down on a brick ledge and crossed his legs to get comfortable. He turned the skewer, gazing at the glistening tentacles. It was sprinkled lightly with sesame seeds and smelled slightly sweet, like it was brushed with some sort of honey sauce.

As he sat, a group of three girls walked past, and paused their stride momentarily near him.

Levi noticed he was being looked at. The three girls looked like teenagers. Maybe a couple years younger than Eren, if he had to guess.

When Levi caught their gazes, they ducked their heads shyly and scurried along, giggling as they went.

Levi turned back to his skewer and wondered what that was about.

He bit into one of the pieces, and its texture was wonderfully strange. The curls of the tentacles and the shrunken suction cups made for so many sensations. As he chewed, Levi actually enjoyed the flavors. And, it was still hot from the grill.

“Not bad,” he said to himself. He couldn’t wait to bring Eren to Hong Kong one day so that they can enjoy grilled squid tentacles together.

-

Levi arrived back into his apartment after a busy day, and he showered and began his wind-down routine.

He checked email updates from back home (Petra was as detailed and vigilant as ever), and he received a confirmation from Eren that they would call tomorrow at the usual time.

His email was constantly being filled with new messages, so even messages that were days-old were deep in his inbox. He saw a recent message from Eren. It had an audio file attached to it, and a brief message in the message body:

_This is dirty. Listen when you’re alone in your room._

_Kisses_

_-E_

_Dirty…?_ Levi wondered. Eren has never sent an audio file before. He tossed his towel aside after drying his hair, and he found his earbuds in his briefcase.

Levi began the audio file and listened closely.

The first seconds sounded like heavy breathing. The recording was abnormally crisp.

Levi heard a _schlick, schlick._ His blinked and his eyes widened.

  _“Levi…”_ Eren’s voice moaned in the recording, and Levi suddenly got a pang in his heart. He’s been desperately missing that pure voice mumbling sweet things to him at night. _“Levi… I miss you. I’m thinking about you.”_

“Fuck, Eren….” Levi groaned softly. His cock twitched.

He pressed on with the recording, and it wasn’t until Eren uttered _“Levi… baby… I love you so much…”_ that Levi somehow found himself finishing and cumming grossly over his hand and thighs.

He opened his eyes and blinked a few times. “Shit…” he grumbled. He grabbed his towel again and went straight back into the shower.

As the water cascaded over him once more, Levi rubbed his face and sighed. He missed Eren. He craved those bold touches and squeezy hugs and nasty kisses.

 _Calm down,_ Levi’s subconscious snapped at him. _You’re a grown man. You’ll survive. You’ve gone way longer without any of that._

In that moment, Levi realized he was spoiled. He was spoiled that Eren provided him with so much affection and love, even during times when he didn’t realize he craved it.

He finished off his second shower and stepped out to get dressed. That audio file will prove valuable during his stay here.

\--

A couple weeks have gone by, and Levi was about halfway over with his stay. One morning, he woke up bright and early as usual, and after washing up, he looked out the window.

His apartment had a great view of the city. He had already filmed a tour of the apartment as well as the view for Eren.

Much like Trost, the city looked gorgeous against a dark sky.

He slipped into his robe and set up his tablet to video call Eren.

A pair of green eyes and bold eyebrows, chocolate hair, and a big smile appeared on the screen.

“Eren…” Levi greeted. His heart squeezed.

Eren was wearing a tank top, and the oversized hoodie he was wearing on top of it lazily slipped down his arms, exposing his tan, toned shoulders.

He watched Eren wave and grin. “My love! Good morning…”

“Hello, Eren. What’s poppin’?”

Eren laughed heartily, and Levi chuckled, too. “What? Did I use that incorrectly?”

Eren settled down, and he shook his head. “Nope. You used it perfectly. It’s cute. You’re cute, Levi.”

 _Hell, yeah._ There was that little surge of pride that Levi got when he learned new slang or youth happenings.

“Levi, let me tell you about my kids!” Eren gushed. Levi got comfortable to listen. He loved that he never had to pry it out of Eren to figure out his happenings. It all just spilled out between them.

And he loved that Eren called the middle schoolers he coached his “kids”.

“…And they’re looking in great shape for our first meet. I finally learned all their names. I’m so excited to start delegating events. I have such big plans for them. I really hope they continue to work hard for me.”

“You sound like a wonderful coach, sweetheart,” Levi said. “I wish I could watch you in your element one day.”

“When you come back home, I’ll take you to a track meet with me, okay?”

“Sounds great. I want to see your ‘kids’ that you speak so highly of.”

Eren pursed his lips. “Don’t make fun of me, Levi. I’ve really taken a liking to them. I’ve taken them under my wing.”

“I’m just teasing,” Levi assured. “You have such strong maternal instincts, and it shows all the time. Why else do you think I call you ‘Mama’?”

“I guess…” Eren scratched his arm absently. But, as much as he didn’t like to admit it, Levi was right. He really assumed quite the maternal role with his middle schoolers, and even within his own relationship with Levi.

_After all, who else was going to make sure the man slept and ate consistently!?_

“Eren, look at me, baby.”

Eren looked back into the screen.

“I listened to that recording you sent me. Several times.”

Eren smiled. “What did you think of it? I was in a weird place that night. I’m still re-exploring my own body.”

“You’ve made my nights a lot less lonely here.”

Eren’s face lit up. “Do you mean that? …Would you like me to make some fresh recordings for you?”

“I would love that. And continue using that microphone. It sounds different.”

Eren smiled. “That’s my streaming mic. But I tweaked the settings to the podcast settings so it picks up more detail. You won’t miss a sound.”

Levi was excited to get fresh content. The first audio file that Eren sent was played more times than he could count.

“And, I think this is good for me, too,” Eren started. “It’s… a way to help me fulfill my sexuality at my own pace. And you like it, too, so I think it’s a win-win.”

“Remember what I said, too,” Levi reminded. “I never want you to feel rushed or pressured to do anything you don’t like. I’ll meet you where you are. But I’m relieved you’re becoming comfortable with your body again.”

\--

Eren held up a stopwatch and high-fived every kid that finished their two-lap cool-down.

He walked to the center of the field, and the kids gathered around him like baby ducklings.

“Good job today! Grab some water and you’re all set to go.”

Eren talked to the head coach quickly, and he made his way to his car. He was tired today for some reason and wanted to go home already.

He slung his backpack over his shoulder and took out his keys to unlock the door.

The kids were streaming out of the building steadily, either to catch the crisp air outside or wait to be picked up by parents.

Eren tossed his backpack into the passenger side, and walked around the hood to get into his seat. He noticed some of his kids staring at him in awe.

“Whoa… Coach Eren drives a fancy car...” he heard one of them say.

He internally chastised himself. All throughout the season so far, he’s made it a point to park the Lamborghini as far away as possible from the entrance so that the kids wouldn’t be distracted by it. Even on his own college campus, he gets attention whenever he parks or leaves.

But it was different with kids. He wanted to be relatable.

Eren smiled tightly when the four kids ran up to him, not even asking before running their hands over the car with literal sparkles in their eyes.

“Coach Eren, are you lying to us?!” another one asked. “You’re not really a college student, are you?”

“I am. Why would I lie to you guys?”

The kids stared at him. “Are you like… a celebrity or something?” Some of them whipped out their phones to Google his name.

“What? No! Guys, I’m telling you, I’m just a student.”

“Then how did you get this car!?”

Eren smiled. He figured out how to make this wholesome. “If you stay in school, and you do well, you can drive any car you want.”

Which… wasn’t a complete lie. Eren just didn’t know how his middle schoolers would react if they found out that his rich boyfriend bought it for him for Christmas. In fact, he didn’t even know how they’d react if they knew he had a boyfriend, period. Middle school him didn’t understand different sexualities all that much, either.

The kids laughed in exasperation. “Coach Eren, are you being for real? You can tell us, we won’t tell anyone else.”

“I’m being 100% honest.”

“Do you work for the government?”

“Guys, no. I work at a coffee shop. I promise you. I got this car because I was a good student. If you guys make good grades, you can drive this car one day, too.”

The kids knew they were being lied to, but that didn’t make them any less fascinated. “Can you drive us around in it?”

Eren gazed at the entrance in the distance, where more kids were streaming out, and it reminded him that he needed to get out of here soon if he wanted to avoid the extra attention.

He crouched down to their level. “Tell you what. You guys all get first place in your events at the first meet, and I’ll drive you guys around in it. Deal?”

The kids looked like they were just promised a million dollars, and then a puppy. “YES! DEAL!”

Eren grinned and ruffled each of their heads. “Okay, then. I’ll see you guys next practice.”

“See ya, Coach.”

Eren got into his car, the kids still staring, and drove the long way around the parking lot to avoid the other kids.

\--

Eren liked to think he was pretty successful in staying busy enough that Levi’s absence wasn’t as lonely as it should’ve been. But during the middle of the third week, he was hit with an insatiable craving for that man, and the fucked up part was that the feeling was triggered by seeing how happy Armin and Erwin were together.

He didn’t want to seem selfish. Armin and Erwin were great hosts throughout the month, always keeping their door open, cooking for him, and checking up on him constantly. They really were his family.

But, when Eren would sit on the couch to relax after a great meal, and he’d watch Erwin and Armin cleaning the kitchen together, sneaking flirty touches and back rubs, it made him yearn for Levi to arrive to Trost faster.

He yearned for those quiet evenings again. Where Levi would wash dishes and Eren would dry them, talking about their days and their future together.

He craved those nights of curling up before bed; it was so routine. Watching their show and cuddling. Giving lotion massages and having pillow fights and wrestling matches.

Melancholy turned into anger, and Eren being the frustrated crier that he was, found himself weeping in Armin’s room.

“I miss him, Arm…” Eren grimaced, wiping away at his tears angrily.

“I know you do,” Armin soothed. He massaged Eren’s shoulder gingerly. “But you have me and Erwin until he comes back. I can’t imagine how you feel.”

“FUCK!!” Eren shouted, and he slammed his fist against the wall.

Armin jumped from the noise, but he pursed his lips to continue trying to calm his distraught friend down.

Eren was glad Erwin wasn’t in the house right now. There were very few people he was willing to cry in front of. His own father wasn’t even among them.

Eren drew his knees closer and hid his head to cry himself out. Armin had silently gotten up and left the room to get some tea started, a surefire way to get Eren distracted and to calm him down.

But after that cry, Eren had an epiphany. He still missed Levi terribly, but in a way, he was kind of grateful for the opportunity. With Levi expanding the company, he should probably get used to being home along more often. Granted, once he finishes his degree or during summer vacations, he can travel, too, but this experience was eye-opening.

And, another positive was that he learned to keep his boyfriend pleased and in and in-the-loop while away. The audio files of himself jacking off kept things spicy, and the frequent video calls made them both experts in recalling their days.

Once Armin came back with the cups of tea, Eren explained this all to him.

“That’s good,” Armin smiled. “I know your feelings on the matter must be complex and hard to unravel, but you’re doing great. You’re a very family-oriented person. I don’t blame you for any of this.”

“Thanks for listening to me bitch and moan,” Eren laughed dryly. His tears had finally stopped flowing, and his mood was akin to dark clouds separating after a heavy storm—the sun shining through against all odds. “I’m all over the place lately.”

“Who else are you gonna bitch and moan to, if not me?” Armin teased cockily.

“After I drink this tea, I’m going to punch you,” Eren informed.

“Not if I run away first, though.”

“Are you forgetting that I coach track, Armin? You can’t escape me.”

“Hey, you damn near put a hole in my wall,” Armin rubbed the wall where Eren slammed his fist earlier. “I deserve to tease you about your bitching and moaning.”

Eren took a sip and looked at Armin with dangerous eyes. “Fair enough.”

Armin took a sip, too, and he still had a mischievous look about him. “You got like a week and a half to go. Levi will be here any second now.”

Eren sipped on his tea (it was black tea, just how Levi would take it), and he imagined a stout, stoic-faced, short man in a white button-up.

He could almost anticipate being able to touch that man, to taste him. To love him.

_Just a little longer, now._

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback, please!! (I especially live for comments ;D )


End file.
